what am I doing wrong???

I am brand new here!!! my twin girls are 10 weeks old and very healthy and good eaters (born at 37 weeks) Starting at 6 weeks, they drank their bottle at 7 PM and didn't wake again until 2. The last few nights, one is getting up around 12 to eat, then the other at 2 then the first at 4... so basically, I am up from 12-6. The baby who wakes at 2 is a very sound sleeper and usually falls asleep during bottles so waking her is almost impossible. what do I do for my sanity???

 

to TS! And congratulations on your babies! The only thing that I can think of is that maybe they are experiencing a growth spurt? Have you tried swaddling, swinging, vibrating bouncy, to get them to sleep a little longer? Actually, though, I think eating that frequently is pretty much the norm at that age. I would recommend feeding them both at the same time, especially for night wakings, so that you have a longer stretch in between feedings.

Hang in there, you are right in the middle of the twin madness!

 

thanks for replying, I am going out of my mind. I swaddle them in miracle blankets every night and they fall to sleep pretty quickly. the baby who is waking up earlier screams SO loud that I don't want her waking the other if she isn't going to eat. I tried pacis and she spits them out. should I lift her out of the crib swaddled and try to rock her back for a little while?

 

You could try that. At that age, I didn't even try to hold them off at all, if they woke up, I fed them, unless of course it had only been an hour! I think it would really help if you fed them both, before laying back down to sleep yourself. You MIGHT get a longer stretch of sleep. Mine were on the same schedule, day and night, otherwise I would have been more crazy than I already was!! It is soooo hard for the first 4 months or so. Do anything and everything to get yourself some sleep. Emma slept in the swing for the first 3 months! s, come back often, these ladies are so very supportive here!

 

sorry, but the first time I read your response, I thought it said, "at that age, I didn't even try to hold them at all..." I was like, ok, this board is insane already! sleep deprivation!

I think my expectations were high because they were sleeping until 2 themselves and now one isn't. otherwise, I wouldn't know the difference. I guess if it happens again, I will try to wake the other although she is IMPOSSIBLE to wake. thanks for the advice.

 

It's ok! We have all been there! Yes, I did hold my babies at that age, and I still try to every now and then!

 

I am at the same stage you are and am new to TS, too! My boys are 10 weeks old and doing the exact same thing. My husband and I are up and exhausted! One thing you might try is a book called Twelve Hours Sleep by Twelve Weeks Old. It gives step-by-step instructions on how to get your babies to sleep through the night. We were getting up with them at regular 4 hour intervals at night (feeding one, waking the other etc.) and are now letting them wake up on their own.
I'm not holding my breath that they'll sleep through the night so soon, but I'd love to try to get them to sleep through a feeding!
Good luck!!!

 

quote:
I didn't even try to hold them off at all, if they woke up, I fed them, unless of course it had only been an hour! I think it would really help if you fed them both, before laying back down to sleep yourself. You MIGHT get a longer stretch of sleep. Mine were on the same schedule, day and night, otherwise I would have been more crazy than I already was!!


Ditto!

 

At that age, if one was eating I always woke the other one to eat, even if I had to strip off their sleeper, tickle their little feet, etc. to get them to wake up. I found it was the only way to get them on the same schedule and get a bit of sleep myself. Given the chance, mine would always tag-team eat in the middle of the night & drive me crazy! Good luck & hang in there - they do eventually sleep!

 

Choosing to wake the other one or not, to me, was always a gamble. SOMETIMES I got more sleep. I think it just comes with the territory and this too will pass.

Sherry

 

At that age I always woke the other twin that wasn't awake. I think around 4mos is when I stopped waking the other one. I found that keeping them on the same schedule let me know more of what to expect.

 

I think we are a week behind you...I always "wake" the sleeping one, I'm too scared to see how long she'll sleep if I don't. I always think there is no way she is going to eat because she is sleeping like a rock. But usually she is the one that gulps down her bottle, w/o opening her eyes, LOL!

Right now mine eat around 9/9:30 pm & they wake usually between the 3am & 4am time frame to eat. This morning one of them cried at 2:40 but by the time I got everything ready they were quiet, so I checked on them, repositioned one (who was being squirmy) & laid on the couch waiting for the hollering to start. They slept until 5am...& then they only ate 3oz, go figure! So, I think they are getting there.

I agree w/previous post, maybe try to feed them at the 10/10:30pm mark...or try to stretch that last feeding to a later time. And see if the sleeping one will eat while asleep. Best of luck! I love them when they are little, but long so much for when they are older!