Sharing cribs-- info

Hi- I have read several times about babies sharing their cribs until they are about 3-4 months old and start bothering each other.
The reasoning for this was 1- if you are not able to afford 2 cribs in the beginning
2- because they have been together in the belly they would be more comfortable in the beginning being together in their crib.

My babies are in the NICU right now, born premature (and fortunately doing well), so I have gotten a lot of advice from the nurses.
They said that they too used to put the twins in the same crib (I'm assuming when they were on an open crib), but now
they always keep them seperate. They said that putting the babies on the same crib increases the chances of SID- As one explained it,
the same reason we should not put pillows or stuffed animals on the babies crib, you would not want to put another baby that my roll over.

We didn't discussed putting a crib separator...

I have 2 cribs but I was thinking of putting them in one just because of the things I mentioned earlier (being together in the belly, etc)
Now I'm preparing the second one.

Just wanted to share...

 

Glad your babies are doing well! We put ours in the bassinet together for maybe a week, but the weather was so warm and they were such little hot potatoes that I worried about them over-heating (also a risk for SIDS). So we put them in separate beds and they did just fine. When we moved them to their own room at 4 weeks I put them in the same crib again, thinking they might get lonely, but then they would move and wake each other up, so we separated them again. They didn't seem to notice.

Jen

 

Mine shared a crib several times while in the NICU and the same bassinet when they came home, then the same crib for 10 months. I would do whatever feels right for you. I had no problem allowing my twins to sleep together.

 

Thanks for the info! We have been going back and forth deciding whether to use 1 or 2 cribs in the beginning. . .We have the 2nd crib but were considering having them share one in the beginning just because of space issues. . .But an increased chance of SIDS is a good reason to put both cribs up! Thanks for sharing!!

Laura

 

We had both cribs up before the babies came home, but they did share 1 crib for the first month or two. Mine slept in sleep positioners for several months though, so they always 'stayed put'. We separated them when one started having issues getting to sleep.

 

My girls slept in the same bassinet until they were 3 months and then the same crib until they started driving each other nuts at about 7 months. They have been in their own cribs since and they are 10 months old now. They sleep with a receiving blanket and their first doll that rattles and a little cat security blanket. My Julianna sometimes needs the blanket near her face while she is drinking to fall asleep. No issues. Do what you feel comfortable with.

 

My girls slept in the same co-sleeper (attached to our bed) until about 3 months, then in the same crib until about a month later. They were wrapped up in a swaddle, so they weren't going anywhere and never did they roll onto each other. Once they started rolling and moving, we moved them to separate cribs - they were waking each other up by kicking each other.

I wouldn't worry about the SIDS thing if you want to put them in the same crib; I think the studies I've read are more that twins in general have an increased risk due to premature birth. I loved waking up in the morning and seeing them scooted over next to each other sleeping. Just so cute!

Do whatever you feel comfortable with - you'll figure that out quickly - lots of different opinions and you have to go with your gut on lots of stuff!

 

Thanks for the info!

Odd because our NICU nurses and doctors RECOMMENDED them sleeping together!! It's so funny how there are so many different opinions on this.

ours slept together until 4 months!

 

I have to say that my doc/ped recommended that they sleep together the first few weeks because they sleep in a slightly more aroused state which decreases the risk of SIDS.

 

QUOTE(snoopytwins @ Aug 25 2008, 02:45 PM) [snapback]946842[/snapback]
I have to say that my doc/ped recommended that they sleep together the first few weeks because they sleep in a slightly more aroused state which decreases the risk of SIDS.



I second this theory and will have my twins in the same co-sleeper and crib.

 

That was one of my worries with sharing so I did have them swaddled and separate when they were sharing a crib. We only shared until they weighed a combined 15 lbs though so it was only about a month. It's only too easy for one baby to throw their arm out and cover the other baby's mouth.

 

Being a mom.. so many worries...so many opinions!!! I guess is welcome to parenthood


QUOTE(Ali M @ Aug 25 2008, 11:37 PM) [snapback]947521[/snapback]
That was one of my worries with sharing so I did have them swaddled and separate when they were sharing a crib. We only shared until they weighed a combined 15 lbs though so it was only about a month. It's only too easy for one baby to throw their arm out and cover the other baby's mouth.

 

i went back & forth on this one too and what i found most interesting is that even the medical community doesn't seem to have a firm opinion. our girls spent their first week at a NICU where the policy was seperate cribs & their second week at a NICU where the policy was a shared crib. now that the girls are home they simply won't sleep in a crib under any circumstances so it's kind of a moot point. they'll only sleep if being held.

 

I've heard premiees can do better when they are next to their twin. Here in Australia they had several double cribs but there were so many twins my two didn't get the chance to use them. At home they had most naps in the Moses basket (loved that thing) and dividers at night.

 

We put our girls together and even swaddled them together because they had a hard time keeping their body temps up and it was the middle of winter. We never had issues and were never told not to do so. However, as a parent you have to do what you feel most comfortable with.

 

Thanks for passing this on, this helps!

My plan is to have them share a co-sleeper or portable crib (next to our bed w/the side down so it will function like a co-sleeper at half the cost ) right next to our bed for about the first 3 months, swaddled. Then I'll move them into a shared crib with a crib separator in the nursery for the next few months. Our current house has a very small nursery; we are hoping to move next summer so I am hoping to hold off on setting up the second crib until then. But if we have to, I'll have one of them sleep in the portable crib since it takes up less space than two full-sized cribs.

 

It's one of those things that you decide what's going to be best. We are going to have them share a bassinett in our room for about a month and then we are going to move them to their own cribs. But, if that doesn't work we'll just adapt.

 

As soon as my boys were able to go to an open crib in the NICU they were put together by the nursing staff. They still sleep together, often on top of each other without waking. It's so cute. And yes, if they happen to fall asleep on top of each other, we do move them. :laughing: They don't sleep well without each other. My older son didn't want to sleep away from his big brother also. They share a room too.

When they were little we just made sure they weren't close enough to rebreathe each others breath. I think that's where the risk of SIDS comes into play. Once they weren't swaddled, they would look for each other in their sleep. Even with their eyes closed they'd feel their way together. If that's not special I don't know what is! I can't take that away from them.

 

we had two cribs as well.. but they shared a single crib until they were nearly 6 months old.. then I put the two cribs together into one large square crib.. They stayed like that till they were nearly a year old... I don't think that would increase any chance of SIDS... Didn't they find out that it was a genetic predisposition not too long ago?

 

mine were in the nicu for 5 weeks and as soon as they were in an open crib they were put together. they said it helped them steady their heart rate and breathing. i did notice the alarms went off alot less. theyre in seperate cribs now because sean cries alot more and wakes up every 3 hours, while halle will sometimes go 5 at night. he gets swinging his arms and kicking and wakes her up.

 

where can you find crib dividers?