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Co-bedding (placing twins in the same crib, bassinet, or incubator) is a practice some families and neonatal units consider, but it carries several important risks:

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1. Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and Suffocation
• The strongest concern is increased risk of SIDS. Sharing a sleep surface increases the chance of accidental suffocation, rebreathing of exhaled carbon dioxide, or airway obstruction.
• If one infant rolls onto or against the other, this may compromise breathing.

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2. Overheating
• Twins placed together generate more body heat, which increases the risk of overheating, a known contributor to SIDS.
• Swaddling or use of blankets can worsen this.

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3. Entanglement and Positioning Risks
• Bedding, clothing, or limbs may become entangled, leading to strangulation or restricted movement.
• Infants may also adopt unsafe positions (e.g., face-down or pressed against each other).

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4. Infection Transmission
• Twins may share pathogens more easily when co-bedded, especially in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).
• Although some studies suggest co-bedding may support bonding and physiologic stability (temperature regulation, synchronized sleep–wake patterns), the risk of cross-infection is significant, particularly for premature or immunocompromised infants.

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5. Lack of Independent Monitoring
• In hospital, some incubators are designed for one infant only. Placing two inside may interfere with temperature control and monitoring accuracy.
• At home, caregivers may have more difficulty recognizing distress in one infant if they are lying close together.

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6. Professional Guidelines
• American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP): Recommends against co-sleeping or co-bedding twins (or any multiples) in the same sleep surface. Each infant should have their own separate, firm, flat sleep space.
• Canadian Paediatric Society (CPS) and similar bodies provide consistent guidance: benefits of bonding and comfort do not outweigh the documented safety risks.