here's the interview with the mothre of the Claire Verity twins:
Had someone told me a year ago that my nine-week-old twins would sleep their way through a house party that went on until 4am, I would have laughed in their face. But thanks to the Fifties Truby King regime, my children rarely cry and were settled into a regular feeding pattern from day one.
I never imagined the life I have would be possible: the twins have slept through the night from 7pm to 7am for months, and I am always relaxed.
When I fell pregnant, I believed my life would come to a standstill. Every other mother I knew had had months of waking up every two hours in the night to screaming babies, and hardly ever having a moment to themselves.
I like routine, and although I wasn't going back to work immediately, I wanted some structure in my home life. When the Truby King method was suggested, Colin and I jumped at the chance. The theory behind it is that babies don't need cuddles or hugs.
Sir Frederic Truby King was a surgeon who practised in Scotland in the early 1900s and devoted himself to childhood welfare. His book Feeding And Care Of Babies was published in 1907, and by the Fifties was the definitive baby manual in Britain.
He believed a baby's first few months are about development - eating, sleeping and growing. Every four hours baby is fed. He should have his own room from day one, and between feeds be left to sleep alone. If he cries, his parents must leave him.
It sounded harsh, but particularly with twins, Colin and I needed time for ourselves, and we wanted the babies to be sleeping through the night as early as possible.
Initially, when we told our family and friends what we planned, there were cries of outrage. Our parents accused us of being selfish, but we stuck to our guns. And when Sam and Maya finally arrived - after an agonising 18-hour labour and emergency Caesarean - I couldn't wait to get started.
Unfortunately, the day after the twins were born I collapsed with internal bleeding. After eight days in hospital I was dreadfully weak.
The first night home with the twins - before our Truby King mentor Claire Verity arrived - proved how vital the method was. It was chaos! I put the babies to bed at 9pm, but they woke at midnight and cried all night. I was stressed, the babies were stressed - but Claire changed everything.
She insisted we implemented four-hour feeds and ensured the twins had one hour of fresh air, a bath and 30 minutes of play every day.
I was sceptical, but that night the babies slept without interruption.
It meant the babies were settled from the start. Because we bottlefed them, Colin was able to share the routine. I went to bed at 9pm, Colin then did the 11pm feed and I woke at 3am to do that feed. I felt relaxed and hardly even tired.
The only time I disagreed with Claire was when she insisted on putting the babies outside for their hour of fresh air.
They were ten days old, it was a freezing November day and when she stuck them outside in their prams - albeit wrapped up in coats and hats - I burst into tears.
But they fell asleep immediately and when they came back inside they had such a healthy glow and were so ravenous for their next feed that I could no longer object.
On occasion, I did wonder if I should play with my children more, but whenever I tried to take them out of their cots in the hour before bathtime, they'd kick and struggle.
They quite obviously just wanted - like the Truby King method says - to eat, sleep and grow, with as few interruptions as possible.
Now they're older, they love to be cuddled and played with.
Many parents may balk at our strict methods, but how many can say they loved the first three months' of their child's life? Ours was utterly stress-free.
Now friends who initially disapproved of our decision, and who are now expecting children of their own, are clamouring to follow our lead.
here