How do I put 2 babies to sleep by myself?

So my guys are 8 weeks old today. my mom has been here to help me, but she's leaving soon. So both guys need to be held, patted and rocked to get them to sleep. So how do you do it when it's just you? try to hold them both? or let one fuss/cry and just focus on one?

ugh...it seems so overwhelming...

-maria

 

i took care of my babies for about 4 months while dh was in iraq so i had to learn how to do everything by myself. i had a bouncey seat and the fisher price infant to toddler rocking chair so i put them in those to get them to sleep at the same time. it always worked. HTH

tanya

 

For naps I would wrap both girls up snug in the miracle blankets and rock them together, each on one shoulder. Then I wouldn't wait until they were asleep to put them down, but drowsy and I would go put them together in the crib.

At night I would put one baby in the bouncy chair and bounce her with my foot while I fed and rocked the other baby. Then I'd put the first baby in the crib and do the same with the 2nd baby. Either that or I'd put them both in bouncers and rock them with my feet.

It can be very stressful doing it by yourself but it is possible, I've had to do it so many times that I'm used to it now and you will be the same way one day.

 

We never rocked them to sleep... We swaddled them tightly and gave them a pacifier and it helped them fall asleep. You might want to try it out before your mom leaves to see if it works first though.

 

I always just sat in the rocker with them both. Granite, it was hard to get up.. But it has always worked for me. I am home alone all day and always rock them both at the same time.

And at nights, when hubby is away, I do the same.. Then I stand up and carry them both into the cribs.

 

I used the bouncy and the swings. When they were very small and I needed to hold them to feed them, I would feed one and put the other in a swing or bouncy. If they both were screaming I would try and lay one in the boppy and feed him while holding another one to feed. Once they were a bit older and had good head control, I fed them both in their bouncys and had the swaddling blanket already layed out on the bed. They would fall asleep and then I would swaddle them and put them in the crib. It takes some practice to figure out what works for you and each baby, but it is totally doable!! GL!

 

I swore I would never rock b/c it's too hard to get them off of it. Try to see if they'll fall asleep in their cribs without being rocked. It will save you a lot of time and anxiety. Plus, it may be easier since your Mom is still there and could help replacing pacifiers and such. Good luck!

 

I rock the babies on my shoulders, but not until they are asleep. I always put them down in the crib when they are still awake and sleepy. Then I read them a couple of stories and they fall asleep. It is a learned skill on the babies part to fall asleep without being rocked, but well worth it in the end. I was rocking them to sleep in the begining, but it took so much time it seemed I was constantly awake. Now I put them down and they don't even fuss anyone.

 

At 8 weeks I would put one in the Boppy lounger beside me on the couch and hold the other one. One of my boys had to be held and the other didn't mind at that point and would fall asleep by himself. I could hold both bottles that way. It was awkward, but it would work.

Then for awhile I could put them both in the boppys on the floor to feed them. I would pick up the fussiest until he went to sleep and put him in his crib then do the other one.

Now, neither of them wants to go to sleep. I either let one play or put them in the crib in our room to scream while I deal with the first one. Once I get the first one in their crib I get the one from our room and feed him and put him in is crib in his room too. Not ideal, but I'm not alone much at night. Most of the time I take one and DH has the other.

 

I would put them in their boppy pillow on the couch and feed them at the same time, and then put them upstairs in their crib. Or I would feed ds while I bounced dd in the bouncy seat (she was very patient) so I could hold them while they ate. Then I would switch babies and when both were done I would put them in their crib. I also sometimes would feed them and then rock them. You'll figure out something that works for you. It's hard at first but once you figure out your own system it gets alot easier.

 

QUOTE
For naps I would wrap both girls up snug in the miracle blankets and rock them together, each on one shoulder. Then I wouldn't wait until they were asleep to put them down, but drowsy and I would go put them together in the crib.


This is what I did too! As long as they were both wrapped whether for nap or bed time, they would sleep really well. I would also hum to them softly and when I put them down, I would caress their forheads as I hummed. It worked and still does!

 

I rocked both of mine for a long time. Sometimes I would sit them in their rocker and rock them, but they really liked to be held.

 

I was in the same exact situation you are... my mom stayed with me for 2 months.. and them panic set in when i realized i had to take care of both of them my myself. as PP have said, try doing it yourself while your mom is still here and see what works and does not work. I tried bouncers, swings, car seats, etc. My daughter goes to sleep on her own specially in the swing - i give her the passy and she falls asleep.... my son is more needy, he needs to be held to sleep. So i usually put her in the swing, then take care of him until he's asleep and come back to her to see what else she needs. Pretty soon they are both asleep. It's trial and error! Good Luck!

 

love my bouncy seat AND swing!!

also, at that aage, it's still really easy to hold t hem both together as pp said. It's really a matter of figuring out what works for you. You can do it!!