HSHHT STRESS

RobinR91 · February 2013

So, I'm a reader. And a goal setter. I've read Dr Weissbluths' books, and 100 agree on the importance of sleep in an infants life. My stress comes from this feeling I can't shake as I read. A voice in my head keeps saying ,"great in theory dr w, but you've clearly never had triplets". I am talking about the basic tenantsnaps in their cribs, not RnP, REASONABLE bedtime 79 o'clock ish. My girls are 4 months actual, 2 months adjusted. They have three naps a day, reliably. But they aren't in their cribs. Am I way behind here? I'm trying my best daily, but with three babies I'd rather them actually sleep during nap time even if its in a RnP rather than them lose their sleep time talking/fussing in their cribs.. At night we put them Down groggy but awake and they go to bed without a problem, waking once around 3 to 4 for feeding which we are happy with. Unfortunately, I seem to be stuck starting their bedtime routine around 7:30 making their bedtime late9:30 ish. I want to do what's best, and by letting them sleep until 4 am, it pushes all their feedings back so bedtime is later. Should I wake them at 2 am for a night feed and control the schedule more? I thought infant led was best. Argh! Being a MoM is so tricky! Even the instruction manuals don't seem to apply to multiples. Anyone else feel like I do? Any advice?

pea-kay · February 2013

dude. put down the book. do whatever works for you and your girls. you're doing great.

Brummy14 · February 2013

pea-kay:
dude. put down the book. do whatever works for you and your girls. you're doing great.

Yes

projectbaby2012 · February 2013

peakay:
dude. put down the book. do whatever works for you and your girls. you're doing great.

I agree. I only have two and I can't make them do what the book says either. Yet they both get enough sleep and are thriving. Sounds like you have a system that works for your family.

Brummy14 · February 2013

Funny anecdote: I had DH skim the book before the girls arrived, because I knew we'd be hard pressed for time to read once they got here (true).

Last night, he decided that because they're fussy at night (they are fussy nearly all of their waking hours -- it just annoys him more at night), so clearly they're overtired, and it's time to whip out some quotes from that book and start changing our behavior. ::facepalm:: I guess anything is worth a shot, but he's trying to troubleshoot their crying.

The girls are like 4.5 weeks adjusted. It's supposed to feel like a cluster.

caden · February 2013

My twins were 7 months old before I napped them in their cribs. Do what works for you.

macchiatto · February 2013

HSHHC worked well for our boys BUT there were a few exceptions. Like bedtime was between 8:30 and 9 until they were 8ish months old and dropped the third nap. We moved them to napping in cribs and putting them down drowsy but awake at 7.5w and it went really well but if it hadn't I would have been fine using swings or whatever longer. I would use the book as a guideline but yeah, just do what works for you and don't be afraid to make adjustments as needed.

MrsLnt · February 2013

That book stressed me out so badly because I was worried if I didn't do it "right" they would never learn to sleep.

I firmly believe in the principles of the book BUT a lot of the stuff about no motion sleep like swings is just not practical until after 45 months ADUSTED and they have gone through the 4 month wakeful period and aren't quite as newborn like. Sleep stuff was always based on adjusted age for us. Mine were about 3 weeks behind in sleep development until about 9 months old.

Just do what you have to do, be mindful of habits and what you are/aren't willing to break down the line and try not to stress too much. It was a hard lesson for me to learn but there is no magic book or answer that can get your baby sleeping if you do everything "right". It's part nature and part nurture.

MuseumMaven · February 2013

peakay:
dude. put down the book. do whatever works for you and your girls. you're doing great.

100 agree. My kids never did what the books said they would, anyway. I have been much happier since I stopped reading all the patenting books.

Ruthie04 · February 2013

Are you reading my mind?! We have a stellar bedtime routine. We out them down awake around 7:30 pm and they will usually sleep until 7 am. DS2 still needs a bottle around 4am sometimes. They take four naps/ day, which are anywhere from 30 to 90 minutes. All naps are in the RnPs. I was doing my best to make the big naps be in the cribs and was doing so for a month. They went down without any issues, but they would always wake and be inconsolable after 30 minutes. It was so difficult to get them to settle and I was exhausted at the end of the day. Two weeks ago, we all got sick and I was too exhausted and achy to bring them up and downstairs so they could nap in their cribs. When they woke up after 30 minutes, I was able to rock them back to sleep.
They are now taking wonderful naps. DH wants me to move them back to their cribs, but I don't want to! They are so much happier at the end of the day. And SO AM I. I'm sure I'm creating horrible habits, but I figure a happy mom and happy babies are also essential for good development :.

Jen0204 · February 2013

pea-kay:
dude. put down the book. do whatever works for you and your girls. you're doing great.

I agree.

I loved the book - the normal one, not the twins one - but the biggest things I took from it were how important sleep is and that if there are sleep issues the first thing to try is making bedtime earlier. 9:30-4:30 is a really good stretch for that age! I think mine were getting up 2 or 3 times a night still.

I would try to see if they'll take more at each feeding to help spread out the daytime feedings in order to be able to make the bedtime feeding earlier. We always let the, dictate how much they ate and slept during the day and did CIO around 8.5 months to help with some nighttime issues.

Good luck! And with 3 babies do whatever works for you guys and don't stress about not following guidelines because like you said, they aren't any for multiples!

Want a personalized experience?

HSHHT STRESS

Re: HSHHT STRESS

Choose Another Board

Search Boards