does anyone not have a schedule?

I have spend so much time reading books, sites on how to get the babies on a schedule...
and of course as each month passes routines changes, etc so ofcourse their scheudle change as well..

"There is not "right thing" they say... babies nap from 45 min to 2 hours.. every baby is different...
= stablish a nap routine.... ...put them down at the same time every day for naps.............
== while other say "watch for eye rubbing, etc.etc.""


My babies do wake up on their own about the same time (6 am or so ) and go to bed right after their bath on their own about 6 pm or so (with one night time feeding)
They do eat every 3 - 3 1/2 hours and they take about 2-3 45 min naps.... they eat at the same time and go down for naps at about the same time.--
having said that, I don't really know when their naps will be in the afternoon (I just put them down when they are getting tired and if the fuzz I just take them out...
Dh helps with the first bottle (mainly to spend time with them) but by the time he gets home they are asleep. I am home alone to do baths, feed, play,..go out..etc... so I think I have to give my self some credit for having happy babies (most of the day) and being able to do all these things
by myself.

It would be nice to say "they sleep every day from 9-11 and 1-3, and eat at 8, 12, 4, etc.. but after all, they are different people with different needs and sometimes I do enjoy it when one wakes up before the other and gives me one on one time with him/her
and I also like that I can go out for walks with them and they are comfortable in their stroller that they can nap there as well.
Sometimes they are up for 2 hours after they wake up and we do things and other times they stay in our bed and fall right back asleep and
I can spend time in the internet so we are all happy.

I wouldn't wake them up to go out, or take them out when they are about to eat... but if they are fed and rested we just go and usually they are pretty good out.

No matter what our day is like, or what time their naps where they end up in bed at about the same time...............
Isn't it the most important thing to have happy babies (for the most part)... as they grow their need for sleep/ feed, etc. changes, and they
have done all this on their own (dropping the 2- 4 am bottles)..no cio...

So after I wrote all this I do realize they are on some set schedule (eating at the same time, sleeping at the same time), just not on the same hours
every day..............

every time we go to the pedi I joke around and say that I need the next "manual" .... as a first time mom, with twins....there are so many things
I just don't know and learn as I go...and after all the books and advice, at the end you always get "and each baby is an individual...

oh..... on top of it... they are premmies so I also have to "adjust" to their age for some things...and not for others....

parenthood is so confusing!!! and by the time you kind of figure out...they are off to a new stage...

 

QUOTE(Gimena @ Mar 6 2009, 09:28 AM) [snapback]1216600[/snapback]
My babies do wake up on their own about the same time (6 am or so ) and go to bed right after their bath on their own about 6 pm or so (with one night time feeding)
They do eat every 3 - 3 1/2 hours and they take about 2-3 45 min naps.... they eat at the same time and go down for naps at about the same time.--
having said that, I don't really know when their naps will be in the afternoon (I just put them down when they are getting tired and if the fuzz I just take them out...


My babies did not always nap at the same time, especially when they were smaller. Also, they're naps would vary month to month early on. It sounds like you have a nice loose schedule. Sometimes you really have to go with the flow, just like you are :hug: .

 

Gimena, what you wrote is so true but it sounds to me like you are doing a great job in following your babies cues and I think that is the best schedule to keep sometimes. Hang in there!

 

I have to agree with PP-sounds like you are doing great. We are going through similar things...we just follow their cues...and work with THEIR schedule, it makes for much happier household.

I hope it gets better for you!!

 

Same here...I had a loose schedule for a long time, not one that I imposed, but one that the babies forced on me! I'm not a scheduled person by any stretch of the imagination, but I did what you seem to be doing. I watched for sleepy signs and put them both down together. I didn't care what time the clock said as long as they both napped at the same time most days to give me a few minutes to get my own things done. It didn't happen every day, but most days they napped at the same time. Soon, they both started rubbing their eyes every morning at a little before 9 after waking around 7. That was our first consistant nap time. Then they started getting into the habit of getting sleepy again at 1. I didn't force it, just went with it, and it became the daily routine naturally. They did take a third nap, too, but eventually they started fighting it. I listened and decided to let them go without it, and we're all happier for it. Now they've pushed their second nap back to about 2 and they seem fine with just a nap from 9-11 and another from 2-3:30, in bed by 7:30. So long story short, my babies put ME on a schedule! Keep listening to their cues...they'll get there!

 

I think even when people have their babies on a schedule it is still very fluid and changes alot, b/c like you said, the babies are always changing! To this day mine sometimes won't nap at the same time and as much as I try to keep us on some sort of schedule sometimes babies just have other plans. :hug: Hang in there, it gets easier as they grow.

 

QUOTE(Gimena @ Mar 6 2009, 02:28 PM) [snapback]1216600[/snapback]
parenthood is so confusing!!! and by the time you kind of figure out...they are off to a new stage...


I took a go with the flow approach to the first year. My girls are identical and did have a very similar natural schedule, but I totally get your last statement. I felt like once I got into t routine, they had made it to a new stage! When they didn't sleep at the same time, I took it as a unique opportunity to spend some one on one time with the one that was awake.
Don't stress about not having a strick schedule, yes that works for some people and a lot of twin moms swear by it. But there are so many other things to stress about, not how long they napped or if they napped together.

Hang in there--your doing great.

 

When my first DD was 4 months I called my mom in tears saying "I can't get her on a schedule!" My mom never batted an eye and said "Honey, Best Friends and Babies Schedules are a figment of our imagination!" I can't tell you how many times I repeat this wisdom to myself.