Key takeaways
Follow the same safe sleep steps for each baby, for every sleep
Keep your babies in a clear, flat, firm sleep space in your room for the first six months
Twins and triplets can share a full-sized cot when they are very young, but need enough space, good airflow and separate sleep spaces once they roll
Co-sleeping is only ever with one baby in an adult bed and never with babies who were early or very small at birth
Bringing home twins, triplets or more is exciting, emotional and often exhausting. Between feeds, nappies and visitors, it can feel hard to keep up with every bit of advice, especially around sleep.
Safe sleep guidance is designed to reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). SIDS is when a baby dies suddenly and unexpectedly in their sleep, with no obvious cause. It’s very rare, but babies who are born prematurely or have a low birth weight are at higher risk. This means many twins, triplets or more fall into a higher risk category, so following simple steps for every sleep really matters.
The aim isn’t to make you anxious. It’s to give you clear, practical information so you can feel more confident about where and how your babies sleep. A simple way to remember the essentials is:
- Back to sleep
- Clear cot
- Same room
If you keep this in mind for every sleep, day and night, you’re already doing a lot to help keep your babies safe.
Everyday safety considerations for your babies’ sleep
The core safe sleep principles are the same whether you have one baby or more.
For every sleep:
Place each baby on their back to sleep, both day and night
Use a firm, flat, waterproof mattress in good condition that fits the cot, crib or Moses basket
Keep the sleep space clear of pillows, cot bumpers, nests, toys and loose bedding
Avoid duvets and pillows for babies under one year old
Where possible, your babies should sleep in the same room as you, both day and night, for around the first six months. This is room-sharing, not bed-sharing, and it helps reduce the risk of SIDS.
Space can be a real challenge when you have more than one baby. You may find they outgrow sharing a cot before you feel ready to move them, or you might struggle to fit multiple cots in your bedroom or living area. There are still safe options. You may need to rearrange furniture or move non-essential items out of your bedroom for a while. For daytime naps, travel cots, smaller cribs or compact cots can work well until around six months, and you might use a mix of these upstairs and downstairs.
If you can’t fit extra sleep spaces where you are during the day, try leaving doors open and checking your babies regularly. A baby monitor can add reassurance, but it shouldn’t replace an adult being nearby while they nap.
Aim for a comfortable room temperature of around 16 - 20 degrees. Avoid placing cots right next to a window or radiator. If this is the only option, keep the window closed or the radiator turned off so your babies don’t get too hot. When you come in from a colder place, unwrap your babies and take off hats so they don’t overheat.
Don’t use rolled up towels or blankets to prop your babies up. You may have seen this in neonatal care, but in hospital your babies were closely monitored. At home, it’s safest to follow standard safe sleep advice unless a medical professional gives you different guidance.
It’s never safe to sleep with your babies on a sofa or armchair. Even a brief doze in this position is very dangerous and greatly increases the risk of accidents and SIDS.
Try not to smoke during pregnancy and don’t let anyone smoke in the same room as your babies. Smoke before and after birth increases the risk of SIDS.
Co-bedding twins and triplets safely
Co-bedding means your babies share the same sleep space. Many parents choose this in the early months because it saves space and can be comforting for the babies. The shared space must be large enough for each baby to have their own area to sleep in, with room around them. This isn’t just about comfort. It also helps air to circulate around their faces and bodies and reduces the chance of overheating.
Co-bedding is safest when your babies are in a full-sized cot. Each baby should be placed on their back in the ‘feet to foot’ position, meaning their feet are at the end of the cot. Bedding should be tucked in no higher than shoulder height and kept well away from their faces.
Smaller spaces, such as a single Moses basket, a single size ‘next to me’ style crib or a pram bassinette aren’t recommended for more than one baby. There’s less room for them to move, less air flow and a greater risk of them overheating or covering their faces.
Research suggests that sharing a large cot doesn’t always make babies wake more often and may help them settle into similar sleep patterns. Many multiples who co-bed don’t disturb each other, although every baby is different.
Do not use items such as rolled up blankets or towels to prop up your babies. While you may see premature babies in hospitals positioned with similar supports, it’s important to remember that they are under constant medical supervision. At home, you should follow safe sleep guidelines unless a healthcare professional has advised otherwise.
Once your babies start to roll and move around more, they should sleep in separate cots. You may choose to place these close together if you have space, so they can still sense each other while having their own safe sleep space.
