How can I get my twins on a regular sleeping schedule?

Hi all !!
I have twins girls and they are about 2 months old. I was wondering if anyone had any tips on how to get them on a regular sleeping schedule. I also need tips on getting them to sleep longer through the night. Thanks.

 

IMHO at 2 months you can lay the groundwork for healthy sleep habits but at this point they're too little for sleep training. you've just got to ride it out until about 4 months.

a couple of tips that were given to us:

have them nap in a well-lit room and continue to make normal daytime noises while they sleep. at night make sure their room is very dark and use a white noise machine. the hope is that they start to learn that nighttime is for longer, quiet, deeper sleep. once they've adjusted to the daytime/nighttime concept you can then start putting them down for naps in a dark, quiet room.

that's what worked for us, although like i said at 2 months you really just have to roll with the punches.

 

I found with my girls it was also a size issue--when they are small, they can't sleep very long at night--their stomachs are so tiny they need all the nutrition they can get! I've heard that around 10 pounds is when you can start to expect them to potentially consistently sleep longer. For my girls, around 2 1/2 months when they were about 8 and 10 pounds we started to get them to consistently go about 6 hours between feedings at night. Now that they are close to 10 and 12 pounds, we are getting about 8 hours stretches pretty consistently. I do make sure to do what pp said and make normal noises during the daytime. I also try to limit their sleep somewhat during the day (they sleep whenever they are tired, but I don't let them sleep longer than about 3 hours at a stretch) to help them understand that night time is the time for long sleep.

It was right about 2 months that I started to go a little crazy wondering if they (and I) were ever going to sleep longer stretches!

 

I would have to agree that at 2 months you can only lay the foundation for good sleep. We instituted a sleep routine but it took them a while to get it. We do low lights, quiet voices, lotion, story, bottle...throw bath time in there...I think at 2 months they got a bath 2x a week. All babies STTN at different ages. For me, STTN was going 10-12 hours and mine started to do that consistently at 10 weeks. Hang in there Momma!

 

When you find out, let me know...lol

 

I agree that 2 months is too early for them to sleep consistently, right now they are still "on demand" for everything! But there is a light at the end of the tunnel, at 2.5 months my dd has started STTN for about 8 hrs, however my ds still gets up after 5/6 hrs to eat and then back to bed for a few hours! So there is hope that some night soon you will wake up after a LONG time and fear those babes have stopped breathing, only to realize they've slept thru the night for the first time!

My babes snooze in the living room on the couch or in their bouncers during the day (it'll be pack n play once they can move around more), and then the bedroom is kept dark, with a fan running and i turn lullabies on when we are getting them ready for bed and it helps them fall asleep.

 

QUOTE(itsnancycozzi @ May 13 2009, 09:58 AM) [snapback]1311821[/snapback]
I would have to agree that at 2 months you can only lay the foundation for good sleep. We instituted a sleep routine but it took them a while to get it. We do low lights, quiet voices, lotion, story, bottle...throw bath time in there...I think at 2 months they got a bath 2x a week. All babies STTN at different ages. For me, STTN was going 10-12 hours and mine started to do that consistently at 10 weeks. Hang in there Momma!


I'm in full agreement -- you can start a routine, but nothing will resognate until they are older -- maybe 6 or 7 months. Our routine is simple, we get them changed in their PJs, read goodnight moon and give them a bottle. We didn't incorporate baths b/c they were only being bathed every third day, now it's every other day so tonight they'll get bath, PJs, goodnight moon and bottle. BTW - it's so cute...we started a routine when we are done reading Goodnight Moon we kiss the book and say, "Say goodnight moon." DS just started to get it and now he does an open mouth kiss to the book...so adorable!

 

at two months...forget about it. you can set a routine but a solid schedule will not work as it changes from day to day. my girls are still struggling with a schedule. it's frustrating but definitely manageable.

 

I agree with pp. My Lo's didnt get into a "kind of" routine until 4 months. You can always read Helahty Sleep Habits, Happy child by Dr. Weissbluth, he has good tools for what to expect with babies sleep patterns from birth to teens. In fact he is coming out with a twins version June 9, that might be good timing for you.

GL!! Hang in there.......it does get better.

 

it is very hard to get them on a sleep schedule at two months. For us at that age, the best thing was to make sure that you wake them both up to feed. So if one wakes up during the night, go ahead and wake the other one too, that way they are both on the same schedule. If you don't do that, you will no more then lay down and go to sleep and the other one will wake up and you will get no sleep at all.

 

QUOTE(Utopia122 @ May 14 2009, 09:58 AM) [snapback]1313380[/snapback]
it is very hard to get them on a sleep schedule at two months. For us at that age, the best thing was to make sure that you wake them both up to feed. So if one wakes up during the night, go ahead and wake the other one too, that way they are both on the same schedule. If you don't do that, you will no more then lay down and go to sleep and the other one will wake up and you will get no sleep at all.



yup, i agree....i sooooooooo wanted and needed my boys to be on a sleeping schedule at 2 months b/c i was sure i was losing my mind, but they just wouldn't do it. they are over 4 months now and we JUST got them on a sort of routine where we feed (sometimes bathe right before) at 8pm no matter what.....logan usually gets up around 5am and then xavier right after that. now if only I could sleep that entire time!!!!

 

I guess I am going to disagree somewhat with pp. Ours were definitely on a regular sleeping schedule at 2 months, but nowhere near sleeping through the night - big difference! We implemented a pretty strict routine that was truly a lifesaver. Like someone else said - we always fed them at the same time to ensure that they were on the same schedule. We fed them every three hours and at bedtime started a routine that included bath, swaddling, and white noise that helped lay the foundation for sleeping through the night for both of them at about 4.5 months. We used a book recommended by a friend called Moms on Call and it details a very easy to follow schedule and emphasizes the absolute importance of a bedtime routine and swaddling. People thought we were crazy with our schedule, but I honestly don't know how others manage without it and when anyone asked how in the world I had time to read, or blog, or do laundry, what have you I gave all the credit to knowing exactly when they would eat, when they would play, and when they would sleep!