20 old twin girls who still don't sleep through the night..... Any advice....HELP!

[Nat2508]

Hi,

I have identical twin girls who are almost 20 months old and they still rarely sleep for the whole night. I'm completely exhausted. Until recently, they were only waking once or twice a night which was bearable but not ideal. However, for the last few weeks, they have both been waking every few hours (each at different times)which means almost zero sleep for me. AND....they have now both started screaming incessantly until you comfort them. They seem to have lost the ability to settle themselves. I try to keep them in their room to minimise disruption but sometimes the screaming is so bad, I have to take them into our spare room in case they awake the other one.

L is a better sleeper than A, and before would generally sleep through. A, (even before the current sleeping craziness)would awake around 4.30/5am and it would take up to 30 mins to get her back to sleep.
They still have a lunchtime nap for approx 1 1/2hrs from 12noon until 1.30 where they sleep in their beds and fall asleep on their own. They have their tea at 5-ish, a bath @ 6-ish and are settled for bed @ 7pm.

I always put them to bed at night as my partner doesn't get home until 7 ish and am the one to go to them at night as A in particular refuses to let her dad comfort her. I really don't know what to do. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Oooh and Merry Christmas

Xx

Keep them in separate rooms at night and if one wakes and cries, let them cry. If my daughter cries at night I wait and she stops after a few mind and sleeps. She doesn't wake at Ning much. Maybe once a week if that.

It must be really hard having two children who are twenty months old who don't sleep well. I think it makes sense putting one twin in the spare room so that one twin doesn't disturb the other.

Your routine sounds pretty sensible with the bath and setting them for bed at 7pm. How do you settle the chidlren? You say that the children have lost the ablity to settle themselves. There are several options depending on your parenting views. You can either try controlled crying, but you have to be extremely tough to see it through or you could try gradual retreat. Ie. your child settles themselve but you are in room and then each night you gradually move closer to the door until your child can settle themselves.

Rather than taking advice from an amonynous stranger I suggest you contact your health vistor for more tailored advice.