how do you entertain 3 month old twins?

My boys are now 13 weeks old. I'm trying to put them on a daytime sleep schedule so they'll sleep better at night. The problem I'm having is when I try to keep them awake for 2 hours, all they do is cry. I try putting them in their bouncers with lights and music. That sometimes works for 5 min or so. I try putting them in their beds under their mobiles. This sometimes works for 10 min (or sometimes it puts them to sleep). If I hold one, he's happy, but the other cries and vice versa. I've even tried Baby Einstein, but that doesn't work. I've also tried a play gym which they HATE. The only thing that slightly works is lying them on the bed and waving a whoozit over them, but I can't keep that up for 2 hours. So they scream. My 4 year old is now having problems with loud noises because the babies cry so much (they aren't ill or anything). It's gotten so bad, tht I just put them in a room and let them scream because it seems there's nothing else I can do. It kills me to do it, but if I don't my 4 year old suffers and after awhile, I start to go insane as well. Does anyone have any suggestions as how I can happily entertain these two boys? 3 months is such a difficult age because they can't sit up or grasp things yet. Their eyesight is only okay. It's not like entertaining a 6 month old. I remember finding this age being difficult with my daughter, too, but at least with her I could just cuddle with her. Help! I'm desperate and going insane with guilt and desperation!!!!!

 

Hi,

At three months (at least for my girls)... two hours was too long to be awake. Perhaps your boys are crying because they're tired? I've never found that keeping my girls awake during the day helped them sleep at night... in fact we saw the opposite. If I let them sleep when they want/need during the day, they sleep better at night. They were about 4.5 months old before they really got in a good daytime/nighttime routine and a predictable schedule.

The one thing that worked for us as entertainment starting at about three months was the exersaucer. Mine had great head and trunk control so they could "sit" in the saucer, but if yours can't, you can wedge them in with blankets around their middles. Good luck!

Trish

 

I am having the SAME issue!! I don't know what the heck to do with these babies all day! Whenever it's somewhat nice I put them in the stroller and go for a walk or even put them in the car and go for a drive. My boys are cool with an activity for about 5 seconds before they are crying. They really like to just be held but when I'm alone it's kinda hard to hold both of them at onc.

 

I have to agree-- mine get like that when they are overtired. I'd say mine can stay up for about an hour "happily" == then it's time to move to "wind-down" activities (like mobile watching) -- for naptime at 1.5 hours. They can go the longest (a full 2 hour) after their afternoon nap only. And I agree with the pp as well....better daytime sleep == better nighttime sleep for us (given that they didn't sleep after 5:30 for their 7pm bedtime)

Now, as a caviat -- I DID notice that when they got 6.5-7 hours of daytime sleep - at just over 3 months - they had a harder time going back to sleep after 3/4 am bottle (so we started our day at around 5:30 am -- whereas now -- with our current napping issues (we're getting about 2.5-3 hours of daytime sleep...and they are NOT happy campers) -- however they go back to sleep easily after their 3/4am bottle, and sleep until 7/7:30. So, I DO think there is a "too much" for some kids. I figure my kids "need" between 15-16 hours of sleep == 11ish they get at night - and they really need about 4 durring the day - -but all kids are different

ETA: I DO agree this is a hard age for entertainment -- what kind of gym do you have?? until resently they only liked their baby enstien gym b/c it has that light-up star -- but now they love their tiny love gym ('cause they like to bat/grab the toys) -- mine still don't like the exasaucer -- but they do like to sit in their bumbo seats and look at eachother. I do a lot of singing, funny faces, generally acting silly with them....and they like to do "stations" -- they only really like something for about 15 minutes...so we rotate...talking/funny faces etc - gym 1, kick piano, gym 2 - mobile (winddown) - nap

 

Mine are 12wks and have the attention span of goldfish most of the time but they do LOVE the playmats, we have 2 now, and they'll lie there for a good 20 mins cooing. They also love lights and music, silly kiddie music and 'mommy music'.
The swing and bouncer dont entertain as well as they did in the beginning but I definitely got my money's worth out of them.
I am thinking about trying some Baby Einstein as well.

Sorry I dont have any new suggestions for you, I'd just try to keep rotating them, thats what I do. And when all else fails I turn the vacuum on!!

Good luck!

