macchiatto or anyone else's LOs who STTN at 4.5 - 5 mos.

jamie217

Did you do anything that you think may have helped your boys sleep better?  I don't see it happening for us in the next couple weeks after being up 7x in addition to their bottle last night, but I'm desperate.

I have read sleep books, keep track of how much they eat and sleep in a 24 hr period and have a pretty consistent schedule.  I offer them a 5oz bottle at night when they wake to eat and neither ever finishes it because they get most of what they need during the day. 

I had weaned it to less but thought if they ate a little more at night it might cut down on Keira's paci replacements, but it hasn't, which is our main problem and the fact that she sometimes wakes Mia....last night I even pinned a wubbanub to her sleep sack and I still had to go in and help her...plus she doesn't always go back down after.

I'm not even looking for them to STTN, just to sleep more than they are now, so I am not a zombie for very long when I go back to work in a couple wks..so I would appreciate any suggestions, tips or even reassurance that it just got better on it's own not long after 4 mos. TIA!!!

 

 

MrsMommyLo

My twins just started to STTN (fingers crossed) for the past three nights.  I  read Baby Whisperer, HSHHC and the twin book, and Dr. Ferber  when I had DS (now 22 months). 

I can honestly say the whole drowsy but awake thing is key, at least for my kids.  They have to learn to self-soothe.  I started the drowsy but awake thing at about 2 months.  We also have a consistant bedtime routine that I started with the twins two weeks ago.  We all head upstairs at 6:30.  I bathe all three kids, get them dressed with a short massage, turn down the lights and put on white noise, feed/burp, swaddle DD (DS is fine w/o it), rock each baby for a few moments while we read to the toddler, lay them in the crib with their seahorse, and off to sleep they go. 

Possibly you could get rid of the paci??  I used a paci for DS and had the same problems with him, the twins could care less so I didn't push them to use one. 

I totally feel your pain, I hope they start to sleep soon. 

macchiatto

For us, Healthy Sleep Habits Happy Child was a HUGE help! (I read the twin version too, but it didn't come out till they were 6 months old.) We started following it at 7.5w and it instantly revolutionized naptimes. I was amazed. Putting them down drowsy but awake, making sure they don't get overtired and making sure they have an environment really conducive to sleeping were all hugely helpful (as dark as possible, white noise, etc.). My boys did have some reflux issues that kept them up from about 2-8 a.m. the first four months but getting sleep wedges helped a ton with that; sleeping on an incline made a huge difference for them.

We also started double-swaddling them (a Miracle Blanket inside a SwaddleMe) at 3.5m. I wouldn't recommend that for everyone and of course you have to make sure they don't get over-heated, but it really seemed to help our boys. Before that they would bust out of the Miracle Blankets and just cry until they were re-swaddled.

Good luck; I hope they do start sleeping better for you soon!

jamie217

They go down drowsy, but a wake and have a set bedtime routine - we tried to get rid of the paci and letting her CIO per pedi's reccomendation and it was a nightmare. 

They are great nappers, but do get cranky a good while before they go to sleep, so maybe they are getting overtired we need an earlier bedtime and wake time - they are usually down btwn 7:30 - 8:00.  I'll try that tonight, it might actually work to our advantage bcause my H works nights, so I could get more help putting them down before he has to leave.

jamie217

They go down drowsy, but awake and have a set bedtime routine - we tried to get rid of the paci and letting her CIO per pedi's reccomendation and it was a nightmare. 

They are great nappers, but do get cranky a good while before they go to sleep, so maybe they are getting overtired we need an earlier bedtime and wake time - they are usually down btwn 7:30 - 8:00.  I'll try that tonight, it might actually work to our advantage bcause my H works nights, so I could get more help putting them down before he has to leave.

finallyreilly

We started the 12 hours in 12 weeks book when the twins were about 10 weeks because I was going back to work and desperate for a good nights sleep.  We had them down to getting up to feed once a night by the time they were 5 months and STTN consistently at 6 months.  We also did some CIO during the night to see if they would put themselves back to sleep to break the eating habit.