Co-bedding twins - telling the difference!!

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Specializes in Obstetrics, M/S, Family medicine.

I guess this is self explanatory... what does your hospital do to tell the difference between twin A & B when they are co-bedding?

Specializes in M/S, Peds.

I have twin boys and am a nursing student. However when my boys were born and in the NICU, they always had their name bands on. When they co-bed, it was easy to tell them apart cause of the name bands.

Maybe I am misunderstanding but shouldn't they be wearing id bands?

Specializes in Obstetrics, M/S, Family medicine.

I apologize... that question IS incredibly vague. Let me explain.

I am in a M/B unit, and the moms don't want to unwrap their babies every time they feed to see which baby ate at that time. Is there a more obvious marker that can be used?

Thank you.

I know when my friend had her twins they each had their own color of blanket &/or stocking cap that they wore.

My girlfriend had twin girls and they painted the big toe of one to tell the difference.

I thought that co-bedding has been slowly phased out due to the risk of sids. Most NICU that I have worked at have stopped this practice. We consul the parents on the risks of Co-bedding based on the recommendation of the AAP.

Specializes in Nurse Manager, Labor and Delivery.

we write A and B on the their hats

Specializes in Nurse Manager, Labor and Delivery.
I thought that co-bedding has been slowly phased out due to the risk of sids. Most NICU that I have worked at have stopped this practice. We consul the parents on the risks of Co-bedding based on the recommendation of the AAP.

Could you site the AAP recommendation? NANN states that there is insuffient evidence to discontinue because of the lack of studies done in the home, and did not locate information on AAP that discourages co-bedding. Just breezed thru really, and will look later when I get to work. None of my NNP's thus far have stated anything either. Interesting.

Specializes in school nursing, ortho, trauma.

Sharpie moustache on one of them:rotfl:?? Or I suppose wrapping in different pattern blankets or marking their cap.

My prior workplace did something very cute. Excuse me for not knowing the technical term.. but we had these little gold sticky hearts that were supposed to be used to adhere the temperature probes (connected to the warmer).. we would stick the sticky hearts on their little hats with A or B written on them in sharpie. Worked very well!

Specializes in NICU.

I guess that if I'm a nurse legally documenting who ate what when, I'd want to dig out a foot and see an ID band if mom isn't sure. Could ID bands go on the wrist?

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