Co-bedding Twins

BittyBabyGrower, MSN, RN · Apr 18, 2006

Why would it be dangerous? We co-bed all the time, not only twins, but triplets and quads! If one starts acting sick we take that one out and put it in a separate bed. We still wash hands, etc between kids and so do the parents.

prmenrs, RN · Apr 19, 2006

This is a link to a list of recent and past discussions of this topic. Babies are still monitored, as well as the precautions that BittyBabyGrower mentioned.

https://allnurses.com/forums/search.php?searchid=1791778

2curlygirls · Apr 19, 2006

Our step down nursery does it. I think they are too critical when they are with us. As soon as they are sort of stable and working on feeds they go to the intermediate nursery.

elizabells, BSN, RN · Apr 22, 2006

Only when the census gets too high, as it has been recently.

MereSanity · Apr 22, 2006

I had twins and I think co-bedding with the other twin is a good idea....I have heard that they can help regulate the other twins breathing, and the stimulation is helpful too (after all they did "co-bed" for 9 months in utero). Of course some instances may call for other arraingments but for the most part I think it's a good idea (flame me I don't care).

P.S. My twins could not co-bed because of a sensory disorder that caused them problems...it seemed the "stimulation" from the other twin was actually painful to them (odd thing really), long story, very odd. When they get a little bigger they may need their own space though.

LoveTheNICU · Apr 26, 2006

My unit had been going toward implementing a formal co-bedding policy with great guns, when about a week ago the whole project was put to a halt. Apparently some research had come to light that made it look to be a VERY bad idea... Now granted, I haven't seen this research yet, I just know that it has been promised to be shown to staff in the near future. Our only info was a "No way, no how" statement released from the committee and put in all our mailboxes. I'll let you all know when I see an article that explains why we're all freaking out...

Mags4711, RN · May 3, 2006

We co-bed twins, trips, etc... We do have a formal policy on it, and it was a research project and study done here a few years ago by a couple of our NNP's. The only time I have ever seen it be a problem is when one twin just won't let the other one sleep. And that's pretty rare.

We will not cobed if the baby is on anything vital: IV's, O2 other than planned home O2, antibiotics, can't be on CPAP, nor intubated. Cannot be "acting" sick.

We have large "co-bedding" blankets (kind of like giant receiving blankets) that people make and donate in pairs, one to wrap all the babies in (and they MUST NOT be wrapped individually as the whole point is to maintain one another's body temps and to be able to explore one another), and one to go on top. We pace two ID bands on each baby and have a documentation sheet on each flowboard that it must be checked and recorded qshift. Every thing for each baby is color coded with a piece of colored tape, or a colored dot sticker that corresponds that that baby's assigned color, which is posted on a large sign taped to the monitor.

Mags4711, RN · May 3, 2006

Can someone please post a link to whatever new reasearch is out there that's showing co-bedding is bad?

lovemyjob · May 5, 2006

We have one MD that is totally against it, but has never said why...I would really be interested in the article as well.