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Two Under 2
finnsmomma
member
Moms of Irish twins...how do you handle bath/bedtime?
finnsmomma
member
in Two Under 2
I want to start a bedtime routine with the baby that includes a bath, but my 13 month old is all over the place and I can't figure out what to do with him when the baby is having her bath. Right now, I've been giving the baby a bath when DS is napping during the day.
As far as bedtime goes, I've been putting the baby down after DS is in bed. I'm not sure what I'll do when DD gets older and needs to go to bed earlier.
Ideas, please....thanks!
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Re: Moms of Irish twins...how do you handle bath/bedtime?
I have no help with your first question-I give the baby a bath when DS is taking a nap as well. Our bedtime routine consists of putting her down sleepy but awake and she puts herself to sleep. If the baby fusses, you can provide comfort by rubbing her back, singing, "shhh-ing", etc but not picking her up. If she starts crying, of course pick her up and comfort her but try to get her to go to bed on her own without a big bedtime routine. That would also help when she needs to go to bed earlier.
GL!
my kids are a bit older now, and I don't quite have Irish twins (they range from 20 months apart to 16 months apart) but when DD2 was very little this is how I did bath time:
The boys went first, bathed them, brushed teeth and sent them off to dress themselves. Then prep for the girls bath; make sure I have pj's diapers, wipes etc in the bathroom already for bedtime and put the bath seat in the tub (it is one of the ones that looks like a baby bouncer so it is OK for newborns). Put DD2 in the seat first, and then put DD1 in the tub. Wash both, take DD2 out first, and the seat so DD1 can play a bit in the tub while I dress DD2 on the floor in the bathroom. Then take DD1 out and help her dress, and brush teeth. Take both girls to the boys room (who should be done getting dressed by now) read a book in the boys room, say goodnight to the boys then take the girls to the girls room. Put DD1 down to sleep, then take DD2 downstairs to nurse and then put her to bed. I hope that helps
Mine are almost-Irish twins. DD1 is 19.5 months, and DD2 is 7 months. I just did bathtime and bedtime alone tonight because DH plays basketball on Tuesday evenings.
We bathe them together. I have a bath seat that DD2 can sit in without falling out, so I have my hands free. When it's time to take them out, I take out DD2 first, and wrap her in a towel on the bathroom floor. Then I take DD1 out, wrap her in a towel, and let her walk to the nursery (they share a room) while I carry DD2. Then I put DD2 in the crib, still wrapped in her towel, while I cream up DD1 and put her in her night diaper and pjs. Then I lotion up DD2, diaper, and jammies. I nurse DD2 in the glider while DD1 plays on the floor. After that, we do prayers, and then DD2 goes in the crib, where she inevitably rotates around on her belly so she can look at me and DD1 while we read books in the glider. Then lights out, and I continue to rock DD1 while I sing to them. Then DD1 goes into the crib.
(This is not totally ideal, because DD2 could really go down 45-60 minutes earlier than DD1. On nights when DH and I are both home, I usually put DD2 down around 7:15, and then he follows with DD2 at 8 p.m. But when we're doing it solo, things are a bit different.)
We did not get to this point until a couple months ago, though. Before that, we bathed them separately. DH always did DD1's baths (every other night), and DD2 got a bath every 4-5 days or so - I usually just got in the tub with her. We didn't get a routine going until DD2 was about 5 months.
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My kids are further apart in age, 6 months and 2 1/2, but I do bath and bedtime alone with them. I run the bath while we're finishing dinner, and pre-stage lotion, pajamas, and a diaper for DD2 in the bathroom. Then I get DD1 and let her sit on the potty while I get DD2 and myself undressed for the bath. DD1 gets in the bath and plays for a couple minutes if she doesn't need to go potty.
Then, it's all three of us in the bath at once. My DD1 is a bit unreliable with her baby sister sometimes (overenthusiastic) and I don't trust her in the bath with DD2 and a bath seat just yet, so in we all go. I wash DD2 and then get out with her and get her dried off and dressed for the night on the bathroom floor, then get myself dry and dressed again. Then I put DD2 in her bouncer seat with a toy while I wash DD1, get her out, brush teeth and hair, etc. Then I send DD2 running to their room while I get DD1 and follow along.
Once in the bedroom/nursery, DD2 rolls around on the floor and plays while I get DD1 lotioned, diapered, and pajama-ed. We all sit together on DD1's bed and read a book, then DD1 gets tucked in and I sit in the rocking chair and sing to them while I nurse DD2. When DD2 is done nursing, I put her in her crib, kiss both girls goodnight, and leave.
It's a juggle but it's been really good for them both to have a concrete routine. We do it in pretty much the exact same order every night, and they both go off to sleep really nicely after I leave the room. (now, staying asleep - that's a whole other ballgame!)
Bathtime is hard. If I dont' have DH to help me, here's how it goes.
Ben gets a nap every other day, so most days I just hold him while I bathe DD.
On the days he needs a bath, I lay out a towel/Ben's clothes/my clothes on the floor, get in the bath with the two of them, wash him, then get out with Ben. I dry him off and get him dressed, then dry me off and get dressed, then finish playing with/washing Mia. It's a hassle, but it works.
Then I just get Mia dressed while Ben plays on the floor of her room, lay her down, and then go put Ben down.
Most nights I have DH, though, so he will bathe DD while I put DS down, or finish bathing her after I bathe him.