NEED sleep...

does it get any better??? if so, WHEN??

the girls are both double-tag teaming me! I am up pretty much all night with either one or the other or both... they cry an awful lot and I dread the middle of the night feeding because endless crying ensues.

They are much too young to CIO and I am trying so hard to soothe them both and get them to go back to sleep. They seem to have radar; even during the day, the moment I lay my head down on a pillow one of them cries. I am not getting much sleep in general and I have a five year old I need to be a mommy to and it is just plain hard. DH works long hours but helps when he can, however he needs his sleep at night so I am trying my hardest to keep the babies quiet but am not very successful. I do have some help during the day from MIL but it's still hard.. I am always hearing a baby cry when I am relieved and told to go take a nap and I just can't seem to sleep when I hear them crying.

Any suggestions?? I am truly hoping things get easier, as I am so incredibly drained and exhausted.

 

:hug: Sleep deprivation is SO HARD!!!!!!!!! I am so sorry that you arent getting much sleep. I had the exact same thing happening me at night too. Ugh! I would take some of the pressure off yourself at night in terms of trying to keep the babies quiet so that DH can sleep. Babies cry and that is that. I would also encourage you to talk to him and let him know that he needs to help you at night as well. He can do just fine during the day waking once or twice a night for a few months to help get the babies sleeping longer hours. There is no reason that he cant help you since you arent getting any sleep. Maybe work out a schedule where you go to bed early and let him do the 8 and 11 feedings (or whatever your times are) and then you take the next 2 and then he does one before work. Something like that. If you need help, tell him. :hug:

 

Big :hug: for you Heather!! I am so sorry things are tough at the moment, i remember those days all too well! Yes things do get better and they cried ALOT LESS for us at about 8weeks things improved soooo much. Week 5 i was at rock bottom with colic and reflux and by 8wks the change was HUGE. I don't know if you have heard of the "6wk peak" well sounds like your there, apparantly babies reach peak fussiness round about this time and soothing them is hard than ever. It's supposed to be around the time they learn to smile and become more socially aware. Good news is that you seem to be there and things will get much better from here on in.

When you do get the chance to have a nap when MIL is around where earplugs, just 1hr of sleep revitaliese you and will keep you from getting ill. At that age, ours slept in carseats and swings in the lounge and i would sleep on the sofa with them.

I hope this stage passes for you very soon. Good luck :hug:

 

Do you have swings and bouncy seats? I can remember bringing one travel swing and one bouncer with the vibration into my bedroom at that age just so they'd sleep for a few hours!

:hug: I know other people have success with putting them in their car seats to sleep.

:hug: It will get better. If you have any friends or family who are willing to help you, get them to come over one night when they can stay the night and help with the night feedings. I remember the optimal number of people to keep both babies fed and everyone rested was 3 people.

Hang in there, it will get easier!

 

Hi Heather,

I can totally relate and was there not too long ago. My boys ended up having silent reflux and their Dr. put them on Zantac. You may want to check with your Dr on their next visit. Also have you read the book, the Happiest Baby on the Block. This book was a Godsend and I highly recommend. Please look into it. It talks about the 5's and how to calm a baby in the first 3 months. This helped late night as well.

Sorry so short but gotta run, boys fussy and time to eat.
Best of luck,
Patty

 

That is a really tough age! DH and I used to say she had an alarm and whenever we tried to nap or eat, she would start crying! For us, it has gotten much much better. For us, I go to bed earlier so I could get up and DH would stay up later with her. I would go to bed at 9pm (now I go to bed btwn 10/11 but DD STTN now) and DH would stay up later with her (MN/1am feed). I would get up with her when she needed usually around 4 am for the next feed (now I get up with her btwn 6/7). So I was able to get a good stretch of sleep. This was the saving grace for me. Good Luck!

 

It does get better!! Just hang in there! Almost every, single twin mommy goes through this so you are not alone! I agree with PP and say to sleep in shifts when your husband is home, that way you both could get at least 4-6 hours of solid sleep!

 

just remember, you need sleep just as much as your DH. you should talk to him about helping so the burden isn't entirely on you.

what saved us were bouncy seats and car seats. with the car seats we could rock them or swing them by the handles to help settle them (they were too little to be comfortable in an actual swing). sometimes we would lie on the couch with one hand on the car seat and if they fussed we could reach out and just rock it enough to settle them without having to get up. and with the bouncy seat we could lean back on the sofa and bounce them with our feet.

i'm sure you want them to sleep in a crib but at some point it's all about survival mode. if putting them in bouncy seats for a few hours and bouncing them with your feet allows you the chance to nod off for a bit, then do it. it feels like an eternity now but it's actually a very short period of your life where you've just got to do whatever you can to get by. don't be afraid of shortcuts.

 

I think, with twins especially, the first 3 months are by far the hardest. You are sleep deprived & they are fussy and it is so hard to cope! If your husband can just help out once or twice a night so you can sleep a bit it would probably help. But, I am like you, even when someone else was looking after them, I would still hear them & couldn't sleep well. :hug: 's it does get better. Hopefully soon. Try to take care of yourself!

 

I'm in the same boat you are. Our babies are the same age also. I just keep praying it will get easier. I usually don't ask people for anything but lately I ask for all the help I can get. I really try not to be alone with them during the day (when hubby is at work). I try to think of who I can "go visit" so I have a second set of hands to help. At this point I beg people to stop by for a few hours.

when hubby is home we do take shifts. and if they both get up at the same time then we just wake the spouse that is sleeping.

good luck,
Jodi

 

wow sounds like my life right now...people ask me about sleep and I tell them whats sleep? I don't remember what that is! now I'm at the hospital with the DS who has to go for surgury in the morning and theres no sleeping tonight for me since hes starving since he cant eat! He has Pyloric Stenosis, I'm so stressed from lack of sleep its not even funny. This to shall pass.