Should Twins Share a Room?

Should Your Twins Sleep in The Same Room?

 

Twins or multiples are pure joy – you get extra cuddles and kisses, they have a built-in playmate, and you get two or more babies for the price of one pregnancy.

(Mind you, it was an extra tiring pregnancy!)

There are many other benefits to multiples, and of course, with those benefits comes extra challenges. One of the challenges I’m very familiar with is sleep.

As Twins Get Older, New Sleep Challenges Emerge

For example;

• How do I get my twins or multiples to stop talking at bedtime?
• Do I keep them in the same room?
• Should your twins share a room?
• Should your infant twins share the same bed?
• Should my twins sleep in separate bedrooms?
• How do you settle more than one twin baby at a time?
• What if the infant twins are crying and I’m all by myself?

 

Here are a Few Things to Keep in Mind if Your Toddler Twins Would Rather Play and Talk Than

Sleep.

 Unless you have many extra bedrooms in your house with no one using them, it makes more sense to putting twins or multiples in the same room.

During twin pregnancy the twins will form a bond in the womb. Twins or multiples are lucky to come into the world with a friend. There have been a lot of reports from twin parents about how twins keep a strong side by side bond throughout childhood.

 

Keep Them Together

Your twins or multiples have been together since their time in the womb, so help keep that bond close by having them sleep in the same bedroom.

Unless you have many extra bedrooms in your house with no one using them, it makes more sense to keep twins or multiples in the same room. If you are worried that their noises will wake each other up, keeping them together will help them get used to each other’s sounds, rarely disturbing their sleep.

This is especially important if you are doing some sleep training, as they will soon get used to sleeping through each other’s protests. You can help avoid this by moving their beds or cribs to opposite sides of the room.

 

Reorganize the Bedroom Layout

Not only do twins or multiples tend to talk to each other when they should be sleeping, but they will also try to touch or pass things to each other as well.

You can help avoid this by moving their beds or cribs to opposite sides of the room. This will not only create a physical distance, but it will also be less distracting if they can’t see each other.

An overtired child will fight bedtime more, so make sure they are in bed before they get their second wind to promote safe sleep guidelines.

 

Choose an Appropriate Bedtime

Ensure your twins have an appropriate bedtime to reduce bedtime battles and shenanigans.

An overtired child will fight sleep more, so make sure they are in bed before they get their second wind. If you are finding your twins are talking quite a bit at bedtime, move their bedtime earlier so that they can get their daily debrief over sooner and fall asleep at a more reasonable time.

 

Use White Noise

Use a white noise machine, fan, or humidifier in their room to help drown out each other’s voices, and lull them to sleep. It will also help drown out household or street noise. Just make sure it is at a reasonable volume and a safe distance from their beds.

Read more on white noise in your baby’s room.

 

This Too Shall Pass

All children will go through phases when it comes to their sleep, and twins and multiples are no different. The novelty of having a roommate will wear off, and they will soon start to choose sleep over chatting and yelling at each other.

Check out other blogs on sleep training methods and safe sleep for infants. 

 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

We all want to do the right thing for our children and having multiple children in one go often

multiplies the questions we have.

 

1. When Should Twins Sleep in Separate Rooms?

When you’r twins, or multiples, are young, I highly recommend that they share a room for both the simplicity and bonding side of things.

Eventually, you’ll reach a point when you start considering giving them separate bedrooms, and there’s nothing wrong with giving the children their own space, especially as they get older.

There’s no specific age when you should separate your children into their bedrooms.

Many people don’t have the house space to do that, especially if the children are of the same sex. Plenty of same-sex siblings share the same room until they leave home, and for twins, it’s no different. If this is the case, you can think about giving them their owns space within the room.

The ideal way to do this is by giving them their desk area.

However, if you wish to separate your twins or if your children are communicating that they’d like their room, and there’s nothing wrong with that either, then the general rule of thumb is to avoid times where you’re making other changes such as potty training or starting school. Each family is unique, and there are no hard and fast rules.

You do what feels right for your children.

 

2. At What Age Should Boy and Girl Twins Stop Sharing a Room?

When twins or multiples are of different sex, the advice is slightly different.

As a general rule, children of different genders shouldn’t be sharing a room past the age of 10. As children get older, they begin to crave their privacy, especially as they are approaching puberty.

Sharing a room as young children can be a great bonding experience, but as they get older, it is essential to give children their own space if you can. Listen to your children, and as they begin to talk of privacy and to want their own space, this is the time to make the change.

It is up to your kids. Perhaps they want to continue sharing a room, in which case if it works for your family, go for it.

3. Do Twins Sleep Better Together?

As babies, twins, and multiples might sleep better in the same crib.

Current research shows that this can help to regulate their body temperature and sleep cycles. It can also be soothing for them. However, when your babies reach a point where they begin to roll and bump into one another or start to wake one another up, this is the time to separate into two cribs.

 

4. When Should You Stop Sleeping on your Back When Pregnant With Twins?

If you’re a back-sleeper and your expecting twins, it might be helpful to start learning to sleep on your side as soon as possible, which will make the transition easier later on in pregnancy.

Current advice states that after approximately 20 weeks, you should avoid sleeping on your back as the uterus can press against a major blood vessel (vena cava), which can disrupt the blood flow to you and your babies.

It can also leave you feeling dizzy, nauseous, and short of breath.

Body pillows can be beneficial if you’re used to sleeping on your back and need to switch up your position.

Having twin babies and multiples can be difficult, especially when it comes to sleep. Many people have their twins share almost every thing and even sleep in the same bed. When twin babies get older it’s probably better to get separate rooms.

When children are young it’s fine for them to share a room; however when they reach puberty its best for them to get their own rooms.

A lot of it comes down to your intuition. Of course, you know your children better than anybody, but if you’re ever in doubt, see your pediatrician to gain advice on your current situation.