Key things to remember when co-bedding
Do not co-bed twins or triplets in a small space, such as a moses basket or bassinet, due to the risk of overheating
Do not use rolled up blankets or towels to prop up your babies
Do not co-bed your babies after they begin rolling or travelling around the cot
Co-sleeping safely
Co-sleeping means sharing your bed with your baby. If you choose to do this, only ever share the bed with one baby at a time. Never co-sleep if your baby was born before 37 weeks or weighed under 2.5 kilograms at birth. For these babies, the safest place to sleep is in their own cot or crib right next to your bed.
Keep pillows and duvets away from your baby and make sure they won’t fall out of bed or become trapped between the mattress and the wall. Remember, it’s never safe to sleep with your babies on a sofa or armchair.
Commonly asked questions safe sleeping
What’s the safest daytime sleep option for four-month-old twins if I don’t have space for two cots downstairs?
Placing your babies to sleep on their back for every sleep is essential to reducing the risk of SIDS. Travel cots, smaller cribs and cots or a combination may offer a good alternative for daytime naps downstairs until they are six months old.
If this is not an option, leaving all of the doors open and checking on them regularly is important. Using a baby monitor may give some peace of mind, but it shouldn't replace your presence in the room whilst they're napping.
What should I do if my babies need separate sleep spaces but I don’t have room for two cots in the bedroom?
It can sometimes be difficult to follow the safer sleep advice if you are short of space. If you can’t fit two cots in your bedroom, make the advice work for you - leaving doors open between your rooms, or taking it in turns with your partner to sleep in with the babies in a nursery room can be good alternatives.
If possible, it may be that you can borrow items smaller than a full-sized cot for a couple of months, such as cribs or smaller travel cots.
Think about whether you could move furniture around in your room, just for the months in which your babies would be sharing your room.
Can my twins and triplets share a next-to-me crib?
If you're consider using a next-to-me crib, please bear in mind all of our sleep guidance, particularly:
- Same Room for Six Months - it's recommended that the babies room-share with an adult for at least the first six months, where possible, to decrease the risk of SIDS.
- Separate Sleep Spaces - the crib should be big enough to allow each twin to have their own sleep space. They need adequate air flow around their face, so their faces should be well away from each other and any bedding. They should be able to move their heads freely to clear their airways.
- Bedding – use sleeping bags or ensure blankets are tucked in well to the foot and sides of the cot/crib.
- Adjacency - the greatest risk of a 'next to me'-style cot (aside from inadequate space) is that a baby falls into the gap between the cot and the bed. The crib should be securely attached to your bed to prevent any gaps where a baby could slip through.
- Separate them if rolling - when one of the babies starts rolling and/or moving around, they should then be put it their own separate sleep space to avoid rolling onto each other.
- Firm Mattress - use a firm mattress and fitted sheet specifically designed for the next to me crib. Again, this is to ensure that there are no potential loose objects which could cover baby’s face or interfere with airflow.
- Clear Space - ensure that there are no soft bedding, blankets, stuffed animals, or pillows in the crib that could obstruct the baby’s breathing or pose a suffocation hazard.
- No Overheating - dress the babies in light sleep clothing and maintain a comfortable room temperature (around 68–72°F or 20–22°C) to prevent overheating. Sleeping bags will often come with guides as to which tog to use in which temperature.
- Safe sleep position (see above).
- Regular assessments - regularly check on the babies to ensure they are in a safe position and their airways are clear. Even newborn babies can move their heads and sometimes bodies, so they might end up in a different position than you have placed them in. Also, periodically assess the crib setup for any potential hazards, such as loose parts or improper attachments.
- Make adjustments – babies grow and change constantly, as do their sleep requirements . Use the above guidelines to make adjustments as needed.
Feeling confident about your safe sleep choices
You know your babies and your home best. Safe sleep guidance gives you a strong framework and you can then adapt within that to find what works for your family. When you feel unsure, come back to the basics: back to sleep, clear, flat, firm sleep space, same room as you, smoke-free and not too hot.
If you have questions about SIDS or safe sleep, speak to your midwife, health visitor or GP, or contact our helpline or the Lullaby Trust for further support.
With clear information and support, you can feel more confident in the choices you make about your babies’ sleep and focus on what matters most: caring for yourself and your children.
Sleep on-demand course
Get practical sleep support, with expert guidance on sleep patterns, bedtime routines, sleep environments and managing common challenges.
Published