Sleeping at different times

:unknw:
What can youdo when one twin can't/won't settle while the other one sleeps?!

One of my girls seems to have a lot of trouble settling. She often grizzles even when you can see that she is tired.

People say the most important thing is to sleep when they sleep, but how can you when there is usually one awake?

EG: Twin 1 has been asleep for approx. 3 hrs now and twin 2 has only had a short nap in that time. By the time she does go to sleep, twin 1 will be awake!

I usually wake the 2nd twin to feed either at the same time or straight after feeding the first.

 

I have no advice but just wanted to let you know that the same thing is happening to me! Both of mine have reflux so I'm usually trying to soothe a screaming baby and they seem to take turns. I am sooo tired.
Would love to hear if others have advice but just wanted you to know, you're not alone!

 

Just continue to feed them at the same time (or waking the second one right after), and eventually they will fall into the same sleep pattern. :hug: The first few months have some seriously sleep deprivation, but it won't be too long they'll start to sleep longer stretches and eventually longer stretches at night! :hug:

Is it the same twin that's always restless? Have you tried extra burping or using some mylicon drops? Is she having any trouble eating? It could be gas or possibly even reflux if she's generally fussier or always has trouble sleeping. :hug:

 

:good:

 

That happens to us sometimes - although it's more often the other way around (one wakes up before the other one does). In those cases I just enjoy the one-on-one time I have with the twin that's awake!

As for the "sleep when they sleep" advice - are you against co-sleeping? When I am trying to nap while the babies are napping and one won't fall/stay asleep I just bring that one into bed with me and they are usually asleep in no time. I did a lot of co-sleeping when they were younger. Or if you don't feel comfortable doing that, try putting the one who won't settle down for their nap in a swing. We used swings for naps until they were 7 months old. The transition to napping in their crib was surprisingly seamless. Good luck and hope you get some sleep soon! :hug:

 

I found it helpful to wake them both whenever the first woke in the morning, and then feed them together. I then tried to keep them on the same feeding schedule for the rest of the day. It didn't always work, but the closer in time that they eat together (something you have some control over), the closer in time they sleep together (something that is harder to control). Good luck with the napping thing - never worked for me

 

This is the joy of having twins!!!

But, this is the first few months, ... there is really no routine. It took my boys 4 months to even begin an eating routine. Now at 5 months they started to go to bed at the same time every night. So it takes a while.

Like one of the other posters said, just keep feeding at the same time and be patient. If you keep the twins together, they get used to each others noises. One of my boys takes a little longer to fall asleep and he grunts when he is trying to get to sleep. My other boy sleeps right through it. GL!!

 

Now see, most of the days my boys are on a different sleeping schedule. It's because one wakes at 5 am, no matter what I do and goes down 2 hours later, in the meantime my other son does not even get up until 6.30 am-ish.

However early riser (Eddie) sleeps 2 hours in the morning and 2/2.5 in the afternoon. By the afternoon nap the the boys go down within half an hour and they wake approximately at the same time.

I also started the bedtime routine when they were 8 weeks old, so it is set at 6.30 pm. And just like Danibell, I always kept them on the same feeding schedule.

I have to say my early riser was fussier at the beginning and I ended up switching formula/holding him in an upright position longer, and that helped him getting the rest he needed.

 

I haven't done alot of co-sleeping before, even with my singltons. Despite being a light sleeper myself, I don't feel relaxed with a baby in my bed. Having said that, the looooong hours in the rocking chair at night make the bed look much more appealing now! :lazy:

We have a swing but both girls don't always like to be in it for long periods of time. They sometimes sleep in their rockers which can be reclined nearly flat.