4 am wake ups

Well, yet another chapter in twin life!

For the past few nights, the girls have been going to bed fine, crying for a few minutes before falling asleep. This is pretty typical- we did CIO a long time ago, and since have had a lot of success with both naps and bedtime...they're usually pretty good at soothing themselves.

BUT, thrown in some teething, trying new foods, etc....and who knows WHAT you will get each night!! The most recent is that they will wake up in the middle of the night crying. What do people do about this? Go in and soothe? Or let them CIO then too? We have been going in to soothe...one twin is usually around 1 am, the other has been around 4 am. But it is leaving us both pretty tired. Even if my husband goes in and soothes them, I am awake until they stop crying (don't you hate this part of being a mommy? Can't sleep with a crying baby around!).

So, what do you think? Should we stop going in to soothe and just let them cry and hope they don't wake the other up? Or continue to soothe and hope that it is just another phase? Did I mention that with the crib all the way on the lowest level, it is killing my back to reach over the side and rub their backs? They don't make these non-drop-down cribs with short people in mind!

 

How old are your babies? Also, what time do they go to bed?

 

I remember we had to let my first CIO when he started waking earlier and earlier in the morning. I was shocked that it worked because I thought that maybe he just wasn't tired, but it did work. I can't help you on the waking the other up thing. I just did CIO with my two and they did not wake each other, but I'm sure every set is different. Good luck!

 

They are 11 1/2 months old...and they usually go to bed around 8:00 pm. They still take two naps a day, usually the morning one around 9-10:30, and the afternoon one around 2:45-4 or 4:30. It feels like forever ago that they used to sleep from 8 pm to 7:30 am, but that DID happen at one point in time, maybe until about 2 months ago. Then the morning time kept creeping back slowly...

I DO think they are teething. One just got her second tooth, and the other is about to pop through her first one. (and maybe second one at the same time).

 

Teething definitely throws a wrench into the whole STTN thing. Mine are teething too and we've been having more wake ups during the night lately because of it. When they start crying I usually wait for a few minutes before going in to see if they will fall back asleep. If they continue to cry and begin to escalate my husband or I will go in and soothe. Sometimes all it takes is a paci plug, or a back rub but sometimes they are so upset that they need to be picked up and rocked. So we do that and they are usually back asleep in less than half an hour. Sometimes I am just so tired that I take them into bed with me (I only do this with one at a time). I don't like to let them CIO, especially when I suspect they are crying because of teething. They are in pain and need some comforting - also, you might want to try giving them some ibuprofen before bed if you think the night wakings are teething related. That might help them sleep better. Good luck!

 

Luckily for me, teething hasn't been an issue with sttn. BUT-when I do know that they are teething(fever, fussiness, etc) I've given motrin before bed(when nothing else was working). Could they be waking from pain? So maybe for me, that's why they've never woken at night when teething because I gave them motrin! LOL! You could try it. I will be honest and say I miss those middle of the night wakings, and rocking one baby to sleep.... Ahhh...the memories...

But I can say that-all three of my kids sttn! :laughing: Good luck!

 

My girls are now 26 months and I can safely say I've had to re-do CIO at least half a dozen times! Its one thing or another; teething, learing to sit up/stand up in the crib, growth spirt, nightmares, illness, etc. When it begins I do go in and make sure they are okay and didn't go poop,etc and once my mind is at ease with that then I go back and apply CIO. It never gets easier other than knowing its another phase and it only lasts a few days to a week. GL!