Exhausted

I crave sleeping. Big time. My boys are 6 weeks old and they are good. Truly good. But the constant feedings, and them not being on the same schedule does take a toll on me. I only get to sleep about 4 hours a day (at night during the day I don't have a chance to nap) and after six weeks I have a hard time keeping my eyes open.

I know it'll get better and it is getting better already. What do you guys do (or have done) to get a little more snooze?

 

People told me to nap when they napped and I could never do that. Is there anyone to help you out at night, where you can take shifts? One of the things that helped me was that since my DH was working the night shift, he would get them when he got home in the morning so I could sleep in. Sleep will come, I remember those early weeks feeling like a sleep deprived zombie!

 

:grouphug: We have all been there....and survived! I never slept during the day either because I have 3 older kids. The first 3 months I have no idea how I managed! The only thing that sort of helped me was that I did have them both on the same feeding schedule. Even if my husband tried to take them for a bit so I could sleep, my mind would race and I could never fall asleep! Hang in there momma! :hug:

 

i was fortunate with my boys at that age. we were on the same 4 hour feeding schedules since they came home. the only difference is that in the bigging (up until 3 months) the feeds took FOREVER...an hour to feed both babies so that left 3 hours, if i was lucky, to get sleep.

i can tell you for sure that things do get better and before you know it they will be sleeping through the night!

 

I am right there with you! My boys are 7 weeks today and I am soooo tired the sad thing is my mom is here to help for another week and than we are on our own. I just can't imagine how in the world am I going to do it. I don't get much sleep during the night and none during the day and I have 5 year old daughter to take care of. The only thing that helps me get through is coffee and lots of it. Hang in there I keep repeating to myself there are other women out there who did the same thing or are going through it right now and sooner than later it will be a distant memory. Hope this helps. Hang in there sending big hugs your way!

 

1st work on getting them on the same schedule. key to your sanity. Start with feeding every 3 hours and then play then nap. and repeat. sometimes they get a little off-like one will wake up 1/2 hour early but that will give you a little time to bond with one of the twins. I would say the key to getting a little more sleep is lettting hubby take a feeding at night-either the bedtime one between 6-8 or the one that comes three hours later. That way you can go to bed and get a good chunk of sleep before they wake up between 1 and 3 am again. also would prep all bottles and formula for the day right after they went to bed for the next day. i think swaddling tightly is key to getting them to sleep more soundly and the bath routine helps as well. good luck-hang in there.

 

oh, and if you can get two boppys on each side of you on the couch for double feeding assuming you bottle feed, that helps to get them both fed at one time and it is more manageable than trying to have two right on your lap.

Also i would skip one of the nighttime diaper changes when possible so they didnt wake up as much. If you do have to change a diaper make sure it is before the bottle! i learned the hard way.

 

I agree that working on getting them on the same schedule is a must. But, in the short term, is there anyone who can come over & watch them for a couple of hours so you can have a nap? I never was much of a napper, but if you are truly tired, sometimes it's good. Other than that, as soon as they went to bed at night, I went too. Sometimes I would go to bed at 8:00, even knowing that I was going to have to get up & feed them at 11, but at least that was a few more hours of sleep!

 

Here is what I started doing....because it has been six months...SIX months...and they still want to feed three times a night.

Put them down at 7:00 to sleep. Then prepare bottles, etc, and go to sleep at 7:30. The darkness of winter helps this. I make sure they are "topped off" before I put them down...then it's up at 11, 1:30 or 2:00 and then again at 4am. Try to sleep until 7...which rarely happens.

I cannot nap, either. Never have been able to.

And just once a week, if you can afford it....pay a nanny to stay the night. I found one for $60/night. She shows up at 8, leaves at 7am....I can only afford her every ten days or so....but that one night of solid sleep goes a long, long way.

The lack of sleep an exhaustion just gets worse. Working out also helps...so you can fall asleep faster.

Man. It's tough. Wonderful. But tough. Good luck. And forget your me time in the evenings. Just for a while.

Ma

 

I am going to ditto getting them on the same feeding schedule!! If one wakes up, you wake the second one up too. If you are breastfeeding then feed them right after the other, if you are bottle feeding then feed them at the same time. Boppy's work, or bouncy seats, I preferred having them each propped on a small pillow or folded blanket, one on each side of me on the couch, with their heads near my knees and their feet under my elbow's.

At 6 wks they still sleep a good bit, but if you can keep them awake for 30-45 mins after they eat and then put them down, they'll sleep until their next feeding.

I too went to bed really early, by 9pm most nights until they started sleeping better. I had a 7 and 2.5 yr old at home so naps during the day were scarce!

And hang in there, because it does pass and you'll look back and realize it really was a small amt of time you were exhausted! :hug:

 

The others posters have pretty much hit the highlights but again:
coffee!
Get them on the same schedule!!!
Not sure how you are feeding or if you have help but if you are nursing and have help: you do the feeding let your help do the changing/burping.
if you are bottle feeding and have help: take shifts, You sleep from 8pm-1am and your help sleeps from 1am-6am or something similar.
Co-sleeping helped tremendously for us.
Nap as much as you can.
Send out an email to everyone you know that says something to the effect of " if anyone has an extra hand to hold a baby, or load the dishes etc I would appreciate any/all help you have to offer". Sometimes people don't offer because they don't want to impose and think you have it all under control. ASK FOR HELP

Hang in there mama!

 

Thank you all for your responses! I am hanging in there and I know it'll get better. My boys are not on the same schedule because one is bfed the other is bottle (his tongue is tied, so he could not latch on). Therefore bfed baby can go 3 hours, bottlefed baby can go 4.

I don't have to try to keep them awake, most of the days days they are awake from 7-10.30 in the morning, then they sleep and eat, sleep and eat then around 4 they are awake until 7-ish.

I do go to bed at 8...lol, always hoping to get a 3 hour stretch, but many times they wake at 9 already.

Again, thank you so much everyone! I will be working on having them on the same schedule so I can get a little more rest.

 

I agree with the same schedule. And how about giving your bf baby a bottle of formula as the bedtime bottle, may help that one to sleep longer. I bf all but 1 or 2 feeds a day, the before bed feed is always a bottle. And if you're not already swaddling try it, our babes are in their miracle blankets and sleep pretty well for just 2 months old. Good luck!!

 

Your guys are still SOO young. Have you thought about getting his tongue snipped? Even at 6 weeks he can learn to latch
Or if you pump breastmilk it will digest quickly and he will likely be on the 3 hour schedule. The other thing you could try is offering less formula per feed and feeding more often.

Last thing that worked for us was a dreamfeed. If the babies go to bed at 7pm and you want to go to bed at 8 "top them off" in their sleep at 8pm so you can start out getting a good stretch.
best of luck!!!1