 

QUOTE(Trishandthegirls @ Jan 9 2008, 12:34 PM) [snapback]564682[/snapback]
Hi,

At three months (at least for my girls)... two hours was too long to be awake. Perhaps your boys are crying because they're tired? I've never found that keeping my girls awake during the day helped them sleep at night... in fact we saw the opposite. If I let them sleep when they want/need during the day, they sleep better at night. They were about 4.5 months old before they really got in a good daytime/nighttime routine and a predictable schedule.



Trish


I was going to say the same thing about 2 hours, my girls are 10 weeks and they can not go 2 hours yet. The LONGEST they can go, when very well rested is 90 minutes, and they go 1 hour awake, 2 hours asleep the most often. I usually feed them, then put them on the activity mat or in the swing or whatever until they start to fuss. Fussing means it is time to be swaddled and rocked in the rocking chair until very drowsy, and then I put them down to sleep. And once they are swaddled tightly I'm able to hold them both on the rocking chair, then when one baby gets drowsy I put them both down (it's sort of clumsy to put them both down like that) and then I'll pick up the baby that is still awake and rock some more. I actually just got through with this routine about 10 minutes ago!

 

I put Katie in the floor with me and we practice on milestones. I helped her roll, sit, and stand...

I make googly faces, and talk to her, sing to her. I just do cute little stuff. The boys are a big help with that as well, they can keep her up with just talking or playing beside her.

She can now successfully roll all over the living room floor!!

 

My babies can't handle 2 hours of awake time either, 1.5 hours max, that includes the diaper change and bottle. Our routine when they get up from a nap we play, they like the play gym or to sit in the bouncy and watch me work, etc. We also just got the exersaucer out last week and they love to sit in that, they are too young to play in it, but love to look at all the toys. Then when they get crabby, usually after about 45 minutes or so, we do diaper changes, bottles, then cuddle with mom for 10 minutes or so, then a nap. I lay them down awake, and after much training they are usually out within 10 minutes, DS doesn't fuss at all, DD puts up a small fight. Then we repeat all over again after the last nap.

I have also found that my babies are really into lights and faces right now. We have a Santa doll out for Christmas and my DD will sit for like 15 minutes just smiling away at him, I may just leave him out all year!! Ceiling fans are a big hit too, as well as watching me eat, DS loves that!!

 

QUOTE(Vikki+2 @ Jan 9 2008, 01:50 PM) [snapback]564729[/snapback]
ETA: I DO agree this is a hard age for entertainment -- what kind of gym do you have?? until resently they only liked their baby enstien gym b/c it has that light-up star -- but now they love their tiny love gym ('cause they like to bat/grab the toys) -- mine still don't like the exasaucer -- but they do like to sit in their bumbo seats and look at eachother. I do a lot of singing, funny faces, generally acting silly with them....and they like to do "stations" -- they only really like something for about 15 minutes...so we rotate...talking/funny faces etc - gym 1, kick piano, gym 2 - mobile (winddown) - nap


That Baby Einstein star is GOLD!!!! I would kill someone if for that star!

 

My little guys like to look at themselves in the mirror, look at each other. They like when I read books and talk to them. They also like to play under their gyms (we have like four different ones) although I have to move them frequently because they get bored quickly. I put them on their tummies, and sit them in their bumbos. Their attention span is short, so we are constantly moving. I agree with what a PP said, get out of the house. Today we went to the mall, and I walked around. The babies like the change in scenery as much as I do. Also when they get a little fussy, I put on this Baby Einstein CD that I have and let them listen to music. It seems to calm them down. I hope things get better!

 

I just have to say that I feel your pain! I asked this same question about my 4 month olds (2 mo adjusted) a few days ago. I took the advice of doing stations and it has worked well for us. Also, we're working on getting out of the house. I took that advice given to me today and it made a world of difference -- especially for mommy!!! It's a daunting task getting twinfants out and I often chicken out, but it is worth the reward.

Good luck!

Jenny

 

mine don't typically stay up for more than an hour and a half. i wake one up, change her, then put her on our bed. then i get the other one, change HER, and put HER on our bed. then i talk to them for a little bit, maybe take some pictures (haha). then i move them to the tummy time mats on their backs and read to them (and i'm VERY animated, and i keep the book open to the page i read for a minute or two so they can stare at it). theni move them on their tummies and let them struggle and grunt until just before they get upset. then i move them to the carseats to feed them, and i sing a few songs as i feed them, from happy, upbeat songs to soft songs, then i get quiet and let them finish eating, quietly burp them, and let them fall asleep. sometimes if they're fussy and kind of grunting, i'll lay them on their backs on the floor and let them watch tv while i excercise their legs to help "get things moving" (i have little fart macines lol).