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Multiples
night shifts
did you and your husband do shifts at night? i feel like we need to otherwise we may lose our minds from no sleep. does this work for you and how do you manage the night shift? we are on a 8, 11, 2, and 5 feed schedule. any ideas would be helpful. thanks!
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Re: night shifts
We do! We tried using the arms reach co-sleeper in our room the first two weeks and we were both waking up every time either baby would cry. Eventually, we moved them to the living room. I stay up until about 2:00am, then I wake DH and he stays up 2-6. (Thank goodness he used to work nights and can handle the 2-6am timeframe - yuck!). We each get about 4 or 5 hours of sleep, which is much better than what we were getting!
DH will usually go back to bed for a few hours in the morning, then he works evenings.
We're at three months now and hope they start sleeping longer, soon! Then they'll be in their cribs and hopefully DH and I will be back in bed together!!!
Not everyone would have them in the living room for three months, but it's been worth it to get some solid sleep each night. Best of luck!
I didn't...I was up for every feeding from the beginning...and initially they were eating every 2 hours!. I have no idea how I did it...but my mom was helping me (we would each feed one baby!).
Luckily they moved to a 3-hour schedule and then now only eat twice during the night (11:30pm and 3:30am).
I think it would be great if someone takes the 8 and 11pm feedings from you so you can go to bed at 8 and be on duty for the 2 and 5am...
The good news is that they do grow fast and it's temporary (that's what keeps me going!)...although I'm still sleep deprived, it does get better!
As of right now my husband and I are going to do 2-3 hours shifts while he is at home so we both get sleep. After he goes back to work, I will take care of the babies from the time he goes to bed (midnight) until when he gets home (6:15pm) during the week. He'll take care of them from when he gets home until when he goes to bed so I can nap or do whatever else needs done. This is mostly to cover feedings/changings so that we're both rested. On the weekends, he'll get up for night feedings and diaper changes so I can catch up on my sleep. I'll cover naps for him in the afternoon if he needs them.
This is what works best for us since I'll be a SAHM and he'll be working FT. If he needs to travel, I'll probably have my mom or his mom come down to help me during the week so I can get laundry/dishes/etc. done and maybe a nap in the afternoons.