Anyone Using the Weissbluth Method?

Hi,

This may be because I don't actually have the twins yet, but I find myself getting confused as I read Dr. Marc Weissbluth's "Healthy Sleep Habits Happy Twins" which is the same method as the first book but just newly and specifically applied to multiples. All of the steps to the method make a lot of sense to me, but I keep getting confused about WHEN (at what age) to implement each step. Can I begin using all of this method immediately? What if they're born soon (I'm 36 weeks) - do I need to wait until they are past their due date? Or are there some parts that can be used right away and some that have to wait? For those of you using it - did you feed your twins at the same time, and wake them at the same time, right away?

Here are the specific steps:
1) Put twins down to sleep drowsy but awake
2) During the day, put twins down to sleep often, with only brief intervals of wakefulness
3) Practice sleep routines (bedtime routines)
4) Institute synchronized eating and sleeping schedules
5) Deal with crying by teaching self-soothing

Thanks!
Melissa

 

I would read the origional book if I were you. There, he really lays out when to implement each step and how. It's much more specific. It really works, IMO, but like any sleep plan, you have to modify it to fit your own style, also. Good luck with the twinkies!

 

I agree with Mel. I read HSHHC and then I read HSHHT, and the twins one is really a complement to the first one. To get the real scoop, I think you need to read HSHHC too. And you are definitely doing the right thing by reading it now! I'm using it for my boys and it is working quite well. Good luck with your delivery!

 

i think all of those steps would be fine to implement right from birth, although it may take time to see the results you're looking for. i think the goal in the newborn stage is to set the ground work for healthy sleep habits - especially things like bedtime/nap time routines, watching for drowsy signs & beginning your soothing routine at that point - those things will all set the stage for successful & healthy sleep habits as your LOs get older. that being said, HSHHC (and HSHHT i assume although i haven't read it myself yet) is really geared more for 4+ months of age though.

for that newborn stage, i've heard Happiest Baby on the Block, as well as The Baby Whisperer & The No Cry Sleep Solution are all good options.

the key to any kind of sleep training though is consistency. whatever approach you choose to take, it's best if you can maintain it over the long haul. babies "learn" best when they know what to expect and what's expected from them. GL!

 

I think you can try and implement some of it when they are born. But the drowsy but awake will come in time. Most of the time they will fall asleep on the bottle or breast when they are newborn. And the self-soothing will come with maturity. They cant self soothe early on.

When they were in the NICU and just home from the hospital I fed them every 3 hours. When they decided they no longer wanted to eat on that schedule I fed them on demand. Most of the time they ate either together or one after the other during the day. At night we woke them together.

GL!

 

I implemented everything from day 1. It works great and I started with the twin one first and now I am reading the first book. I love it and it is working. But somethings to consider is you start from your due date as ground zero. That is what the author stressed in the twin book. I started from day one because I did not know that.

I started teaching self soothing from the beginning. I did not jump when they cried because I am normally not a jumper when told kind of person. My boys started to STTN at 9 weeks and David is completely weaned off the paci....

My biggest piece of advice is do everything at the same time for BOTH children. That way you get a break!

It works and my family is SO much happier for it!

Jenn

 

Yes, I forgot to mention Happiest Baby on the Block... the suggestions in there for swaddling and getting baby to sleep at the earliest stage are very helpful, too.

 

I did HSHHC with both my daughter and the twins and I would agree that you need to read the original to fully understand the concept.

With the twins, we started implementing the techniques around 10 weeks or so and they really can work, if you are consistent, at least they did for me. Limiting wakefulness is a huge part of it. I also used some of the techniques from Baby Whisperer (E.A.S.Y.) and Happiest Baby on the Block (swaddle and suck) which I think helped. I call it my sleep trifecta.

And yes, I did always wake the other when one woke up. They were on the same feed/eat schedule since day one.

Good luck!