Help or advise for btdt moms please

I haven't been on in a long time, needless to say my hands have been full! The girls are doing great growing and healthy which is all we can ask for! BUT I am having a really hard time. They have apparently started this "witching hour" that starts around 4 and sometimes goes to 8:30, they both fuss, cry and need to be held. If i put them down they start crying. I burp them, change them and try to do everything to keep them comfortable. They don't really take binkies, aren't huge fans of swing or bouncy seats, it just seems that holding them stops it except I can't hold them both at the same time! So when I have one soothed I put them down to soothe the other one and it's a cycle. I kind of feel like I am losing my mind or not doing something right for them. I keep telling myself this too shall pass and trying to realize that in their adjusted age they are really only 3 weeks old. I just feel frustrated that I am not doing something right!! DH has been working at nights so I am left alone with them. I have help at times from my mil and sil but they don't sleep over and those are the times I really need help as well. Any advise please, this lack of sleep thing is killing me :(

Re: Help or advise for btdt moms please

My older DD had this. It was the same time of day and was awful. I know exactly what you're talking about. I guess I was lucky, since there was just one of her. What helped her was white noise. I used to bring her in the bathroom & run the water. She would stop right away & listen to the noise while staring at the lights. I understand your frustration, really I do. My DH travelled all week and we had just moved to Chicago. We knew no one. It was so hard. It is NOT anything you're doing wrong. I was told it was the baby's way of releasing her stress from the day and that they are not used to being so "stimulated" all day. Have you watched/read the "Happiest Baby on the Block"? We have the DVD & some of it really makes sense. The doctor on it says that the first 3 months of their life is the "4th trimester." It's just so much for them to get used to after they're born. Good luck. It does get better!!! Really.

Re: Help or advise for btdt moms please

My twins had a short period of time that they were like this also in the evenings.

I used a baby carrier like the bjorn or ergo so at least if I was holding one I could get things done. If they were both really cranky I would sit on the floor pretzel style and cradle one baby in my legs and bounce my leg to soothe him/her and hold the other it work for me during the crazy times. Do they like the stroller/carseat, You could always bring it inside and let them "move" around a bit

hang in there it will get better!

Re: Help or advise for btdt moms please

First, I'm so sorry you are having a rough time and second, I completely feel your pain. My boys were born two months early, both had severe acid reflux, and both were colic. The only time they weren't crying was when they were sleeping which wasn't very often. They also hated pacifers and didn't care for the swing or bouncy seat. Like you, my DH worked nights which left me alone.Some nights both babies would be in their bassinets crying and I was laying in bed crying along with them. So embarrassing to admit but it's true. I felt as though my dream life had turned into my darkest nightmare. People kept making promises such as it would get better once their due date hit....then, when it didn't, they would say three months....then four month....then when they start solids and so on.

My only advice is ask for as much help as you can. Ask friends to sleep over at least once a week or so. It really helped me a lot. The only other thing I did was i used to go on car rides whenever possible. I found it really calmed them down so it became the last resort in my home.

Also, just know that we have all been there and you WILL get through it. Things will get better eventually. I'm not gonna lie, it took a good 6 months before things calmed down. And now, at almost 1 I couldn't be happier. Each day still brings with it it's own challenges but it's much easier than before. Hang in there!

Re: Help or advise for btdt moms please

I don't have any advice to offer since my twins aren't here yet, but I wanted to send you some hugs!

Re: Help or advise for btdt moms please

You could try a Moby Wrap. Put both of them in it , on your chest. Now sit on a yoga ball and bouce. If you do not have a yoga ball try the corner of your bed to bounce.
I have other tricks that might work. Just call me and I am happy to trouble shoot (no charge).

My twins went trough this too. My son also had acid reflux.

GL
Rebecca
917-862-7644

Re: Help or advise for btdt moms please

My twins did this too, though not at the same time, so I was up allllll night.
I did have *some* help from DH though.
Then around 13-14 weeks old, something just clicked and they started STTN. I have no advice to give, except I understand.

Re: Help or advise for btdt moms please

I went throught this phase too..

and I remember that is when the SWADDLE came to the rescue.

I started with a blanket and went onto youtube to look up the happiest baby on the block videos and took it from there.

Ran out next day to get some swaddles and omg, what a difference and helped so much.

Hang in there and it will get better soon!

Re: Help or advise for btdt moms please

I dont have much advise since my twinnies are only 7 weeks old and they have a witching our too but my girls usually go through it around 7pm till about 9pm when they get put down for bed.
I basically try to calm both my girls holding one and rocking the other in her Rock and Play and then swap. Although they love the swing (not so much the bouncy) during that time they dont even wanna look at the swing.
I feel like my girls are getting past it slowly. It seems like the fussiness and amount of crying gets less and less by the day.

I dont have help either but since your girls are going through this at night and ur not getting sleep I would def ask maybe some friends or family to spend even just one night a week to give u some time to sleep...if possible

sending u some

Message edited 7/8/2011 11:11:33 AM.

Re: Help or advise for btdt moms please

mine had that for a lil bit, then i realized if i switched around the time of their naps, it would help bc they would sleep through their witching hour. as soon as i did that, it ended

Re: Help or advise for btdt moms please

Posted by Smileyd17

I went throught this phase too..

and I remember that is when the SWADDLE came to the rescue.

I started with a blanket and went onto youtube to look up the happiest baby on the block videos and took it from there.

Ran out next day to get some swaddles and omg, what a difference and helped so much.

Hang in there and it will get better soon!

Re: Help or advise for btdt moms please

I know how hard it can be when you're absolutely exhausted, the twins are both screaming and your DH is at work for the night. I can sympathize because my DH also works nights. No joke...have a glass of wine in the evening. It calms me down and I'm more patient with my boys. My have their evening screaming sessions and the swing relaxes them but it takes a while. Someone had bought me Beatles and Rolling Stones lullaby CDs at my shower. I'll put them in their Rock n Play sleepers and play the CDs...it seems to help.

Message edited 7/10/2011 2:00:42 PM.

Re: Help or advise for btdt moms please

Hey Mia,

When my girls start to fuss I swaddle them and either put music on, feed them more or put them in the swing that swings side to side with music and the stars. They calm down immediately and fall asleep. Not sure if you tried any or all of those things. Also watch the happiest baby on the block and see if any of those techniques help!

Miss you!