Night nurse for twins
Two babies,
one night.
With twins, the night does not just double. Feeds overlap, babies wake each other, and there are two of everything to track. Here is what a night nurse does differently with twins, and what to ask before you hire.
The short answer
A night nurse for twins is a registered nurse (RN) or licensed practical nurse (LPN) with experience caring for two newborns at once. They handle overlapping feeds, keep a separate log for each baby, and put each one down in their own safe sleep space. Rates often run $5 to $10 an hour higher than for one baby.
What changes overnight
Two of everything.
Two feeds at once
Twins often wake close together. Your nurse may feed both at the same time, or feed one while settling the other, depending on what you have agreed and what works for your babies.
Two safe sleep spaces
Each baby sleeps on their back in their own crib or bassinet, on a firm, flat surface with nothing loose in it. Twins do not share a crib, even when they are tiny.
Two logs
Feeds, amounts, diapers and sleep, written down for each baby. Many nurses label bottles or use a color for each twin so nothing gets mixed up at 3 am.
Settling one without waking the other
One baby crying can wake the other. Your nurse may move the awake baby to another spot for a feed or a change, then bring them back to their own crib or bassinet once they are settled.
A shared rhythm, if you want one
Some families like their twins on a similar schedule, so when one wakes to eat the other is fed too. Your nurse can follow the plan you set. If you have questions about feeding or schedules, call your babies' doctor.
Tandem bottle feeding
Feeding both babies at once saves time and can help keep them on a similar rhythm. An experienced nurse holds both bottles, with each baby supported and fairly upright, and pauses to burp each one. Bottles are never propped. If a baby falls asleep during a feed, they go back on their back in their own crib or bassinet, not in a nursing pillow, swing or car seat.
If you are breastfeeding
Your nurse brings both babies to you, helps you get set up with a nursing pillow if you are feeding them together, then takes over burping, changing and settling so you can go back to sleep. If you feed one at a time, your nurse settles the other baby in between. If feeding is hard, a lactation consultant can help, and your babies' doctor can answer questions about weight and intake.
Why twins cost more an hour
Night nurses set their own rates, commonly $45 to $85 or more an hour depending on city and experience. Twins often add $5 to $10 an hour. That reflects the work: more feeds, more bottles to wash, two logs, and two babies who may need settling at the same moment. Not every nurse charges more for twins, so ask.
What you pay us
The same as for one baby. Browsing is free. A $250 deposit unlocks up to three caregivers and starts their vetting. When you hire a licensed night nurse, our flat placement fee is $1,500, with your deposit credited. You pay your nurse directly.
Questions to ask
Send these for the interview.
When you unlock a caregiver, a registered nurse interviews them and asks the questions you send us. Here are some families with twins have found useful. Use them as they are or make them your own.
- How many sets of twins have you cared for overnight, and how old were they?
- Do you feed twins at the same time or one after the other? How do you decide?
- If both babies wake crying at once, what do you do first?
- How do you keep each baby's feeds, amounts and diapers straight?
- Walk us through putting each twin down to sleep.
- Have you cared for twins who came home after a NICU stay?
- When would you wake us, and when would you call 911?
- How would you help us keep the babies on a similar schedule, if we decide we want that?
For the sleep question, listen for each baby on their back, in their own space, on a firm, flat surface with nothing loose in it. For the waking question, you want a clear answer that matches your plan. In an emergency, your nurse calls 911 and wakes you.
Questions families ask
How much more does a night nurse cost for twins?
Night nurses set their own rates, and twins often add about $5 to $10 an hour. Our flat placement fee stays the same. You see each nurse's rate for free before you unlock anyone.
Can one night nurse care for twins?
Yes. Most families with twins book one experienced night nurse. With triplets or more, some families book two caregivers for the same night.
Can twins sleep in the same crib?
Current American Academy of Pediatrics guidance is that each baby has their own separate sleep space, on their back, on a firm, flat surface, in the parents' room without bed sharing. That includes twins.
Should twins be fed at the same time?
It depends on your babies and your plan. Many families feed twins together once things settle, especially with bottles. If your babies were born early, are small, or are having trouble feeding, ask your babies' doctor first.
When should we book a night nurse for twins?
Earlier than for one baby. Twins often arrive before their due date, so many families start looking early in the second trimester and have someone chosen early in the third, with a flexible start date.
Two babies, one good night.
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