Double meltdowns

ballygirl · December 2013

How do you all handle it when both babies are crying? My girls are 9 weeks and in the evenings they have a lot of these double meltdowns. Sometimes they are tired and fighting sleep, other times I have no idea what is wrong. I get so frantic when it happens, they seem inconsolable and I can only attend to one at a time. Any tips you can think of to soothe two at once?

TheDairyQueenx3 · December 2013

Mine are only 4 weeks so still in the sleepy newborn stage but this has happened a few times usually around 8 pm. Right now I will turn on the tv for my 4 year old so he is calm then I will tend to the more fussy twin first. The calmer baby I will put in the mamaroo and let him fuss. He will survive lol and the next time the other will get my attention first. I will take the other baby into our room ( I can see the other baby from our room) calm him, change his diaper, rock him, ect then once he's calmed I will grab the next and do the same. Otherwise I will just sit down and tandem nurse and all is good in their worlds again. If they are particularly fussy I will swaddle them up nice and snug, give gripe water a try and sit in the rocking chair with them until they calm down. I just stay calm and don't stress

they can pick up on emotions so usually if I'm calm they will soon be too. It's hard to handle two crying at one time but I just pray those moments are short lived and they will be asleep quickly.

earlyspring1 · December 2013

There's a great video on youtube that gives a tutorial on putting twins into a moby wrap. That video saved my life in those early days. When they were both losing their minds I would wrap them in there and they'd go right to sleep. I couldn't really get much done wearing both but it was an amazing tool to calm them both at once when I was by myself.

SWA80 · December 2013

The double meltdowns are the absolute worst. I find myself jumping back and forth and not really managing to sooth either.

ballygirl · December 2013

SWA80 said:
The double meltdowns are the absolute worst. I find myself jumping back and forth and not really managing to sooth either.

This is how I feel too. Depending on my level of sleep deprivation I am not always able to stay calm and sometimes end up in tears myself. I'm sure they pick up on my frustration which doesn't help.

PurpleIris30 · December 2013

My girls are 8.5 weeks (although born at 32 weeks), so I just wanted to send a note of empathy. I don't have solutions but I feel your pain.

LottaLattes · December 2013

Just do the best you can, you're doing fine. Practice holding both on your lap while you sit on the floor or something equivalent or bouncy seat one while you hold the other. Also sometimes a drive helped calm everyone down, worth the hassle of getting out the door.

Hang in there, you're halfway through the very hardest part!

raraavis28 · December 2013

Oh the double meltdowns were the worst! Sometimes mine would only be consoled if I walked them both at the same time (really builds up one's upper body strength! :-P) Swings were sometimes a help, as was wearing one in the Moby and holding the other and walking. Also, like PP mentioned, they sometimes wanted to cluster feed in the evening, so I'd add an extra nursing session.

Hang in there....this stage is hard, but you will get through it!

SWA80 · December 2013

I'm just a few weeks ahead of you and it is already happening less often for us if that is any consolation.

ceechie · December 2013

I just try to take a deep breath. I put the "easier" twin, even though she's crying, in the swing. Then grab up the other girl and take her into another room and focus on calming her and usually either feeding or getting to sleep. Once I get that one down and calm, I go back and focus on the one in the swing. It sucks that one will have to cry a little longer, but I think they feed on the stress energy. And usually it's only 10 minutes the baby in the swing has to wait.

sterling1987 · December 2013

Ahh I feel your pain! My girls are 7 weeks and this seems to happen daily! I end up putting them both on my chest and rocking/ humming to both of them. They fuss for a minute or two but do calm down. I think they find it comforting to be smushed with their twin. It was tough figuring out how to scoop them both into my lap ( definitely not graceful but I manage) good luck!!

ballygirl · December 2013

Thanks for the encouragement. This has been such a tough week with them. They seem to cry so much more than they did a couple weeks ago and often for no obvious reason. I hope this is just a passing phase!

SWA80 · December 2013

Were they a couple of weeks early? It could be a developmental leap (check out the Wonder Weeks app), they are supposed to have one around then. Mine had a rough patch about that point and then got much better. Hope it is the same for you.

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