Tips/resources on getting new borns on a schedule

Firstly, this site is great. I now read this one more than anyo ther because of the great advice I've received and read.

I am looking for any advice on getting them on a schedule when they are born. What worked/didn't work for you? Any books you relied on? I have Dr Weissbluth's book on sleep training twins, but what about a full schedule? How old were they when you started? How long did it take? Did you find you were home bound or could you go out and still keep them on the schedule?

Thanks in advance for any advice

Lauren

 

Honestly, all I did to get my two on a schedule was:

Feed them together, let them nap together, let them be up together (and yes, that meant sometimes forcing one to do what the other did) and eventually there was no more forcing one to do what the other was doing. KWIM?

As for day/afternoon/night schedule, I let them pick it with encouragement from me in the right direction. Dark room to sleep in, no rocking them to sleep, offering food when they seem hungry as opposed to forcing them to eat at 8, 11, 1, 4, 7, 1, 4 etc. I found that it stressed me a lot less and in turn let them be more relaxed babies.

 

I read about the "sleep and eat together" schedule a lot. But when do we start? Right after birth? Right out of the hospital? Or do we wait for a few weeks?

 

It depends on you. I breastfeed so in the hospital just worked on feeding one at a time. At 2 weeks they were eating at the same time and still do. In the beginning, I don't believe there is a schedule other than feed, change, repeat. The idea of hunger is a foreign concept to newborns, so I try to cut them some slack for a couple of months. What's interesting about that time is that you don't have to worry about naps. Newborns typically sleep whenever, wherever. In the car? Sure! In the stroller? Absolutely! At home, at 3 am? Less likely.

Like the pp mentioned, rocking them to sleep, while effective, is not a good idea. Mine did enjoy a fair number of naps curled up on their daddy, though. He'd get them to sleep, then play xbox.

 

I totally agree with becasquared. The first two months for me once the boys came home from NICU were a blur but we made sure that they ate together and slept together. If you don't you will never get any sleep. I wasn't a stickler for times either and let them set the schedule for the most part. Best of luck

 

I'd say that the first few weeks you're just trying to survive and get some sleep so don't be so hard on yourself trying to get them into a schedule. By about 8 weeks if you feed them together and let them sleep and wake together when possible, they'll settle into a schedule.