I have 9.5 month old twin boys, Elijah and Everett. Everett sleeps like a dream-- he puts himself to sleep (sometimes with a short protest), no props, and sleeps all night from 8:00 pm to around 6:30 a.m. Everett is the dominant twin and has always been more of the Mr. Independent type. When Everett decided he no longer needed the 3:45 a.m. night feed I discontinued it...for both boys. However, Elijah still wakes at exactly the same time every night. At first he would cry, then he got to where he was playing in his crib. Now, he stirs and shuffles around his crib. I think he's trying to go back to sleep, but then gets frustrated and starts crying and screaming. This has been going on for a long time. The boys share a room with cribs end to end. Until last week, his crying and screaming never woke Everett. Now it is. I moved Elijah's crib into my bedroom this week hoping to address his wakings before they got out of hand. I admit, I've tried everything I can think of. I'm a middle school behavior specialist and you'd think I'd be able to figure out how to help him unlearn this behavior, but I'm struggling. It doesn't help that it's the middle of the night and we're both exhausted. I've tried letting him cry it out(that was when he was in their bedroom), I've gone in and done shush-pat, I've rocked, shushed, and felt like screaming myself. Elijah's always needed more from me...he had to be on a fortified milk mix as a newborn, he had poop issues, etc. All of that is better-- no issues, no complications. He currently weighs nearly 18 pounds and I know he's not hungry when he's waking. It's just habit. Most recently I tried wake to sleep. The first night was great. He slept through 3:45 but then woke at 5:00 (not typical). The next night he heard my alarm and I was screwed. last night, he slept thru 3:45 only to wake at 4:00 and on and off until 5:00 at which point I put him in the bed with me (I know---I give you permission to think poorly of me at this point). Now, let me give you a rundown of their schedule(which I'm a stickler for):
6:30 wake and play Floor time(they don't want to eat yet)
7:00 fruit,cereal, yogurt and back to play in exersaucers
8:45 4-6 oz. formula
9:00 nap
10:30 wake and play
11:00 fruit, veggies (maybe an ounce or two of milk--sometimes they want it sometimes they dont)
Back to play
12:15 4-6oz. Formula
12:30 nap
2:00 wake and play
3:00 4-6oz. Formula
4:15 another 4 oz. or so
4:30 nap
6:00 wake and play
6:30 fruit, veggies
Play
7:15 baths, books
7:45 4-6oz. Formula laced with a teaspoon of cereal (I just started trying this-thought it might help and it did for two nights, but that was two weeks ago)
8:00 bed
Both boys are very active during the day, floor time, crawling around, exersaucers, outside play, etc. No teeth on the scene yet. Lots of slobbering, and chewing, but no redness or swelling.
I should also note that Elijah puts himself to sleep most of the time. Sometimes I have to go in and shush-pat for a second. He also ONLY sleeps in one position and I think that's what frustrates him the most in the middle of the night. He sleeps prone with knees tucked under him, butt in the air and arms tucked like little chicken wings under him. No props, never took a pacifier for more than a few days after he was born. He does cuddle with a very thin receiving blanket when he can get it tucked under him the way he wants it. I think that about covers it. Any advice will be strongly considered and greatly appreciated.
