Re-introduction and 'witching hour' suggestions please!

annie145

Hi all!  It's been a while so I thought I'd re-introduce myself.  My twins were born on July 22nd, can't believe they are almost 4 months old!  They have been keeping me pretty busy so I haven't had as much time to play around on the internet.  However, they are now nap rockstars (of course, as I type this, they will probably regress) and I am back to having some time to myself :-)  They have 3 awesome naps a day - early morning, mid morning, early afternoon.  I'm still struggling with the 'witching hour' time - we eat at about 4:30 pm and I don't want to follow the 'eat, play, sleep' schedule because then it's impossible to wake them up for their last bottle of the day.  So, I'm trying to get them to either take a quick nap right after the 4:30 bottle or do some activity that doesn't result in screaming.  It's still nice outside, so I've been taking them on walks and then coming back and doing bath/bedtime routine/bottle, but soon the weather is not going to permit that.

 Any suggestions for how to fill that time?  What do you do with your babies?   

MrsLnt

We had a 4:30 feeding until about 5 months and I'd let them nap in the swing until it was time for their bath and bedtime bottle. That's how DH and I ate dinner before 9pm.  When we moved to a 4 hour schedule and we were napping at 9 and 1 (with a 7 am wakeup time) we'd do that late afternoon catnap in their cribs. I never let the nap go beyond 5:30 and they were in bed by 7. 

HisGirlCridey

MrsLnt:

We had a 4:30 feeding until about 5 months and I'd let them nap in the swing until it was time for their bath and bedtime bottle. That's how DH and I ate dinner before 9pm.  When we moved to a 4 hour schedule and we were napping at 9 and 1 (with a 7 am wakeup time) we'd do that late afternoon catnap in their cribs. I never let the nap go beyond 5:30 and they were in bed by 7. 

This is pretty much exactly what we do.

By the way, one of our twins is also a Natalie. How fun!

annie145

Love hearing about other Natalies :-)

 

We tried the swing/bouncy seat nap - it's been nice and calm the last couple of nights!  It's a good cat nap option, they don't get too sleepy.  Thanks ladies!! 

sarahjane936

We struggled with the "witching hour" until I started putting them to bed earlier (between 6 and 6:30).  I hate putting them down so soon after I get home, but it makes a world of difference.