Sleep With Twins – Setting Your Twins Up For Sleep Success
If you’re the parent of twins, I don’t need to tell you that the key to getting sleep with twins is getting and keeping your babies on the same schedule. In fact, it may be the key to survival. But how do you get them on the same schedule and how do you set them up for sleep success?
Getting Those Babies on the Same Schedule
The old saying that you should “never wake a sleeping baby” does not apply when you have twins – if you don’t wake that sleeping twin, you will most likely get back in your bed in the middle of the night and have a second baby awake within 30 minutes. As you know, I think mom’s (and dad’s) health is as important as baby’s and if feedings and wakings start to vary greatly, mom will burn out quickly.
For middle of the night feedings, feed the twin that wakes first, put that twin back down to sleep and then feed the other twin. Continue to do this until around 4 months old (adjusted) and then consider letting the sleeping twin sleep to see if they can sleep for longer stretches. Naps can be tricky and one twin, particularly if they are fraternal twins, may be a better napper. In the early months they may sleep at different times during the day, but you still want to keep them on the same feeding schedule, give or take 15 or 20 minutes, so you make need to wake one twin from a nap to do that.
Simplify Wherever Possible
Give baths earlier in the day. Despite popular belief, baths do not need to be given at bedtime to optimize sleep. Bathe them earlier in the day – ideally when you have extra hands around. Getting baths done earlier makes bedtime less hectic.
Simplify your bedtime routine by incorporating things that can be done with the twins together – possibly on the floor with you between them – read a book and sing songs. To learn why I encourage closing your routine with the same song each night, check out my post on Happy Bedtimes and Fun Wakeups.
Their bedtimes and naps may start 15-20 minutes apart, but you want to avoid one twin becoming overtired so try to start your routine sooner rather than later.
Work on Healthy Sleep Habits Early
Set up an ideal sleep environment. Keep their bedroom super dark and cool. I love white noise machines for all babies, but they can be particularly helpful for twins because they help muffle each other’s noises. Just be sure to keep the white noise machine at least 6 feet from the babies’ heads.
Just like with single babies, I recommend working on practicing putting them down drowsy but awake between 6 and 8 weeks adjusted. Gradually and gently teaching them how to self soothe will be key to getting longer stretches of sleep at night and longer naps.
