Twin Parenting and Night Waking

Twin Parenting and Night Waking

by Brandi Ellerbrock
(Joliet, IL, USA)

Delilah, Kaylee and I (Brandi)

My twin girls are now 10 months and still waking up in the middle of the night. It is killing me, not literally, but with them being more active it's drowning the energy out of me. The problem is I am a single parent and we all sleep in one room. I can always sleep on the couch if needed. I really just want all of us to sleep at night!! Please help!

*****************************************************

What a beautiful family you have ! It's hard to be a mommy when you're sleep deprived. I don't think I have enough information to tell you what would help. Are you co-sleeping in the same bed? Are you nursing them? Are they waking because they are hungry? Are they waking at the same time - or is one waking up the other? Are they in the same bed or separate cribs?

Some things that can help are routines, music played to soothe them back to sleep, swaddling them if they are flailing their arms and legs and disturbing the other, again - I'd need a little more information - please email through my contact page and I'll do my best ! Other readers may have some ideas for you as well!

Beautiful babies - thanks so much for writing !
Kim

Comments for
Twin Parenting and Night Waking

Average Rating

Click here to add your own comments

Sep 21, 2008
Rating

Beautiful Family
by: Angelice

Hi Brandi,

You have a beautiful family and I can't even imagine managing my boys alone. But I do know that having structure and schedule in place makes everyone a happy camper, especially YOU!

Susan is right about the bedtime routine. It is hard the first day, not as hard the next and even easier by the third or fourth day. I had a singleton after my boys and she had me trained like you and one day I realized how 'backwards' I was doing things.

Have you reached out to any of your local mothers of twins clubs? It may be a little intimidating that most of the moms are in relationships, but not all and besides they can still help you with the management of the babies and possibly simplifying something you didn't know you could.

Best of luck and feel free to contact me if you need anything at all.

Angelice
mom to jack & nick...and sarah

Gemini Greetings
Specialty cards for twins & triplets and those who love them.

Sep 21, 2008
Rating

Getting Sleep
by: Susan M. Heim

Hi Brandi,
I think it's time for a little tough love. They've got you trained very well! Sleep on the couch until you get them sleeping through the night. Start to lengthen your response time when they wake up at night. You're going to have to put up with some crying for a while until they figure out that you're not going to come running to get them. At 10 months, they do not need to be fed at night. Don't worry about them waking each other up when they cry. Gradually increase the time you let them cry. A few days/weeks of letting them cry it out will get them sleeping through the night. It's tough, but it works! Ten months without sleep is too tough on you, especially as a single parent. Remind yourself you'll be a much more patient mother once you get some good sleep at night.
Good luck!
Susan M. Heim
www.twinstalk.com

Click here to add your own comments

Join in and write your own page! It's easy to do. How?
Simply click here to return to Questions about Twins