Please Help

My boys are 1 month old today. I am so glad that they are here and they are healthy but I dread the night time. They seem to be up all night. After I feed them I can never get them to go back down. They have no problem sleeping during the day. I hear people say that when they feeed their baby at night he or she goes right to sleep after that. Mine dont. One of them may but by the time I get the fussy one down the other one is waking up to eat again. How do you guys survive. I just need some sleep.

 

So sorry you are struggling. I think all babies have their days and nights mixed-up then with twins, problems get compounded. Can you sleep when they do during the day? I would not let them sleep more than 2 hours at a time during the day, though. I was never able to do this but I heard of assigning one baby to DH/SO/g'ma and one to mom and splitting them up in different rooms (or BR and living room) so that when one baby slept, the person assigned to that one could also sleep, I know it's tough, but hang tight, things DO get easier!!!

 

QUOTE(agdgirl27 @ Jan 1 2009, 05:43 PM) [snapback]1129227[/snapback]
One of them may but by the time I get the fussy one down the other one is waking up to eat again. How do you guys survive. I just need some sleep.


This is pretty much how mine were. :hug: You are in the thick of it. DH and I slept in shifts the first 6.5 weeks. After that, both babies would sleep 3 hours and then longer at a time, so we would get up less often and shifts were history. It will get better once they (and you) begin sleeping longer and then it'll keep getting better after that :hug: .

 

:hug: Mine were the same way for the first 6 weeks or so, until they figured out day vs. night.
DH & I would take 'shifts' so that each of us could get at least 5 hours of sleep (in a row).
Hang in there...it will get better!!

 

:hug:

I still remember those nights. One thing that help us was to stimulate them more in the day time. They did tummy time and they had an activity mat they liked too. I would also sing and play with them.
At night we kept the lights very low or off. (We got very good at operating by the light of a nightlight!) We did not talk to them, if they needed it we would shush, but no talking. We also used (and still use) a noise machine to help them know it was time to sleep.

Also, the only place mine slept at that age was their swings. So if there's some place they like, just let them sleep there. And if you haven't tried it yet, try to swaddle them. That helped my two a ton and they were swaddled until 6 months.

And know that it really does get better.

 

:hug: Are you swaddling them? I know that doesn't always work but it helped mine. I moved 2 travel swings into my bedroom and I would swaddle them both and put them in the swings by my bed some nights. Ditto what other posters have said about sleeping in shifts, that's what DH and I did too. When both of us tried to get up for every feeding it didn't work at all.

:hug: It does get easier, just hang in there.

 

It does get better, you are really in the thick of it right now. Mine had their days and nights confused during the first month. We would keep the curtains open to let the sun in, have TV going and do our normal day things. At night, we would keep lights low, close the curtains, turn the volume down. During that first month we had them nap in their PNP during the day and sleep in the crib during the night. Eventually they figured it out. My DH works the night shift, so when he was off on paternity leave or had nights off, we did shifts which worked great. Hang in there :hug:

 

If they're sleeping well during the day, I'd wonder if they have their days and nights mixed up. Like the PP suggested, maybe try waking them after 2 hrs during the day. Also, get them in the sunshine and light during the day so their bodies start knowing the difference. At night, keep the lights low/off and don't talk to them. You might be doing all this already, I don't know!

Some people split up the babies (one per parent), but most of the time when things are going badly at night we take shifts. Not sure if you're breastfeeding or not, but I have found that right after nursing is a good time to pass them on to DH. He can burp and settle them while I go back to sleep. When they wake up again to nurse, he brings them back in to me. Another option is putting them in their swings after burping, so we can both get some sleep. Now that they're in the swing of day/night, we haven't had to do shifts in the last month. You're right in the middle of it, hang in there!

 

Yep, everyone is telling you the right things.
Make the baby switch their days at nights...it eventually works and it doesnt take that many days.
Swaddling is a lifesaver, it seems to give them that extra hour of sleep inbetween feeds at night.
You are at the toughest part, really. You probably think you will never sleep again. I cant imagine going back to that time, I really cant.
It WILL get better, I promise...just hang in there. I want to give you the miracle answer, but honestly, this is just how it is for awhile.
You can do it, if I can, anyone can
Its amazing how much an hour nap during the day made a big difference with me being able to handle the nights.

 

:hug: I'm going through the same thing right now. It's so hard. I can't see straight I'm so tired.

 

We had much better luck at night once we got the miracle blankets. We found that our babies loved them! We also kept their room dark, even during feedings, and I leave a heartbeat lullaby CD on repeat in their room. (It is from Baby Go to Sleep) We use white noise too. The CD really cues them in that is is time to sleep, and even relaxes us. Good thing, since I can hear it through the monitor!

I am sorry you are so tired. I remember that feeling... :hug:

 

There is help when it comes to your twins not being confused between day and night. I have 5 week old twins and no problem whatsoever with this. I however help my babies differentiate between day and night. In order to do that you can't have the same routine in day as you do at night. For mine, in the day...I feed them, and don't let them go right to sleep. We have feed time, then some awake time and then they get laid down for their nap while they are awake. Mine are typically up from the beginning of the feeding to the time I lay them down about 45 minutes. At night for their nightie night feeding (mine is around 9pm) is where I just feed them and let them fall right asleep. I also make sure we are in their nursery away from any stimulation. I also avoid eye contact with them, as that is very stimulating for them also. Swaddling is a great thing, however we swaddle for all sleep so that would not be helpful for us to let them differentiate between the night and day. I sure hope this helps you.