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34. Can two or more of my multiples share a crib? Multiples sharing the same bed is a practice known as co-bedding. Some hospitals may allow multiples, sometimes at the parent’s request, to co-bed babies as soon as the babies are medically stable, but others do not. Co-bedding in the NICU would be an important topic to discuss with your neonatologist to learn more about the benefits and risks of co-bedding and what criteria must be met before babies can share a bed. Once the babies have come home from the hospital some parents will choose to co-bed their newborns for a variety of reasons. Many parents find that just having the babies near each other, hearing each other breathing and feeling the warmth of their multiple birth sibling(s), seems to soothe the babies, decrease fussiness, and help them sleep better. Other parents find having them together is easier because of the convenience of using just one crib. Before parents decide to co-bed their newborns, MOST encourages them to discuss specific safety issues, such as the risk of SIDS, with thier pediatrician.
More information about co-bedding is included in the MOST Infant Multiples Booklet. MOST also provides support to parents through MOST Resource Volunteers who offer advice on specific subjects like co-bedding, breastfeeding, parenting over 40, and stay at home dads. Please
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Copyright MOST 2005 Updated 5/23/08
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