Author Topic: Making the best of a bad job with 14 week old and twin toddlers  (Read 1680 times)

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Offline 4isstillnighttime

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Making the best of a bad job with 14 week old and twin toddlers
« on: September 18, 2015, 19:53:43 pm »
Hi everyone

I discovered BW when my twins were about 1, they started sleeping much better, we all got more energy....and as a result I have a new baby now  ;D. The twins are 2 and the newbie is 14 weeks. I am trying to roughly follow an EASY with him but haven't done any sleep training as a) I have no energy for it and b) I found it enormously traumatic last time as PUPD really wound them up so I had to spend hours shh patting 2 screaming babies. So I know I will have to do it at some stage but am waiting for a bit more emotional energy!! My husband works long hours and has a 90 min drive each way so I am on my own effectively. However the twins are in nursery 3 days a week so I am v lucky!!

The problem I have is trying to fit the baby into the twins routine. They wake up around 6 (if we are lucky!), nap 1-2:30 (longer at nursery) and go to bed around 7:30. They need to be at nursery between 8-8:30 and I pick them up between 5-5:39. It's a 5 minute drive.

We were doing:

Awake 6:30
E 6:45
S 8:00 in car on way to nursery, usually short nap

Awake 8:45
E 9:30 ish
S 10:15 - can be a long one or another short.

One more cycle the same with either a long nap 1-3 if prev one was short or (usually) another 1.5 hours or so if prev was around that.

I try and arrange pick up so he has a quick catnap in the car around 5

Bed just after the twins - usually about 7:45. Night feeds at midnight, 3.


This was working well...but all 3 of them have started getting up earlier. So today they were up at 5, he had a really overtired 30 mins at 7:30 (couldn't get him down any earlier), slept 10-11:30, 1:15-3:15, 5:30-6:00 and I have just really struggled to get him down -
Finally rocked him to sleep at 8:30 as couldn't take the OT screaming.

I need to know what to do if he wakes up really early again. Obviously I would like him to have a longer night but at the moment it's just not possible to get him down earlier and if the twins are up I can't do anything to try and keep him asleep.
I think he is getting OT but don't know what to do....I never wake him from naps and always extend them if I can!

Thoughts please....or if there are no answers please just tell me I'm doing ok ish!! Naps were a major source of stress for me in the olden days and I am desperately trying to keep some perspective. I know there will be good days and bad, I am willing to AP every nap if needed, but I cannot cope with OT.

Thanks! Am slightly frazzled....

Offline Martini~

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Re: Making the best of a bad job with 14 week old and twin toddlers
« Reply #1 on: September 22, 2015, 07:50:15 am »
Hi Honey! I will post later in the evening! So sorry your post was missed!
~Marta

Offline Martini~

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Re: Making the best of a bad job with 14 week old and twin toddlers
« Reply #2 on: September 27, 2015, 21:34:07 pm »
Hi Honey,  I am back. Do you still need help - sorry for being such a crappy help - just too many things going on lately!
~Marta

Offline 4isstillnighttime

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Re: Making the best of a bad job with 14 week old and twin toddlers
« Reply #3 on: September 28, 2015, 05:01:21 am »
 ;D no worries. Things have settled down a little bit I think....we are having lots and lots of 45 min naps but I Remember the twins doing that and TBH trying to extend them used to really stress me out....so if he is happy he just gets up. We can usually manage at least one good nap a day and I think that will have to do for now.

Just a quick question - I am trying to get a catnap in the evening - how long should this be? I usually aim for 30 mins or so, is that too short? Too long?

Thanks  :-*

Offline Martini~

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Re: Making the best of a bad job with 14 week old and twin toddlers
« Reply #4 on: September 28, 2015, 06:26:42 am »
The catnap in the late afternoon (that's what you mean...?), is a catnap so not to interfere with BT but help them survive till bedtime. So anytime is fine - just if lo is not resisting and happy goes for bed and not waking immediately afterwards. Especially when your other naps are short I would let him do whatever he needs and try to hit BT between 6 and 8pm. Does that help?

In terms of naps, very happy to you are so chilled out:). If you need anymore advice, just shout!!!
~Marta

Offline 4isstillnighttime

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Re: Making the best of a bad job with 14 week old and twin toddlers
« Reply #5 on: September 28, 2015, 06:48:38 am »
Very helpful. He always goes down to sleep fairly easily at BT and the last 2 days has managed to stay asleep til 6 or so, which I can work with!!

He is very restless between his second night feed (4 or so) and waking up - is that normal? Do I just notice it because he is right next to me? He quite often opens his eyes for a few seconds then closes them again. And he squirms around a lot.

Offline Martini~

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Re: Making the best of a bad job with 14 week old and twin toddlers
« Reply #6 on: September 28, 2015, 07:35:41 am »
It's common that their sleep is restless this time at night. You are also hitting 4mo and sleep regression so it's worth thinking about pushing that first A of the day if that's possible for you. To prevent early wakings and restless sleep in early morning hours it's worth either capping this first nap or pushing.
~Marta

Offline 4isstillnighttime

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Re: Making the best of a bad job with 14 week old and twin toddlers
« Reply #7 on: September 28, 2015, 08:11:32 am »
Ok, he had about 25 mins for first nap today after A time of about 1h45. Should I take it to 2 hours? Longer the better for me! And also that first nap quite often gets "capped" by his brothers, that's what happened this morning  ;D

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Re: Making the best of a bad job with 14 week old and twin toddlers
« Reply #8 on: September 28, 2015, 18:31:40 pm »
I would decide on either capping or prolonging A before nap. If you do both, he will probably be overtired.
~Marta