No Schedule Twins

I'm curious. Is there any other twin mommy here whose babies aren't on a schedule? Contrary to what I thought while I was pregnant, we aren't on a schedule at all. I'm typically a VERY organized and planned out kinda person, but with the girls... to my surprise, I'm not. I quit my full time job to stay home with them and I just listen to them day to day and I take things as they come. :babyflips: The only thing I do try to stick with is getting them in bed as close to 9 pm as possible. (and that has only been for about 3 or 4 months!)

Anyhow, how does no schedule work for you? :silly:

 

I feel like I could have written your posting! I also quit my full time career to stay at home (which I am LOVING, BTW) and am normally a very Type A/organized person. I think I still am when it comes to laundry, bottles, keeping the house in order, etc. But, outside of their bedtime (between 8 and 9), their "schedule" is whatever they decide they want it to be for that day - ha! They are 25 weeks old (15 weeks adjusted) and it has been this way ever since they got home from the NICU at 7 weeks old. I do try to get them on some sort of schedule in that I make sure my DD is awake and eating by 8:30 a.m. at the latest (DS is usually up by 6). I would LOVE to get them on a nap schedule together and am sometimes successful at it, but rarely. I figure everything is temporary and eventually they will be a little more predictable with feeding/napping. I just get a little stir crazy sometimes since it is extremely difficult to take them out to stores or on errands since they usually eat at different times and still eat every 3 hrs or so. It's all good, though!

 

Woo Hoo! I'm not nuts afterall. But really, thanks for that reply. Naturally, after having them home almost 7 months, I have an idea of how the day will pan out, but as far as what time they will eat, what time they will nap, how long they will nap, etc... I have no clue. Mine, too, do eat every 3 hours still. And also like yours, that doesn't mean they will eat back to back. Same with napping. I'd like for them to nap at the same time, and some days they do. The next they may not. I let them do as they wish and don't force anything. I run around here like a crazy woman keeping house, laundry and such. When it comes to my babies, they run the show! :FIFblush:

 

The girls aren't on any schedule either. We have a very nice routine going, but everyday is different so it's been very difficult to keep them on any type of schedule. Just like you gals, I'm extremely organized and thought for sure that I would have them on a schedule by now, but I started to realize it was going to happen. They're happy and that's all that really matters.

 

I am glad I am not the only one. My boys change things up everyday. I do try to make sure they go to sleep between 8:30-9pm because my nights seem to go so much better. I also wake the other one up to feed at night but only at night. Most days the boys seem to nap together but not always. My wish would be for all my boys to nap at the same time but I think that is just a pipe dream. Nice to know there are others like me out there.

 

A friend of mine said, we dont have a "schedule" more of a routine. I know what they do, I am just not concerned about its 1:00pm and they need to be down for a nap! I know that they will tell me what they need. I just need to listen!

Jenn

 

Having no schedule is not bad if that's what works for you! Some babies thrive on routine, others are more laid back & can take things as they come. It's all about having a good day, and if no schedule does it for you & your girls, then go for it!

 

I actually have a friend w/ twin boys who are now 18 months old. She has never had a "schedule" and just does whatever. She would have a bottle with her at all times and just pop it in someone's mouth anytime. She just did whatever she wanted throughout the day and wasn't tied to the house AT ALL. I was and STILL AM amazed that it works for her/them but it does. Whenever I call her to ask if she can do this or that, she's like "Ya." And it cracks me up cuz she can do AnYTHING anytime of day! From what I've seen, her boys seem VERY flexible and I'm sure that is partly why she was able to do it and partly because that's the way it's always been.

I think it's cool that different things work for different people and LOVE to hear about it from her cuz I AM and have always been scheduled and organnized to the point of craziness sometimes. We have SOOO much going on that they have to be on track. Also, I'm just NOT the type of person who can let someone else drive, if you know what I mean Also, I have to be out of the house for 75% of the time and there is NO WAY I could do that w/ no schedule!!

Thanks for sharing and, again, do what works for you! I'm sure your kids are very happy!

 

Don't feel bad, we arent on a schedule either. The only thing I do, is make sure both girls eat at the same time, even if one's not hungry and only takes 2oz. Id never get a moment, or a clear one if they didnt eat at the same time. But, when I was on a schedule-3, 6, 9, 12--I couldnt do much outside of the house, and it was hard getting grandparents and everyone to adhere to it. My girls dont always nap at the same time, usually they're an hour behind each other, until theyre 4-5pm nap. And sometimes they want to nap at 6ish. I start baths at 8pm. DH doesnt get home until after 6pm, so I try to make sure he gets to spend time with the girls. We have bedtime by 9ish, sometimes they go to sleep, sometimes they hang out untl 10 or 11. We just go with the flow, so far its working, when they get a little older-like another month or 2, We will try some of the sleep methods. I know I need to get them in bed sooner, but have no idea how to do it, and still give DH time with the girls..Have one starting to teethe(sp), so while our day isnt always predictable, we just go with it and it works out great s. And Im able to go to Walmart, Grocery Shopping, or whatever. I just make sure Im prepared.
Even ventured to my parents (3hrs away) one day, I just left right after they had they're last bottle and we made it with no problems..

 

wow...I am glad I am not the only one, when my girls came home from the NICU I tried so hard to keep them on a schedule and after about 2 months I gave up it was to hard to live our lives around their schedule, so now let them guide me to when they wanted to eat and sleep (so much easier) the only thing I like to keep in routine is bedtime I like to give them a bath around 8:30 -9 (after my oldest is tucked into bed) then a bottle around 9:30 it has been working great for us and they seem very happy and healthy. We just take it day by day.

 

I just want to jump in and say it's not a pipe dream, but it does require a bit of planning/routine I wouldn't say I put the babies on a schedule, I let them lead me to the schedule they chose. But that by no means keeps me tied at home, we go/do anything we want to do. I did have the babies on the same routine as far as eating/napping from day one, and I firmly think that's the reason they are still on the same eating/napping schedule now. They also take their afternoon nap at the same time my 3 yr old does, so I get a bit of a break every day.

We have off days, don't get me wrong. But just because I know what time my kids will want to eat, or nap, doesn't mean we have to stay home for it! All my kids have been very easy going, I take bottles or solids for the babies with me when we go somewhere so I'm prepared for their hunger, and they nap just fine in the stroller/carseat when they get tired!

If no schedule works for you, awesome!! I had no schedule and was "on demand" for everything with my first child! But having 4 kids means I need to know when the twins are going to eat so I can be sure I have the right food with me when we go somewhere! My older kids will be starting soccer in a couple of weeks and I'm curious to see how it's going to run into the babies nap times!

 

I would LOVE to get my little guys on a schedule, but I'm not sure how to do it or when to start. I bought the Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Twins book, but I never have time to read it! Having a basic schedule (and not a totally rigid one) would definitely make my life easier. I do make sure both boys eat at the same time throughout the day as well as the night, whether they are both hungry or not. So far that's been the only thing I've been able to control!

 

Thanks for all of the replies yall! Its been so neat to see the differences. What works for one, won't work for the next, but may the next in line. How interesting!

I was just curious to see what majority was.

:grouphug:

 

We're not on one either.

 

We're on more of a routine than a schedule, but the boys tend to fall into similar rhythms from day to day. Though wake time can be anywhere from 6:30 until 8, nap lengths vary, etc. We do try to be fairly consistent with bedtime (within half an hour) but by that point they NEED to get to sleep anyway!
I'm impressed by those of you who manage with no schedule at all though! Probably a personality difference but I think I'd find that challenging!