Sleep Training...Twins

I finally got the twins in their own room, yes some say six months is old for them to be in our room still and some say let them stay as long as they want! Truth be told, I LOVED having my sweet boys next to our be at night. I could see them breathing. I could hear every noise. I could smell their sweet baby smell. However I needed my space back for my hubby and I. I needed to feel like an adult again. I needed to be able to go into my bathroom and wash my face without fear of waking up the boys. So I moved them.

They are in their own room, currently sharing a crib. I put a blanket under the crib sheet so that they can't roll into each other and wake each other up that way. Also in researching if twins should sleep together SIDS was mentioned, this is because they can actually suffocate the other baby. I only have one crib so I needed to come up with a solution and putting a "barrier" between them worked...for now. Of course CJ is rolling all over the place and I am sure it won't be too soon until he is crawling. So the whole sharing a crib won't work for much longer. Although I can tell they love being so close to one another. 

Anyways, so I got them in their own bed, in their own room. The first week I was waking up every three hours with them...I'd hear them cry, go pick them up and nurse them, and go back to bed. It was exhausting and I knew that as 6 month olds they really don't need those middle if the night feedings...so I waited until my mom spent the night and let them CIO, thanks Mom!

I comforted them when they got too upset but I kept them in their crib or room. That was probably the hardest night. The following night they woke up and wanted to eat (or actually just be with me) but didn't fight me nearly as bad as the night before. The nights following have been easier. They sleep for longer stretches at night. I'll put them down at 7:30 or 8pm and the first wake up is usually 5am, but then they go back to sleep until 9am! Woohoo! Just as a side note, my doctor did tell me that they don't need to eat every three hours at night. Hearing that allowed me to feel a little more at ease about letting them cry themselves back to sleep, and I am pretty sure I didn't do any long term damage! I know that when I hear my boys on the monitor in the morning cooing and making happy noises they slept well and like their own space. I see their smiles and I am reassured they still love me even though I let them fuss a little in the middle of the night.

If there is any book I can suggest for sleep training it is Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child by Marc Weissbluth, M. D. Just the first few chapters helped me understand my sons' sleeping patterns and taught me how important good, restful sleep is for our babies. Happy rested babies=happy mommy (still trying to catch up on sleep though, haha). The book really helped me with naps and bedtime because I learned how to watch for their sleepy ques and their patterns; eat, play, sleep etc. My boys don't fight me at bed time anymore, and IF I hear a noise from them it is maybe for five minutes. I know CIO isn't for everyone (and that is not necessarily what Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child is about), we all have our own parenting techniques and we have to do what is best for our babies and our sanity!

Oh another HUGE thing that I learned is that the boys do sleep through each other's noises. CJ will be crying and HB will sleep right on through it and visa versa. On occasion they might wake each other up, but not to the point where the other can't fall back asleep. I know before I had the boys sleeping next to each other I was afraid of that, but they have been with each other so long I think it is comforting to them to know that their brother is still right there next to them. Noises and all.

Good night and if anyone out there is sleep training twins good luck and don't give up!