how do you handle nighttime feedings when SO goes back to work?

I need step by step instructions! And xanax!

Re: how do you handle nighttime feedings when SO goes back to work?

this is one of my worst fears. when I had a singleton, we worked out a great schedule, we each got 6 hour blocks of sleep at night..but with twins, I have no idea how this will ever work...let m e know your tricks once you figure them out. and may the sleep fairy be with you

Re: how do you handle nighttime feedings when SO goes back to work?

Step by step instructions: you get up every 3 or so hours and stay up for an hour at a time feeding both. You nap in the day and leave your house and yourself a mess. You are physically and mentally exhausted. And try to keep them on the same schedule as much as you can.

It does get better though. As they get older the will sleep through a feeding.

Sometimes I made dh get up to do one if I was falling asleep. Or if both scream at the same time. I also found it helpful to watch tv. I watch my DVr shows at 2 or 4am. My girls sleep 5/6 hrs then another 4 which is great but I still wake up exhausted.

how do you handle nighttime feedings when SO goes back to work?

I can;t help with what to do with twins but I still made DH take some of the nighttime feedings. We were both exhausted but thats life with children and just because he had to work did not give him a pass. I considred beign home work and was not leisure so we both had to suffer.

Re: how do you handle nighttime feedings when SO goes back to work?

You take shifts. You have to! It's the only way to function

You have to look at it this way: His job outside of the house isn't any more exhausting than your day home with infant twins.

We set up our nights into 2 shifts. I went to bed right after dinner. He took the 11pm feeding alone. If we didn't have kids he would be up that late anyway. I slept from 8pm until they woke at 2am. We would share that feeding. He would go back to bed right after they ate until he got up at 8am for work. I took the 5am feeding alone.

So I slept from 8pm til 2am, and then was on the rest of the night/day ... But I got about 6 hours in a block!

He slept from midnight until 2am, and from 3-8am ... 2 hours + 5 hours = 7 hours.

Re: how do you handle nighttime feedings when SO goes back to work?

I agree with smurf. You have to take shifts. My DH did not have any additional time off (he had to take off 2 weeks while they were in the NICU due to complications in one). So soon as they all came home, he was back to work. For the first 2-3 weeks we both did every feeding (we have triplets). It was a lot and we needed some type of sleep. So we decided to take shifts and split up the feedings. Our three were on the 9,12,3,6 feedings. I would do the 9pm by myself and then go right to bed....my next feeding would be the 3am by myself. So I would have a good 5 hour stretch. My DH would go to be early (around 8-9pm) and then he would wake up for the midnight feeding, by himself. He would then sleep 5 hours straight and do the 6am feeding (by himself), since he was getting up for work anyways. I would then wake up around 7am, when he was getting ready to leave. It was definitely a rough couple of months, but it WILL get better. The feedings then go to every 4 hours, and then 5...and before you know it they are sleeping through stretches at night.
It is tough doing the feedings on ur own, but doable. I used to heat up the milk, then change them while it was heating and then line all 3 of them up in boppys, then prop the bottles with towels and sit right in front of them. It was a process/routine that took a couple of weeks to get into, but once we did it worked great. it was was nice go get that 5 hours a straight sleep.

Good luck. It will all work out!

Re: how do you handle nighttime feedings when SO goes back to work?

My biggest piece of advice is don't sweat the small stuff and focus on you and the babies only. Don't worry about laundry, cooking, cleaning, ironing, it will all still be there when you find time.

For us all feedings were solely on my since I ebf'd and just didn't have enough time in the day to pump so DH could take a "feeding".

Besides, I found by 4 weeks old they didn't always go right back to sleep. Sometimes it took serious effort.

In the beginning I'd set my alarm for every 2.5 hours so I could get them to latch before hunger struck. By 3 weeks old I'd wait until they woke on their own. Typically if 1 woke, I'd wake the other (assuming they had both been sleeping the same amount of time). Nurse and work on getting them back to sleep.

Eventually they both started STTN (around 6 weeks). All of a sudden at 4 months old they were starting to get uncomfortable in the RNP and waking up multiple times a night. So I moved them to their cribs. J STTN instantly. K woke up once for a 3 am feeding which she dropped about 3 weeks after.

