Sleep Essentials || 14 must-haves for twins
Part of surviving twins is cracking the code on infant sleep. There are many sleep methods you can follow and a lot of products that can assist you on your journey for sleep. Here are a few that we hope will point you in the right direction!
Products to sooth
Sucking and being snuggled will be a natural soothing need for your twins. Load up on pacifiers, bottles, and swaddles.
- Avent Bottle || Bottles with a venting system are key during night feedings to reduce gas bubbles. The last thing you want is a baby waking in the middle of the night due to gas!
- Lovie with pacifier || Sucking is a natural self-soother for babies. Using a pacifier attached to a lovie allows you to gently prop the pacifier on the baby's chest to keep it in his mouth longer.
- Halo Sleepsack & SwaddleMe || Swaddling tight is key to extending sleep at night.
- Muslin blankets || Once your twins are around 6-10 weeks old, they will start to wiggle loose from their regular swaddle. Tightly wrap your baby in a muslin blanket and then add a velcro swaddle over the top for a "Double Swaddle."
Know how to swaddle like a Ninja!
Your twins enjoyed the double-tight space of your womb. Don’t underestimate the power of the swaddle! and if they break it, learn to double swaddle!
Products for night feeding
You might be up with one or two so have a rocker wide enough for all! Use a red light instead of white light during night feeds.
- Desk lamp & Red light || Red light is easier on your eyes at night and won't disrupt Melatonin production as much as white light
- Double-wide rocker || One or both your twins will wake for a feed at night so be prepared to comfortably feed both at the same time.
Products to educate
Knowledge is power! Get an app to track feeds & sleeping patterns and read-up on sleep routines before your twins arrive!
- The Baby Sleep Site app || Use an app to keep track of feedings and sleep for each child. This helps everyone caring for the twins to keep them on a consistent schedule.
- The Contented House of Twins || This book--based on the best seller The Contented Little Baby Book--walks you through the how-to's for managing a staggered and synchronized schedule for twins from newborn up to 12 months old.
- Healthy Sleep Habits Happy Twins || This book--based on the best seller Healthy Sleep Habits Happy Child--walks you through sleep principles based on research conducted on thousands of babies.
- Happiest Baby on the Block || This book or DVD walks you through 5 soothing techniques for fussy babies during the "Fourth Trimester." The DVD version is now available on Amazon Video for Amazon Prime members.
Products for nursery
Keep your environment conducive to sleep with blackout shades & all-night-long white noise. Stock your changing table for speedy night diaperings and a change of sheets for middle-of-the-night accidents.
- Air purifier tower || White noise that hums all night long is key for teaching twins to sleep in the same room and through each other's cries. Using an air purifier allows you to get two uses out of one machine!
- Changing table || Before bed, make sure your changing table is organized and stocked with all the diapering essentials. The last thing you want is to be running errands in the middle of the night! Also, add two clean sheets for easy access incase of bed wedding.
- Blackout shades || It is crucial your twin's nursery remains dark from bedtime up to the point they should wake.
Photo: Natalie Brenner
