Twins and Day Time Sleep

[NettyWadz]

Hi,

Any twin mums out there that have had success using Tracy's techniques?

Having an issue with day sleep...4-5 month old twins, all day sleeps taken in own cots, dim room etc, not swaddled though...haven't been for months.

Day looks like this:
7am feed
8.30/9 sleep for 40 mins ish
10 ish feed
11.30/12 sleep (if in buggy for up to 2.5 hours)
2ish feed
3.30-4 sleep of 40 mins
5 small feed, bath, 6pm feed, bed
dream feed, one night waking (3-5ish)
I am not generally following EASY...following more like the times of GF but using BW techniques if you like...no feeding to sleep etc, activity after food.

So, all lunch sleeps taken on the move to date...(twins exclusively breastfed and this was the only way I could get a break of some sort in the last few months) I realise Tracy would say I have a motion prop for this sleep, but how the hell do I do help to break this cycle and sleep at home with two of them?  I am on day three and this has been the worst...the previous two I was able to hold them still and shush them back to sleep...they woke every 30/40 mins.  Today I tried to settle them for about 30 - 40 mins before my husband called time out and took them out in buggy to calm them down.  (he wasn't helping as he wasn't in for most of it and generally isn't available to help out).  Feel mortified that they were so upset and fear I will traumatise them and end up only compounding the sleep issues.

Tried to do PU/PD half way through, but impossible to do with two and both wailing at once. 
Other issue is just as I can see one settling, the other starts up and the whole cycle repeats itself again...
Have thought about separate rooms but then I am even less able to try and settle the two of them at once.

Would really appreciate advice from any twin mums who have had success as I can see how it would totally work with one...I just have two to contend with.

Many thanks,
Annette

I realise this might seem a bit rambled and incoherent, but need help and I know hubby will be back soon with two hungry worn out babies.

[AngelaF]

Big hugs to you! I have twins who are now 3 yo and I remember the early days and it's tough. I started BW with them when they were about 10 weeks old and I'll tell you that pretty early on, I separated them for naps. It might have been right around when they were 5 months. I had one great sleeper and one not so great sleeper. It made a huge difference and my DD, the good sleeper, could sleep away (with a fan running) while I focused on DS, the not so great sleeper, and getting him into a routine.

I never had much success with pu/pd but I know others have, so hopefully they'll chime in. Just wanted to let you know it does get easier and it's worth it. Now the twins take a 3 hour nap still every day and have been sleeping 12 hours at night since 6 months. Good luck!

[momtonb&ab]

hey there!

first off, hang in there - you are doing a great job and a hard job! 

our los are now three but we have had them bw'ed since almost birth and but for growth spurts/illness/teeth they are fantastic sleepers. 

i would suggest this;  start by working on the 40 minute nap since that is the one (if you could lengthen it) that would make a big difference to the rest of the day.   and i would say unless you intend to keep them separated, you might as well keep them in the same room.  we have gone through stages of 2-3 weeks at a time where i would think they needed to be in different rooms, but they always get past it and learning to sleep in the same room is just so much easier long term....start as you mean to go on.....

so i would tackle it like this:

decide what your wind down routine is.....firm it up in your mind but make it short.  i didn't 'rock' my babies at sleep time, i just hugged, kissed, put them down saying 'it's time for sleeping' as i closed the blind and then 'have a good sleep, i love you'.  my friend with twins would stand by her lo's cribs and rock them in her arms for about 30 seconds while she sang a little song, then put them down.  something short, because you have to do it double as you move forward.  then pull the cribs closer together (i know, counter-intuitive in some ways, but it actually helps because they aren't upset when you go to comfort the other because they can still see you).  put a stool in the middle so you can reach both and instead of pu/pd, sssshhhh and pat if that works. or gently lay a hand on each of them from your stool, but don't make eye contact.

see if you can get that first nap sorted and have them sleeping longer - keep them sleeping in the stroller for the second nap until you sort the first one.  once you are facing a change in nap two, nap one will have them rested and they won't be going into nap two changes over tired iykwim?

you can do this on your own - it will come.  just look at it one nap at a time, and remember not to beat yourself up, you are doing the right things by using bw techniques.  you are comforting them when they cry, so please please don't beat yourself up - it's hard work having two small babies at this stage.  it does get easier..

if you are open to it, would you consider an EASY for them?  it was an amazing thing for our babies - still is in some ways - they thrive on knowing what comes next.