Twins and STTN (9 months and still not STTN)

solarflare

Hey ladies,

I am curious if you had some strategies to get your twins to sleep through the night and have any pointers. I know there are a bunch of lucky folks who had early STTN babies but we just haven't had that luck. I do know that twins are a different ballgame since they are usually in the same room, so that's why I am asking here on the Multiples board.

We taught our babies how to go to sleep on their own in their own cribs at a young age, so they are good at that, and they know how to put themselves back to sleep if they wake up.  Our twins are in the same room and will sometimes sleep through the other one crying but if we let it go too long, the other one is bound to wake up. At least once a night, they wake up to eat (they are on formula at this point and drink about a 4.5 oz bottle between 11pm - 1AM) and you cannot soothe without a bottle. They demand it. If one is teething they will wake up up to 3 times and we have now discovered infant advil which helps. 

They are now eating 3 solids meals per day with protein in at least 2 of those meals and 4 bottles during the day, one 7oz. one right before bed. They will drink between 22-24 oz. of formula during the day now and will not drink more. We try but when they are done, they are done.

They take 2 naps and maybe one catnap (although that's going away) and sleep a total of about 11 hours at night. I would just LOVE to get a full nights sleep and I know people do get to STTN at this point, but my question is:

How did you do it? 

Especially if you had to encourage your twins to do so around this age or even older, please share your words of wisdom!

Thanks a million!

kgs0505

Mine slept through at 5 months.  How did I do it?  I'm not sure exaclty, but a strict routine for bedtime helps.  As far as the MOTN feeding, you need to somehow wean that one away.  I'd start reducing the amount you give them until there is nothing.  Eventually they will stop expecting it.  It might suck for a couple night after you totally drop it.  Will they take a binky?  That might help with the transistion.  One thing that did help a lot is if that last bottle wasn't right before bed (and hour or less), I'd give them another couple ounces to "top them off".  That helped tremendously until they were able to build up to a 7-8oz bottle.

Mine will wake the other up if it gets to hysterical crying. But that doesn't happen until morning usually, if they've been awake for a while and we haven't come in fast enough for their liking.

LottaLattes

I weaned my fatter twin who still woke for a bottle then. I basically just coslept with him in another room and patted him while he cried until he stopped. The other one didn't wake up.

I talked to two different sleep coaches and both had exactly the same philosophy which is exactly the Sleep Lady way which is the best $10 I spent so far. Good luck, I was pretty pissed off all day and night for a while there, life is so much better with sleep. Mine still occasionally wake at night a time or two but nothing like before and they sttn more often than not. Hang in there, it is hard.

Oh and some sleep train theirs in different rooms to start, so you keep the better sleeper sleeping longer without screaming.

solarflare

Thanks for your tips! We have started to reduce the amount in the middle of the night and they just ended up waking up at 4 am demanding more food. But that was about a month ago so perhaps it is worth another try. 

They do take a binky for sleeping so that can help.

I like your idea of the last bottle being a little earlier - right now it's usually about 15 minutes before bed or they fall asleep drinking it. Making it earlier with a little topper is definitely an idea. 

Thanks and congrats on your good sleepers!

Felicity86

No advice but I'm in the exact same situation with my 9 month old twins. I always just rush in to feed one so he doesn't wake my other one (who's a better sleeper). They have been dropping feedings on their own and seem to be transitioning from 2x a night to 1. Good luck.

solarflare

Thanks Lotta!

Yea - I do think our big boy would STTN if his sister didn't wake him, so we would have to move her back into our room short term to pat her through the feeding. This is also difficult but may be worth it. I'll have to get The Sleep Lady's book then! I have all the others and have used a combo of them since newborn days. 

They teased us the other night and slept from one soothing (no food) at 11 - 6:30 AM. Man, we were like different people that day. The next night of course was awful. Can't wait to sleep some long stretches again!

We talked to our pedi last check-up and he just laughed at us saying we were lucky that we just have only one wake-up. But I know the mythical STTN can happen and you guys are proof!

solarflare

Felicity,

I've thought of that, but basically my husband and I both get up and feed both babies when one cries for food to prevent multiple wake-ups. But I have been tempted just to feed quickly the one who wakes up to try and let the other sleep.

ks3pink

We ended up doing sleep training at 11 months. They still wake at night but will usually go back to sleep and some nights neverake a peep. They don't sleep great and never have but the sleep training seems to be making it better.

solarflare

How do you do sleep training if twins are in the same room?

LottaLattes

My quad friend said her quad mentor assured her that the babies really would learn to sleep through each other's crying, even with 4 babies. A few hard nights but it is true for the most part.

xoexpat

Mine are 14 months and still not STTN…waking every three hours or so.  However it's something we are working on and I'm in the process of night weaning them and I think it's going ok.

I found that in their first year any time I tried to impose sleeping guidelines, it was very stressful and didn't work for anyone.  They just weren't ready.  Even though it's been a little bumpy now, I feel like we are making progress just because they are ready to do so.  

How I wish they had STTN at 3 or 5 months! 

Here is the link I have found the most reassuring :https://drjaygordon.com/attachment/sleeppattern.html