Help!! I have twin boys with Day/Night confusion!!!

[MBG]

Help!! I have twin boys that are a few days shy of 1 month old. They seem to have their days and nights mixed up. They sleep so peacefully during the day, but all he## breaks loose come evening time. They will not sleep unless i am holding them....well as you can imagine, i can only hold and soothe one baby at a time, so the other is going bannas until it is his turn. We go back and forth like this all night long! I am unable to get any sleep!!! The mornings can not come soon enough..it is like a magic switch....as soon as the day breaks, the boys will go to sleep after their early morning meal!

They eat about every 2 hours (high calorie formula for premies) during the day and the night...I have tried to stretch their night feeds out to 3 hours but they automatically wake up every 2 hours ready to eat immediately!!

Any advice is welcome and greatly appreciated!!

[kholtan]

A few quick ideas for ya to try! First, if you are a "Babywise" mommy, there is an entire chapter dedicated to this problem. My twins didn't really get this but I used some of the tips to get them sleeping longer in teh beginning.

I know all of this is easier said than done but just put in your best effort!
Try, try, try, to make the day as exciting and fun as you can for this age w/o being overstimulating. Try to keep them up and do the feed, play, nap routine. If they can make it to 3 hours for feeds that will also help a ton!
I think the most important part is at night though. Keep it as dark as you can. Do not talk to the babies at all and keep it boring! No TV noise, no play. . . nothing! Also, if you do not want to have to hold them, simply put them down to sleep. I know it sounds so easy but if they get all this great comfort from you at night then they will keep coming back for more. It sounds very military to say but my theory was "Who's training who here!" I just always tried to keep in mind that I knew what was best for them and I was trying to establish that. Anyone would want to be cuddled all night, even me, but I wouldn't sleep as well and I surely wouldn't learn to soothe myself that way. So, if you have to, set a timer and try letting them cry for 5 minutes, then comfort them with a pat and a shhhhh, then go for 10 minutes.
If night is boring and quiet and dark then what's to stay up for? If the day is food, fun, lights, colors, mommies voice and cuddles. . . .WHOOHOO!

Good luck and keep us posted! I hope any of this helps at all.
Kimberly

[rebeccaj]

poor you but hang in there it does get easier. i have 4 month twin girls and at the begining couldn't feed them at the same time as they were just too small and needed help with the latch (BFing) and so went through a similar thing where i had to leave one crying while i guiltily fed the other. a couple of things whivh may help... have you tried increasing the amount of formula you give at night at each feed? this may help them sleep a bit longer.....have you tried feeding them together? i know its hard with bottles but the EZ2 cushion used upside down makes it easier (and dad can do it too). mine tend to fall asleep on the cushion afterwards which means that you can put your head back and shut your eyes for a few moments too (is no alternative but its something). as for the day/night confusion i can't really help but as i say it will get easier - can you get any sleep in duringthe day? good luck and enjoy them as they grow so quickly !

[rebeccaj]

poor you but hang in there it does get easier. i have 4 month twin girls and at the begining couldn't feed them at the same time as they were just too small and needed help with the latch (BFing) and so went through a similar thing where i had to leave one crying while i guiltily fed the other. a couple of things whivh may help... have you tried increasing the amount of formula you give at night at each feed? this may help them sleep a bit longer.....have you tried feeding them together? i know its hard with bottles but the EZ2 cushion used upside down makes it easier (and dad can do it too). mine tend to fall asleep on the cushion afterwards which means that you can put your head back and shut your eyes for a few moments too (is no alternative but its something). as for the day/night confusion i can't really help but as i say it will get easier, especially when they get to a stage where they can be entertained in the day - can you get any sleep in duringthe day? good luck and enjoy them as they grow so quickly !

[MBG]

kimberly and rebecca: Thanks so much for your words of advice. last night was a pretty good night. I inncreased their formula a little before bed and followed some of your other tips. Yhe boys slept for about 2 1/2 hours imbetween feedings....this is much better than the non-stop crying imbetween feedings!! I know this is going to be a process and we will have our good days and our not so good days!

I love my boys soooo much...I just want to be able to enjoy them without feeling like my head is going to nodd off my body from being so tired!!

Thanks again!

Marybeth