bedtime routine when it's just 1 of you around

Can you share your bedtime routine when it's just one of you around? I'm very fortunate because DH's usually around with me to do bedtime... but I think that totally spoiled them bc at 6 months they can't fall asleep without being held.

When I have to do it by myself, I do 2 boppies on my bed and read a story and feed them and try to bounce the bed to make them doze off. It doesn't always work though and I sometimes have to resort to a car ride after too much screaming. I'm going to make them CIO starting Wednesday night this week, but I'm curious if anyone has any insight :)

TIA!

Re: bedtime routine when it's just 1 of you around

Good luck!! I put my girls to sleep alone about 3 nights a week. It isn't easy but CIO is a lifesaver!! We started at 4 months. It takes some time to get them used to it but it is so great to be able to put them both to sleep all by yourself. I feed them in two boppies on the floor in the nursery and read a few books. Then I hug, kiss, rock, each one for a minute or two and put them down. I put the sleep sheep on and you walk out of the room. Twin B still cries so bad at first that it tugs at your heart, but you will notice how quickly they quiet down. Now at 8 months they actually giggle more when I leave the room because they can move themselves to see each other.

You can do it!!!

Re: bedtime routine when it's just 1 of you around

Posted by cowgirlkate

Good luck!! I put my girls to sleep alone about 3 nights a week. It isn't easy but CIO is a lifesaver!! We started at 4 months. It takes some time to get them used to it but it is so great to be able to put them both to sleep all by yourself. I feed them in two boppies on the floor in the nursery and read a few books. Then I hug, kiss, rock, each one for a minute or two and put them down. I put the sleep sheep on and you walk out of the room. Twin B still cries so bad at first that it tugs at your heart, but you will notice how quickly they quiet down. Now at 8 months they actually giggle more when I leave the room because they can move themselves to see each other.

You can do it!!!

Re: bedtime routine when it's just 1 of you around

It took a couple weeks for it to work well in the beginning. Around 6 months we had to do it again because they were changing positions since they were somewhat mobile. You will see, each baby will find their "soother". It took twin b a longer time to find what worked for her. She still takes longer to fall asleep.

Personally I think its better to do them together because they learn to sleep through the other one crying. Once they knowhow to soothe, the other baby shouldn't bother them.

Twin b likes to sleep on her side with her arms over her face. Twin a puts herself on her belly and pulls her knees under her. I love how unique they are

You are correct when you say "suffer through it". They have cried for 1.5 hrs some nights. I chose to do the timed CIO where I return to check on them and soothe a little at timed intervals. I learned the hard way that picking them up just makes it worse. Stay strong! You will have nights u want to jump out the window but it is SO much better in the long run. The nights that they are sleeping in 10 minutes are priceless!

Since your babies seem to sleep well once they are asleep I think CIO should work for them.

Re: bedtime routine when it's just 1 of you around

We just got ours to go down without assistance. Until then, they slept in their car seat swings for naps and would always fall asleep during the last bottle in their bouncers.

We didnt CIO, we would just keep going in at different intervals to settle them. It took about 2 weeks. But now we put them down and they go down. /they are usually asleep in 10 min or so.

The hardest part about bedtime alone is reading the story. We put them both in the same crib and read upside down.

bedtime routine when it's just 1 of you around

i pick them up at daycare and one is usually sleeping in the car seat when i get home so i leave them there and start on the awake baby. i do bath then bottle. they fall asleep and i put them to bed then start on #2. if both are awake I feed my son since he is more of a PITA and goes to bed early wehereas my daughter is very patient and will go ot lbed later.

Re: bedtime routine when it's just 1 of you around

I have been doing bedtime alone for a while. But my twins STTN starting at 4 months. I would nurse them and put them in their cribs (sometimes drowsy, sometimes awake) and they would go to sleep on their own.

When we stopped BFing I started sitting in the glider with them. I sing 2 songs with them in my lap and then they go in their crib.

I don't find the act of putting them to bed the hardest. For me it is bathing everyone (I have a DS too) and getting everyone lotioned/dressed to be the tricky part.