Twins and sleeping

[kristatwin]

I have 20 month twins, who until recently use to be put to bed quite peacefully, not any more, they are screaming and crying in there cots until i go in, and become hysterical if i dont go in to see them.

I have tried cutting down on there sleep in the day as think they were having to much and putting them to bed a hour later but nothing has changed, wondering what other mums at this age were doing, ie how much sleep in day and what time going to bed.

Sorry I can't help you but I give you a bundle of support, strength and a large gin and tonic...

Sounds good to me !!

do it the other way - put them to bed earlier (they may be getting overtired). And I had to go through a phase with mine where I just sat down quietly in the room after I put them down - and every time they moved or made a sound said quietly "time to go to sleep" - and slowly move out of the room - however long it takes. The first night it maybe took up to an hour - but after max of a week I probably didn't need to do it at all.

That is assuming they are in the same room. If not then just stay in the hall within earshot of both.

Hi throckenholt they are still in cots at the moment, they are sleeping 11.30 till 12.30, and then putting them to bed about 7ish, but they still seem to be wide awake at 9.00 some nights, should i try this even if still in cots.

yep - better in cots because they can't get out - much harder when they are in beds .

Mine would have been overtired if they had only had a nap of an hour at lunch (is that what you meant ?).

Mine are 6 now and still struggle to get to sleep when they are overtired (often coming down whining about not being able to get to sleep).

I guess maybe lighter evenings aren't helping you either - but the only thing that worked for me was the sitting and quietly saying go to sleep or time for sleep. No more conversation than that - no other interaction. It is mindnumbingly boring and every time you try and creep out they jump up again to begin with - but it really did work after a few days.

thanks, will try that tommorow as running really late tonight, will let u know how i get on !!

I would try and drag their 11-12pm sleep through to after lunch so that they get up at 7 - have a busy morning and then eat their lunch - then have a sleep of up to 2 hours from 12.30-2.30 then no sleep until 7pm - make sure you have a quiet down time after tea with bath, stories and milk then upto bed at 7.

my twins are 14 months old and have at least 2 hours sleep at lunchtime and go to bed beautifully at 6.45 every evening until 8 am. I swear by Gina Ford - the routines are easy to follow and work for me. I agree with Twims, I think that you should ry a longer nap at lunch time
Good luck x

Mine are 22 months, still in cots and aside from teething keeping them awake, their daily routine is roughly this:
Wake at 6:30, play in cots until 7 when we all get up
Nap after lunch 12:30 - 2:30
Start bed-time routine for them and dd1 at 6:30, quiet time, pyjamas on, story etc.
Bed at 7-7:15.

Like others have said, I find if they don't have enough sleep in the day they are nightmares to put down at night.

Thanks everyone, i will try a longer nap today, even though yesterday thay napped from 11.30 until 1, then put to bed at 7ish they eventually went down at about 08.30, no crying though they were both quite content in cot just playing, i have always done the same routine tea bath milk bed, so there routine has not changed.

Definitely try the later nap, lunch at 11-11:30 then straight for a nap. Then you don't have to worry when they wake and hopefully they'll go til 7 a bit easier

They might just be in one of those phases when they#'re not growing much and so don't need as much sleep. It'll change next week!!