Rocking 16 months old twins to sleep. Please help. Back breaking...

[MumtoTwinGirls]

Hi. We really need some advice about gettings our twins to sleep. One of them has always been cuddled / rocked to sleep. She sleeps fairly well. Through the night a couple of times a week. The other one had a dummy which we took away when she was 11 months only to replace it with rocking! We didn't think that one through! She wakes at least 2-3 times in the night and only settles when she's cuddling me in bed and even then wriggles all night and looks for me every now and then. We don't know where to begin getting them to sleep on their own. They cry when we put them in their cots unless it is to play. Even then they cry to come out within 5 minutes. (They share a room) Having them in our bed when they wake in the night isn't too bad but we really need to be able to get them to sleep in their room in their cots. I'm a soft touch and I don't want to traumatise them. They hate me leaving the room during the day let alone at night! Any advice would be great!

[thisisyesterday]

would they like sleeping together in a bed do you think?

[fishie]

bouncy chairs! ds was rocked to sleep in one from 9-18m.

by the time he was about 18m i decided he was old enough to realise that he had to take some part in his own sleeping. i used to sit in chair with book, drink and snacks until he fell asleep.

the rule was once he was in bed he couldn't get out and i would stay until he was asleep, the reasoning being that if he wasn't going to sleep then i needn't be there. i only had to leave the room (ie induce screams) a couple of times, he got the hang very quickly. it was a bit of a long sit in the chair, hence refreshments. these days he is 3 and it all takes about half an hour, bath story etc.

otherwise if you can bear it you wouldn't be leaving them on their own in a room, they'd have each other.

[MumtoTwinGirls]

Hi

I don't think sleeping in one bed would work as one is a wriggler and would disturb her sister all night. Fishie I was thinking of doing something similar to you but I'm worried they'll scream so much neither of them will fall asleep! How long is it ok to leave them screaming in their cots? It feels so horrible but I really think they need the sleep as well as me!

Hoochie Virgin Momma do you put one in the room get them to sleep then put the other in? Do they wake each other up in the night? Often one of them is woken by the other one's cries / moans so we end up rushing into the bedroom quicker than we want.

Sorry for all the question but thinking of maker a firmer bedroom routine from tonight and possibly biting the bullet in the next couple of days as husband is off work for a week. Poor thing!

Thanks

[nappyaddict]

Nightlight that fades out gradually over time?

Do they have a comfort toy that they take to bed with them?

Do they have cows milk or are they breast fed?

Have you tried leaving a beaker or bottle of juice or water in their cots for when they wake up?

[mananny]

I nanny for twins, they are now 3, but when they were about 16 months they went through a stage of being hellish to get to bed. What we found worked (after about a week of unsettledness/crying) was to have a solid bedtime routine of bath, stories and milk, hugs, then bed. We put a low light on in the room so it wasn't pitch black and they could see each other. We would put them down awake but sleepy and then they would natter and hum until they dropped off. They got used to the comfort of seeing each other and they still share a room and chat until they fall asleep. It's so funny to listen to them, and they now sleep amazingly well and it only takes them 30 minutes or less to fall asleep. I am a big softie too, and think that twins in particular might need the comfort and presence of their other half, so to speak, especially at night time as it can be lonely in the dark. Maybe if you can get your dts used to each others noises and presence and have them be comforted by that, it at least releases you to enjoy the few precious hours of freedom you have before bedtime yourself!

[MatNanPlusTINSEL]

I would consider letting them nap together in the day and see how it goes, you might find that the wriggler is less so with her sister close by.

This worked with twins i carried for - they slept together from 6 weeks old when they were together again after seperate releases from SCBU, they eventually outgrew their coach pram and didn't sleep so well for naps in new pushchair but always slept well together at home.

At 7 months due to a wakeful twin they were seperated and it didn't go well, both babies were very wakeful and when put back together they soon settled again thru the night.

[MumtoTwinGirls]

Hi
I managed to get one of the girls to sleep to in her cot last night! It took 45 minutes but it worked. She slept from 8.45-3.30am then was crying for me. I eventually took her into bed but I'm just amazed she did it. Now I have the dilemma of whether to keep going or to try both together tonight. I thought I'd try with her first as she is usually easier to get to bed. Any thoughts on whether I should give up our office/spare room and separate them or try both together tonight? I'm sure there will be crying involved and I managed to get one of them to sleep with no hysterics so I don't know if I want to let them both get upset now?! That said it was a one off so I don't know if she'd do it again.