5do's sleeping all day, feeding all night. should i/how can i reverse this pattern?

[MamaChris]

I have 5do twins. They sleep all day, with a few 20min - 1 hour feeds. They feed almost constantly for hours overnight (last night, from 12am - 8am). People say sleep when they sleep, but that doesn't work if you've got a toddler too!

My milk appears to be in, lots of good swallowing. I have tried (only gently) to wake them and persuade them to feed more in the day, but failed. Is it worth trying harder - ie if I get more milk in during the day will they sleep more at night? Or should I just leave them to try and sort out their own pattern? I am really struggling myself without sleep.

Firstly congratulations.

I have a 3week old who in the first week sounded just like your twins. I just went with the flow (have a 18month old too) and slowly he is getting himself into a routine of cluster feeding all evening and sleeping slightly longer stretches at night.

It's still not ideal, what with a toddler to run around after too, but we're on the right track so it might be worth waiting it out if you feel able.

Nothing wrong with waking them every 2/3 hours during the day to see if they'll feed or not though.

Write down the times you want to try feed them so you don't forget then 10mins before you can set your toddler up with drink/snack/book/cbeebies giving you chance to feed.

Double Congratulations on your twins and good for you for breastfeeding them.

I think if you can get more milk in them during the day then they will, I guess, sleep better at night. Not really sure how you go about that though as you've said you've tried to rouse them.

here is an article I found about how to teach newborns the difference between night and day.

You must be shattered, but on the plus side- your supply will be fantastic.

Good luck.

Congratulations! At 5 days old there isn't much you can do I think except go with the flow.... Do try and let them get as much sunlight on their skin as possible - when they are sleeping put their carrycots in the window with their faces well exposed and take them outside as much as possible. Daylight triggers the hormone that regulates our body clocks and it does help establish the day / night pattern. With all 3 of my DCs I found that during the first week / 10 days they were very sleepy and docile.... They then seemed to suddenly 'wake up', hard to describe it but it was a noticable change even though they still did a lot of daytime sleeping. So maybe in another week or so start trying a little harder to wake and feed regularly during the day (if they haven't woken 3 hrs from the last feed then see if you can wake and feed them), as you might find you have a bit more success with doing this in a week or so.

Thanks. So we will all try and get more daylight .

Last night a bit better. Awful till 2am, but then they both slept 2.30-4.30 and 6.30-9.00. Feel like a new woman :)

Second Nelly's advice. Remember they are only a few days old and takes a while for day/night patterns to establish. My DS did the same but after about a week was in more of day/night mode - though still up alot at night feeding.

Completely normal too. They feed alot at night as that is when hormone levels are high and helps build milk supply - that's one reason apparently.

Honest it gets better! Though I admire your resiliance with twins and a toddler!

Good luck!