I'm really just trying to figure out the whole sleep thing with the babies. On Monday night I nursed the babies then put them down at 7:20. Will woke up at 7:50. I decided that I wasn't going to get him out of bed. I put the pacifier back in (repeatedly) and he finally went back to sleep at 9:20. This was not a quiet hour and a half. He cried/screamed for most of that time. I repeatedly went in and rubbed his back, put the pacifier back in, etc. But I knew if I picked him up he'd be awake until 10:30.
He woke up at 1:00 and I nursed him back to sleep. I didn't wake Ellie up then (I usually wake her up when he wakes up because I'm afraid she's going to want to nurse right when I go back to bed) because I figured Will would be up at 3:00 and I'd nurse her then. Well Will didn't wake up until 6:00. I didn't wake Ellie up then either because I figured at this point she'd wake up whenever she was hungry. I put Will back down at 6:30 and Ellie woke up at 7:40! She slept from 7:20pm - 7:40am!! Will woke up at 9:30.
Last night I nursed them and put them to bed at 7:54. Will woke up at 8:00 and cried/fussed until 8:44. I did the same thing as the night before. I went in and just kept replacing the pacifier and rubbing his back. The amazing thing is Ellie doesn't wake up during this whole time. (It works the same way with Will. He doesn't usually wake up during her screaming. He will wake up right when she stops crying and falls asleep but that's another story) Will woke up at 11:20 but I just replaced the pacifier (3 times) and he went back to sleep. He didn't wake up again until 5:20. Ellie woke up with him at that time so I nursed them both. Then I put them back to bed and they slept until (Will) 7:30 and (Ellie) 8:20.
Tonight I nursed them and put them down at 7:30. Ellie was awake and Will was asleep. She fussed/cried until 8:00. Right when she fell asleep Will woke up. He cried/fussed until 8:40. I just replaced pacifiers and rubbed backs until they fell asleep. Let's hope tonight goes well.
**Naptimes**
During the day on Tuesday neither one napped very well. They took three naps each and only one of those was for even an hour. I was reading "Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child" It said "We consider a sleep period to be a restorative nap if it is about an hour or longer. Forty to forty-five minutes is sometimes enough, but most babies in this age range sleep at least a sold hour. Certainly sleep periods shorter than thrity minutes should not count as naps." I knew they weren't sleeping long enough because they wake up so cranky sometimes. So I'm now (as of today) putting them down for a nap and not going in to get them for an hour. Even if they wake up before that.
Today Ellie took two naps that were both 2 hours. She woke up during each nap after about 30 minutes but I didn't go get her and she fell back asleep both times. Will on the other hand went down for three naps. The first time he slept for 40 minutes and then just talked to himself for another 30 minutes. Totally happy to be in his crib. The second nap, he slept for 30 minutes and cried for the other 30. I went in and replaced the pacifier and rubbed his back during the second half but I didn't get him up. The third nap he slept for two hours.
I know Crying It Out is really controversal. I'm not a huge fan of it. I got to the point where I have tried everything to get them to sleep better and nothing worked. I don't just leave them in there to cry by themselves. I go in and comfort them. I let them know I am there for them but I won't pick them up. It's so hard to try to deal with all three of them at bedtimes and I just pray that this is the key. They know I love them and I will take care of them. They need to sleep. Everyone is happier when they do. The world is a better place when they get enough sleep.
3 comments:
It brings me back when I read your posts. And mine were SOOO the same - Isabel slept great and Adam was the trouble maker.
I know it is controversial, but I too am a cry it out Mom, especially with the twins. Sometimes its the only way you can function. With one baby you can wait until they sleep through the night and take good naps on their own. But with two babies, you have to teach them ASAP. That is how I justified it.
In the end, cry it out helped mine sleep through the night consistently by 6 months old, and they took two, two hour naps a day. It never failed and it was heaven.
You'll get there eventually!a
CRY it out is great and gives you the peace of mind too later on. It will all work out girl soon they will learn the pattern. You are doing a great job girl. If I can get 6 2 years to take a 3 hour nap a day you can get them too with practice. I just love the pictures of Will eating he is a cutie pie.
you're doing awesome! it's hard enough with one, so i can't imagine how it is with two. my husband gets cranky enough with one interrupter. he may have to be committed if the next baby that comes along brings a friend with, which is likely since twins run in the fam.
anyway, keep it up! it's hard now but a week can make a big difference.
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