How do you console 2+ at once?

mayjay6

I'm new to the bump and looking forward to spending more time on this board.  I have 3.5 month old identical twin boys (adjusted age = 8 weeks) and I'm still struggling with what to do when both have a meltdown at the same time.  I had help for the first two months they were home which was amazing.  Now I'm alone with the boys and most of the day we do well.  But we have those occasional moments when I want to tear my hair out.  Our trouble times are when it's time to nap but they are resisting and when I'm feeding one (I exclusively breast feed) and the other wants to eat too.  I sometimes tandem feed but I don't really like it.  I'll often put one in a swing or bouncy seat but their interest in those only lasts a few minutes.  So I'm just wondering what others do in these kind of situations.  I know there's no magic solution out there, but I'm desperate!

ougrad1

I didn't BF so, no advice there.  

As far as consoling two at once when they're both upset, someone was always crying there for awhile.  I mean, you're one person and you can only do what you can do.  It sounds like you're doing the right thing by putting one in a swing or bouncy and tending to the needs of the other.   I mean, what else can you do when you're there on your own?

 

jsw555

Sometimes I put the non-feeder next to me on a boppy with a pacifier while I feed the other.  It seems to help them know food is coming soon. However, I agree with the previous poster that there is only so much you can do as one person with two babies.  Someone will cry, and it's a judgement call to determine whether you interupt the feeding with the peaceful one to go "fix" the other, if there is a quick fix.

sunnybrook.

jsw555:

Sometimes I put the non-feeder next to me on a boppy with a pacifier while I feed the other.  It seems to help them know food is coming soon. However, I agree with the previous poster that there is only so much you can do as one person with two babies.  Someone will cry, and it's a judgement call to determine whether you interupt the feeding with the peaceful one to go "fix" the other, if there is a quick fix.

Ditto all of this. 

When I BF, I found what worked best was putting one in the bouncer by my feet and using my foot to tap it up and down pretty firmly. They liked the bouncing more than the gentle vibrating. It was the only thing that worked sometimes. GL and kudos for BFing!

violaplayer

ougrad1:

I didn't BF so, no advice there.  

As far as consoling two at once when they're both upset, someone was always crying there for awhile.  I mean, you're one person and you can only do what you can do.  It sounds like you're doing the right thing by putting one in a swing or bouncy and tending to the needs of the other.   I mean, what else can you do when you're there on your own?

 

This exactly. Well said.

smit3807

sunnybrook.:

When I BF, I found what worked best was putting one in the bouncer by my feet and using my foot to tap it up and down pretty firmly. They liked the bouncing more than the gentle vibrating. It was the only thing that worked sometimes. GL and kudos for BFing!

This.  I also just had to deal with the fact that there would be times that one would have to cry for a few minutes.  It has gotten so much better now that they can play in the exersaucer or jumperoo. 

When I needed to calm them both down I would often put on my Moby wrap.  I put one in the regular hold and just kind of stuck the other one in on one side.  It wasn't entirely hands-free, but it allowed me to get up and walk around with both of them, which usually calmed them down.  Good luck!

Ruby_Tuesday

sunnybrook.:

jsw555:

Sometimes I put the non-feeder next to me on a boppy with a pacifier while I feed the other.  It seems to help them know food is coming soon. However, I agree with the previous poster that there is only so much you can do as one person with two babies.  Someone will cry, and it's a judgement call to determine whether you interupt the feeding with the peaceful one to go "fix" the other, if there is a quick fix.

Ditto all of this. 

When I BF, I found what worked best was putting one in the bouncer by my feet and using my foot to tap it up and down pretty firmly. They liked the bouncing more than the gentle vibrating. It was the only thing that worked sometimes. GL and kudos for BFing!

This is what worked for me also except I overlapped two bouncies so that they would both move with one foot.