Sleeping arrangements for twins?

[shirleysmum]

Hi everyone :wave:

. I'm 8 weeks expecting twins :eek:

Can I ask what you do for sleeping arrangements for twins - do they have their own bedrooms, or do they share the same room? I'm worried if they go in together, and one wakes and cries, that will disturb the other twin, and then it will chorus line! I'm trying to get organised, and need to know how many bedrooms need to be renovated! Any comments on what worked for you would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance!

[Dannielle]

Congratulations. :)

We had our girls in seperate bassinettes and then seperate cots but right next to each other in the same room. They actually shared and still share with DD1 who was 4.5yrs old when they were born.

I don't think they have ever woken DD1. Well, they do try to now but they will be 7yrs in November.

I actually found that I needed to wake one if the other woke for a feed so even side by side one wouldn't always wake the other. But I found it was better for my sanity and it improved my chances of getting some sleep if they fed at the same time. I had problems getting DD2 to sleep a fair bit until I found that if she was unsettled then she would sleep and settle much easier when I put her in with DD3. The first time I did it she screamed badly in DD3's ear and DD3 woke up and looked at her like she was nuts then snuggled even closer and went back to sleep.

So, I wouldn't be too worried about them disturbing each other.:)

[Timestwo]

I slept my 2 side by side, feet to the cot rail in the same cot as newborns. They didnt generally wake each other up and it made it easier to get them to settle when they were together and I could also reach both of them!
At 8 weeks or so, I had to separate them as they got more active and it was reasonably painless, I had their cots side by side
Their cots are across the room now and sometimes they do wake each other up by throwing things at each other :o or keep each other up :o but have tried separating them and they much prefer to be together.

[Sheer Bliss]

I had mine in the same cot to start with, same as Timestwo, feet to the rails. But once they were past the premmie stage DS2 would wake up ALL the time, and sometimes disturb DD. I put them in different cots and it helped a little, but noticed that when I was sleeping out on the lounge with DS2, DD2 would sleep HEAPS better. So She ended up in their room, him in ours - she slept beautifully!

Now they sleep in the same room, and most of the time, don't disturb each other. She can be screaming the house down and he won't move, or if he does, he looks at me when I go in to get her, grunts and rolls over and goes back to sleep. He is the better sleeper now too! Has been since about 5months, which is when she started waking more, lol.

I DO however have a port-a-cot made up in DS1's room (he no longer has day sleeps) for day naps when one of them is not wanting to go down, as day naps are interrupted more easily with them.

[Tweak]

Firstly congratulations!!!!!!

Mine slept with me at night side by side
during the day one cot side by side until about 4 months then both heads up different ends till about 6 months

then their own cots

have always shared a room and I think always will

when they started to climb out of the cots they went staright into single beds

[alanasmum]

Hi there
Congratulations on the news that you are expecting twins - there is lots to think about. I remember that a million things raced through my head when I found out we were expecting twins at 8 weeks. It soon all sinks in though!

My two slept side by side in bassinets in the same room (across the hall from our bedroom). At 5 months they went into separate cots in the same room. When they were newborns they would not wake each other - one could be screaming while the other still slept soundly. There was a period of time where they did start waking each other and I cursed our house for not having another bedroom that I could shift one baby into!! They still do wake each other sometimes but they are now at an age where if they are still tired they just go back to sleep. I think it's nice to have twins sleeping in the same room but it's an entirely individual decision.

[bgbgbb]

Congratulations!

Mine slept together in a cot at the end of our bed initially, although one kept thumping out and waking the other, so that didn't last for long. Half the time they ended up sleeping on me!

A few weeks ago we moved them into their own bedroom, separate cots. They sleep pretty well together.

A good tip given to me by the hospital nursery staff was to put a radio on very low so that that constant noise will override any little sounds they might individually make that could wake each other up.

[shirleysmum]

Thank you so much! Alanasmum - are you sure the news sinks in soon????? Still overwhelming, but that's seems like a normal reaction.

Sounds like the consensus is that they share the same room, and they don't disturb each other too much, if at all, and a spare room is handy to have if possible. I like the tip about the radio, thanks bgbgbb!

I've now got some painting and reno's to do!

Thanks again everyone!

[alanasmum]

Thank you so much! Alanasmum - are you sure the news sinks in soon????? Still overwhelming, but that's seems like a normal reaction.


It does sink in - eventually! :yes: But I recall as if it was yesterday all the things that went through my mind those first few days/weeks after finding out. Once you get the wheels in motion though organising the house and making decisions on purchases (pram, bigger car etc etc) it gets very exciting and you won't be able to wait till they arrive!