Help me get through the night please!

[ZuzuandZara]

Hi
I have 22 week old twins, 6 weeks prem, now weighing in at about 10lbs each.
About a month ago they were feeding at 7pm (bedtime) then waking at 1am and 4am and then waking at 7.30am. Could set my watch by it! Luckily very quick feeders, about 10 mins each and straight back to sleep.
More recent weeks they have been waking at 9 or 10 or 11pm for a feed, then 2 more feeds throughout the night, probably 3am and 5am ish. Basically all over the place. I know this may be a growth spurt, or because the weather is really hot they need more fluids?

Anything I can do to encourage them to go through the night? Or drop at least one feed?
Anything? ANYTHING? Am feeling like they are going to wake for night feeds forever!!

Any tips much appreciated.

Hi Zuzu, I feel your pain! I have DTs too - I know it won't help but mine did just the same thing, were reasonable sleepers but then it all went to pot for a while at about 5-6 months.

Until I realised DT 2 was mostly sleeping through at 7 months I made sure I fed both at the same time (ie when one woke I'd feed both) to try to minimise wakings, though I don't know if it helped much.

Mine now 9 months and we've actually had several nights (though not consecutive!) of sleeping through. It won't be forever.

I have one DT who woke more often - I used to just take him into bed with me to try to get more sleep.

Can you get a nap at all in the day?

You are doing an amazing job.

Hey Bosoms, thanks , and you are too!

I also wake one when the other wakes, but wonder sometimes how long they would go if I didn't wake them, and maybe I'm encouraging them to wake up when they could be going longer ifswim. Although it's not always the same one who wakes first.

To be honest I'm not that tired, life is so much easier than it was a couple of months ago when I could have fallen asleep walking down the road! I just want to sleep more than 3 hours at a time and wondered if there was anything I could do to encourage them to go longer. I now realise that I'm probably hoping for a non- existant miracle cure!

Thanks for the encouragement, I hope you get more nights of sleeping through.

BTW, my bosoms are also my the sea

I dont have twins but a tip i read that worked for me with my DS (now 18 weeks) if you are breastfeeding was to try and express some milk in the morning/ throughout the day (if you can find the time) and then give a big bottle of expressed milk just before you go to bed at 10/ 11pm. That way you know they have had enough milk that should see them through the night longer as opposed to breastfeeding when you do not know how much they have had and esp. in the evening when you are tired and your body may not be as efficient at producing as much milk. It worked for me and DS been sleeping through. It also means that as you have missed giving them a breastfeed at 10/11pm, you will have plenty of milk stored up for when they next wake up and can then give them anoth big feed so they will have another long sleep.

Good luck!

Thanks Monkey.

When the girls were in hospital I was expressing to take milk in the them and it was pouring out of me for weeks.

Recently I had an afternoon out and left the girls with DH, tried to express beforehand and literally couldn't get 10ml. I could try different times of day and see if it works better. I see what you mean though, if I could pump them full of before bed they might go through, or at least longer. Finding the time is also an issue though!

Hi you sound like your doing an amazing job, well done! You say they are quick feeders...are they falling asleep after ten minutes or just coming off the breast? If they are sleeping its best if you try to wake them and encourage them to feed for longer. I've read that the initial milk is full of hormones that make dc's sleepy (oxytocin?). They fall asleep but are not really full so they will waken looking for more food. Not sure if this will help. In my experience the best time to express is in the morning immediately after you have finished the first feed of the day. Try having a warm shower before and let the water spray on to your breasts. Also massage your breasts beforehand too.

Thanks harvenina. No they actually finish feeding after 10 mins, I've always thought how lucky we are having quick feeders since there's two!
Will try to expess again but the issue is time - or lack of it!

Having just posted this problem, we had a great night!
Girls went down at 7, woke at 11 and 3.30 so not bad at all, then awake at 7.
Maybe they know it's mummys birthday

Oh happy Birthday! Hope the better routine continues!

Thank you, have had a lovely day and so far so good this evening!

How's it going Zuzu?

Hope you had a good night. We had a breakthrough last night; both boys down at 9pm awake in their cots, post- feed and teeth brushed and they WENT TO SLEEP!!

DT2 slept till 7am, but DT1 came in with us at 4.30am, fed at 6.30am. A great night. I feel almost human!

Oh well done you [envious]

Not bad last night, one woke for an early feed at 10 ish but then back to 1.30am and 4am, then awake at 7 - only stayed awake for 15 mins then back to sleep till 9!

I'm also feeling fairly human! Still trying to catch up on sleep from my birthday celebrations on saturday night when I only got 3.5 hours sleep

Hope it continues for you!

try again

Sounds like you're making progress! I hope you went back to bed too (gosh, I can't believe I used to rush round trying to get everything done instead of thinking s*d it all - I need some zzzzzzzz's!)Bad luck on the Birthday night - mine definitely seem to sleep worst when it is most important that I get a good night's sleep. How do they know?

Definately went back to sleep, I have no problems getting back to sleep.

The birthday night lack of sleep was my fault, not theirs Stayed at a friends house for a party!

How are things, Zuzu?

Hi
Good and not so good nights, none bad thank goodness!
M seems to be waking for an extra feed most evenings (although not this evening so far). I think she may be having a growth spurt, she put on 14oz last weigh day, really looking forward to see what she weighs tomorrow.
A is sticking to the 1am and 4am feeds mainly. She woke at about 8.30 this morning, M didn't wake until 9.30! Really, I have nothing to moan about!
Thanks for asking.
Sorry to read about your dilemma on your other thread, hope things are going ok?

Gald to hear it is improving for you! Wow, what a great weight gain! My DT2 only ever put on 3 or 4 oz a week - I was so worried about him - he's a 19lb porker now he's eating food though .

I'm doing fine, thanks - feels better now we've made the decision. The DTS were pretty cross today that their morning feed was only 4 minutes, and DT1 threw the cup of milk away as though I was trying to poison him - but we'll get there.

Good luck with the weights today! Look forward to hearing how she's doing. Are they B/G, or both girls?

She did wake for an extra feed last night after all, and the proof is in the pudding, she put on 1lb 2oz at weigh in today (over 2 weeks). A put on 8 oz. They are coming on in leaps and bounds, A rolled over today and she's now putting things in her mouth. Weaning in a couple of weeks, will have a couple of porkers myself in no time! Two girls btw.

There was a new mum at the breast feeding group I go to today, with 11 week old 5lb-ers, makes me realise what a long way we've come.

I'm glad things are a little easier for you now. I'm enjoying bf so much, I can only imagine how hard it must be for you to be 'forced' to stop. Hope you don't get too much more milk thrown around!

Keep wondering what sea you are near, if your nickname is 'real'? We are right on the south coast, lovely walk along the beach today

Hope you have a good night.

What great weight gains! And yes, it's amazing to look back and see how far you've come, isn't it?

We are in the far West of Cornwall - nearly as far west as you can go without falling off the end. Yes, my bosoms (and the rest of me) are by the sea (well we can see it from the house!). When I was thinking of a name it was almost constant feeding - I just felt like a giant pair of bosoms at the time!

I am sad to be giving it up - would definitely be an extended feeder if it was fully my choice, but I am pleased we did so well and hopefully we can do it without too much distress to all of us. Must dash as both DTs are asleep and I am going to grab my chance for a bath and an early night!

Oh, lucky you. What a beautiful part of the country to be in.

Hope you enjoyed your soak and sleep