Twin babes being fed to sleep

[KatieFS]

Hi all


Some advice

I've just taken on 7m old twin babes. They are lovely but need to sort out their sleeping routine. They have lots of little naps. Both take a while to settle and just spoke to parent who says they've been laying them down to have their milk then sleep.
This isn't something I can support as is dangerous if they choke or are sick, and have another child here and can't leave her for long . Babies sleep upstairs! Finding it stressful as they get so upset don't want milk any other way but laying down. This also has effect of them getting vet tired and not finishing the milk..all in all makes for grumpy babies! I do also think the little cat naps aren't much good as they're not getting into that deep restful sleep. They're can be 4-5 naps in one day.

One didn't even sleep 2 hours the whole day 7-6.30 today. Surely that's not enough? He looked so tired..

They're coming up to 8m, i know each child us different but re sleeping should this age range have good sleep in morning then one after lunch???

Parents are quite supportive of any change if routine
But how...? Any suggestions?

[wellybelly]

First of all I just wanted to say, I care for twins boys aged 20 months 3 full days a week and it is hard, but once you establish a routine around your day it does become easier. You just have to find patterns which work for you, the twins and the other children (school runs ect). Do you get on ok with parents? I get on well with the parents and they know it isn't just the twins I care for, so there has to be some flexibility in how I meet their needs and the needs of the other children. With regards to the milk, can you get them into a routine where they have the milk with you downstairs before they lie down? I can totally understand your concerns and I think if you spoke to the parents and shared why you have these concerns they'd be happy for you to try something different. With regards to sleep, could you do some of the interesting more physical activities before a sleep so then they might go for longer? I know this is something you might need to get parents on board about but once a routine is in place it should work.
Thinking of you and hope it works out

[AgentTink]

I wonder if you could feed the majority of the milk downstairs with you, and when there is less than half an ounce left, give that to them in the cot lying down, as it may be that they need the bottle to soothe thmeselves to sleep and not the actual milk. My little girl was the same, would always fall asleep with her bottle on my knee and then i would tranfer her to the cot. If i took the bottle away she would wake quite quickly, but if i left her with bottle she would sleep for up to 2 hours. I sson realised that it wasnt the actual milk, but instead she was using the bottle as her soother, as she didnt have a dummy.

With the twins you could even try feeding them with you and putting them to bed with a emoty bottle incase they are using it for comfort. Its worth a try

[sarah707]

do they have to sleep upstairs? I don't know the layout of your house but they might feel a long way away from everything that is going on.

Ours sleep in buggies or on the sofa bed and are quite close to noise. in the buggy they can be propped until they drop off and watch everyone playing - that often helps them drift off.

Any change of routine needs at least a week to embed before you decide if it's working or not, it won't improve overnight.

Hugs xx

[JCrakers]

I took on a 6m old in Feb who only slept with a bottle. I tried him without and it wasn't working. He would just cry and cry and I didn't have the energy to wean him off it and it wasn't kind to him.

I obviously cant put him upstairs in the cot, laid flat with a bottle so I use the buggy to sit him half up while I watch him. He then sleeps in the buggy as this was the only solution for us.

He's now 14m and the same. He will sleep occasionally upstairs if really tired but mainly needs his bottle to settle himself

[KatieFS]

If I settle n buggy he is always close to noise which I think will keep him awake or wake him up. Tried yesterday to give him milk myself and not having it. Will try again nxt week to give milk myself burp then lay for sleep but not sure what to do nxt as cant put them both down to sleep in another room....

[jackie 7]

My one who s reamed all day was Brest fed to sleep. 3 weeks in and I can now get him to sleep in buggy by pushing. Working on it slowly. One day at a time. Not sure what I will do if 8 week baby comes. Take if a day at a time