I need tips on sleep training twins. Our goal is to be able to put both babies down at the same time in their cribs and fall asleep on their own. We'd also like to train with minimal crying. They have a pretty firm eating and sleeping schedule and get tired around 8:30 and noon every day. They are 6 months old. - Anonymous
6 comments:
Create a soothing routine...could be books, a lullaby, saying goodnight to things in the room, a snuggle etc. Put them in bed (if they have a comfort object like a teddy or soother then give it to them) and leave the room. Let them wiggle, fuss a bit, make sounds etc. If they start to really cry/have been fussing for more than a few mins then go back in. Soothe the baby but don't take him/her out of the crib! Rub forehead, pat the bum, shhh-shhhh, put soother in etc. Leave again and wait another 5-10mins of fussing before going back in. Repeat. Soon they will go to bed on their own.
We did something similar with my charge, but we didn't go in to soothe him unless he really needed it. When we did this with my charge he was 5-6 months...we let him fuss for as long as he needed, however, if he got hysterical we went in to calm him. He has been going to sleep on his own very consistantly since he was 6.5-7 months. He is now 11 months and he usually babbles for 10mins or so and then goes right to sleep without a fuss! Good luck!
Oh yeah, incase you need ideas for a going down routine, our naptime routine is: read books on the couch downstairs (2-4 books), go upstairs and change diaper, have a bottle, close blinds, turn on sound machine, and in bed he goes. It took us about 2 weeks to fully "train" him to put himself to bed.
Make sure the babies have a radio in their bedroom. Put it on a classical station. The music is good for their brains, which actively grow while they sleep. Also, the voices in commercials are soothing. Additionally, babies detest silence as a general rule. Make sure the room isn't bright. If they have a small window without a window treatment, for example, order a custom made room darkening shade. If the curtains are sheer, order a room darkening shade to go behind them. Or, whatever kind of window treatment that darkens the room and gets the parents approval. This is important because people actually get better quality stage 3 & 4 sleep, if they're in a dark bedroom. I would see if you could give them a warm bath together before bed. If its warm, a portable fan is great for white noise and comfort. Even with a ceiling fan, it can help. I sleep better with one on & have been known to lug it while travelling. I would read them a story before bedtime. While they're in their cribs. Some crying is inevitable. Crying is a stress reliever for a baby. It helps to know that there isn't always something that you can do to prevent or quell the crying. So, music, dark room, bath, fan & story. And lots of Irish luck.
I know all the sleep training basics. I'm look for twins specifically.
How do you calm both if they are both crying without taking them out of bed?
Stick to a very regular schedule. Have a routine that is very consistent. Put them down and leave the room. It would be best if they sleep in separate rooms while you train them as they will cry at the beginning of the process. Don't pick them up when they cry, just pat them and "shh" sound and leave, without too much interaction. By 6 months they should be able to self sooth so don't worry about some crying. If they are clean and fed, there shouldn't be any problem with them. Their will cry for a couple of days, so stay strong, you are not harming them in any way
We don't have a problem putting our twins down, it's keeping them from waking up 3-4 times a night. Advice?
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