Babywise/twins question

[hhb]

Hi Ladies -

My twins are almost 12 weeks old (7.5 weeks adjusted age). I read the Babywise book and have been following alot of it, mostly the eat/awaketime/nap part. We give them their last feeding around 8-8:30 pm and they've been getting up around 1:00-1:30ish and again around 4:30-5:00ish. Then they get up for the day around 8:00. They kind of created that schedule for the last 5-6 weeks and we've been sticking to it, with eating every three hours in between. However, last night they slept until 3:00! Yahoo - but I'm nervous about trying to keep their schedule!

My question is, for those of you who are babywising, did you REALLY hold them off until they're supposed to get up every morning? Was it hell? My son woke up around 6:15, which was 2 hours after the night feeding, which was fine, but almost 2 hours before they have been getting up. We actually successfully got him to go back to sleep (had to wake up my daughter to give her reflux med 30 minutes before she eats, and she actually fell back to sleep also). But I'm afraid that it won't be this easy usually. I'm not expecting them to keep the long sleep every night, as I'm sure they'll go back and forth for a while (I'm telling myself it's a fluke and not to get TOO excited!). I've love our schedule because it allows me to get my older son off the bus at 3:45 (not a feeding time) and also to keep that 8:00ish bedtime bottle.

Now that they've basically skipped a bottle, will they be eating every 2.5 hours to catch up, or should I start increasing their ounces? I know the book says not to until they're sleeping constistently for 9-10 hours, but their gastro dr. said it was fine to start increasing their intake in each bottle and slowly get them on a 4 hour schedule during the day. Anyone do that before sleeping 9-10 hours?

Thanks in advance-
Heidi

[kholtan]

Hey Heidi!

Sounds like things are getting much better for you! HURRAY! We have had to throw the schedule ou the window over the last month due to Bodie getting an ear infection that left a string of trouble but I still say to do what works for you no matter what!

Right now Annelise sleeps 12 hours straight and Bodie still gets up once or twice a night. Thank goodness I quit waking them both up or I would be needlessly waking a baby that could sleep through the night. Not a babywise move but it worked for me.

As for the feeds, I have no idea what my babies get since they are b-fed but I have increased their one bottle of formula at night and it has really helped them sleep longer. I have had to increase the little fellas amount of feeds because of his upset tummy and then I end up doing it for Anna as well during the day. So now mine feed every 2-3 hours still during the day. Follow your gut and make the babywise work for you and your little ones.

Hope all is well!
Take care and I hope this is of any help at all!
Kimberly

[hhb]

Hi Kimberly -

I'm so sorry to hear about your little boy's issues with the meds (I saw another post you wrote). Is he finally feeling better? I think I had talked to you on the phone right after he was diagnosed with the ear infection. Poor little thing. That's great, though, that she's sleeping through the night. When did that start for you?

We had just that one long stretch of 7 hours a few nights ago and now we're back to waking around 1:000-1:30 and again around 4:30-5:00. I know it will happen soon, I hope anyways. Getting up just once would be better than twice, even if sleeping all the way through doesn't happen soon. They're only 12 weeks today but 7.5 adjusted, so I know we've got a ways to go.

The hardest thing now is during the day. I'm really trying to stick with the eat/wake/sleep pattern, but it takes so much longer for Camden to fall asleep than Brooke, that I end up waking him when she wakes up because it's time to eat again. And after their 5:00ish bottle there is no pattern being followed because that's when they get crazy. It actually doesn't start until around 6:30 and lasts until 8:00, although yesterday they fell asleep during my very short 20 minute walk when I got Noah off the bus and they thought that was their nap. They played on the mat for a little bit and then all hell broke loose and they were still over an hour away from eating. I ended up feeding them early but that time of the afternoon is very unpredictable still. I feel like I can't take them anywhere because if we leave right after they've eaten they fall asleep in the car and don't get that play time. Oh, what's a mother to do!?!

Is it getting easier for you??? That's what everyone keeps telling me so I'm holding out hope!

Take care-
Heidi