Re: how do you handle nighttime feedings when SO goes back to work?

Re: how do you handle nighttime feedings when SO goes back to work?

Re: how do you handle nighttime feedings when SO goes back to work?

I think it 100% depends on your circumstance. We tried shifts but it didnt work for us because one of my girls was taking over an hour to feed... In the begining they were so sleepy and we had to wake them up anyway but as they got older and started to get vocal the other one has to get up or else one of the girls is crying to be fed.... The agreement now is that whoever gets up first will feed one and if the other wakes up shortly after, that person will feed both... if the 2nd baby is not up before we are ready to get back to bed, the other one gets up to feed her when she wakes up Does that make sense?

I want to add that I went back to work this week and am MUCH less tired being at work than I am when i was home with them alone (and sometimes with help). So I never believed in that bs about dh is going back to work so he shouldnt wake up in the middle of the night... You absolutely need 2 people-for your own sanity.

Good luck!!

Re: how do you handle nighttime feedings when SO goes back to work?

I pretty much was always the one to get up since I was breastfeeding. However in the begining when the first baby would cry DH would get up and change him/her and then wake the other baby and change him or her.

Re: how do you handle nighttime feedings when SO goes back to work?

Re: how do you handle nighttime feedings when SO goes back to work?

I was up every 3 hours with them because I had to pump. Usually we both got up. I'm also the one who eventually went back to work and my partner stays home. What we both do all day is exhausting. I would even say that going to work is easier. Far less mentally exhausting then twins on most days!!

I do agree with what everyone else said. You have to do what is going to work for you.
Is there a reason you will be getting up by yourself other then your partner going back to work?

Re: how do you handle nighttime feedings when SO goes back to work?

Re: how do you handle nighttime feedings when SO goes back to work?

I would do the 8pm feeding and go to sleep.
DH would do the 11am feeding.
At least then I slept from 830 - 2.
I always fed both at once so I'd fall back asleep by 230 and get a few more hours sleep until 5. Then sleep again or do some cleaning. ;)

He HAS to help!

how do you handle nighttime feedings when SO goes back to work?

Its def not easy but since day one I do the whole day and night with my twins by myself. I ebf so there is not much my husband can do. They also eat a minimum of every two hrs. I have a toddler as well so my husband has been sleeping with him to keep him in his own bed all night bc I don't have the room for him with my twins bc I tandum nurse and need the room in my bed. With that said I am sooooo tired especially bc icant nap during the day bc of my toddler. I havnt had more then and hour of straight sleep in weeks. My twins r one month old and I'm praying they start sleeping longer stretches soon. I can't even think of pumping on top of it all!!!! With all that said u just get through it one day at a time:)))

Re: how do you handle nighttime feedings when SO goes back to work?

I know this feels like torture and it will last forever, but i promise you it wont It is such a teeeeeny tiny spec of time in the grand scheme of things. And much like labor and delivery and recovery! you will forget about it all shortly after!

That being said, while actually going thru it, I wanted to DIE some nights So you are NOT alone


We tried a few different things but what worked best for us was taking shifts so each person got a good block of shut eye.

DH would go to bed EARLY. Right after dinner some nights, always by 8ish.

I would do their last feeding alone around 1230/1. DH has to get up for work at 4 anyway, so he would wake up a lil earlier and feed the babies before work.

So i usually slept from 1 till 6, and he slept from 8-3ish.

I remember the first few weeks when the babies started to STTN, it was LIFE changing. DH and I both started to stay up PAST their bedtime, just cause !

You will get there!!!!!

how do you handle nighttime feedings when SO goes back to work?

My husband got up with me all the time even though he had to work. It had to be done. I needed help.

Re: how do you handle nighttime feedings when SO goes back to work?

I can't answer that because with my first DS it was only me who got up...DH said he was the one working so not once did he get up during the night...now this time around with twins...let's just see how that works.

how do you handle nighttime feedings when SO goes back to work?

he took the "easier"baby all night on his side of the bed. it worked wel lfor us.