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would you let someone else settle your babies to sleep for a week?

31 replies

Frangipani74 · 10/07/2009 10:26

I have 7 month old twins who don't sleep that well and a 3yr old who still has a few disturbed nights, I am absolutely exhausted. A few months ago did 3 nights of rapid return with the one who woke most, but felt it just caused too much crying and was too hard on her. Recently we tried doing PUPD, we did it for about five days then babies got colds and then one of them cut and tooth and then they were both sick. Doing PUPD also gave me back ache as one of my twins would need resettling between 8 and 12 times each night and the other 2 or 3 and sometimes more. By the six night we just couldn't carry on and went for easiest option to get them back to sleep.

My lovely sister - who has no kids, has offered to move in for a week and help my husband settle the babies to sleep and I go and sleep at her house for the night times. The thinking behind this is when I go to settle them they want mummy and milk and if I'm not there they will realise there is nothing to wake up for.

Part of me wants to just go for it, if it worked it would be easy for me, I just don't know if I can physically sustain doing PUPD. But I'm torn part of me thinks it will be too hard on the babies, I wouldn't dream of leaving them all day so why would I leave them for 12hrs at night when they might just want comfort and reassurance from me.

Has anyone ever tried this before?
Or does anyone have any encouraging stories of doing PUPD with twins, one of whom was very bad sleeper?

Obviously no one can tell me what to do but a different point of view from someone not connected to family might help me.

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
thisisyesterday · 11/07/2009 21:59

nope, i don't. why?

Frangipani74 · 12/07/2009 08:10

Only because you wrote 'no I wouldn't', dismissing idea like that without saying why, you must think it's a terrible idea. If you had twins you might consider doing something a bit more drastic to get them to sleep!
(And also like most Mums I get a bit defensive if I think someone is suggesting what I'm doing with my babies is not right - but then I did post on here asking for opinions so my fault really.)

OP posts:
oooggs · 12/07/2009 08:55

Fran - remember only multiple mums know what multiple mums are going through .

I run the local twins group and I would say that day to day living is all about survival

Do whats best for you and your family

thisisyesterday · 13/07/2009 19:21

i don't thin it's a good idea actually no. reagardless of whether or not the babies are twins.

taking 2 very small babies who are used to bein gbreastfed during the night and making them go cold turkey is going to be pretty traumatic.

those involved realise this too, hence the plan to get mum out of the way.

i think there are nicer ways of helping children sleep through the night.

thisisyesterday · 13/07/2009 19:24

from your OP

"I wouldn't dream of leaving them all day so why would I leave them for 12hrs at night when they might just want comfort and reassurance from me."

which, really, is what it comes down to isn't it? your babies need YOU to comfort and reassure them.
you know this.

if you thought it was a great idea and the only possible way you wouldn't have posted this thread, you'd have just got on and done it sure;y? but you asked for opinions. and my opinion is that it would be traumatic for the babies.

i would buy a copy of the no-cry sleep solution and work with that

coppola · 13/07/2009 19:25

your thread title says:

would you let someone else settle your babies to sleep for a week?

no i wouldn't.

i would let somebody stay and look after my 3yo, and cook dinner and clean and basically be my skivvy whilst I tried to get some sleep though

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