Baby Wise (ish) at Two months

I hope you had a great weekend! We went on our first date since the babies have been born... FREEDOM! For a while we contemplated running away to Mexico but decided against it. ;) Instead we went to our favorite sushi spot (since I can eat it now) and took my engagement ring to the jeweler to be resized. Exciting stuff right there. ;)

When we got back my brother's girlfriend said, "Man three kids is a lot of work, Now I know why you say this is so hard." Finally! Someone who understands! :)

Moving on.

Before I jump into the next topic I have to throw in a disclaimer. I know that sleep training, vaccines, discipline, etc. are all topics that people get opinionated over. Can we all just agree that as mamas we are all doing what we feel is best for our kids? I'm not down with mom-shaming so if you don't have anything nice to say then please keep it to yourself. I'm doing what I have decided is best for my twins and I would appreciate only encouragement! Being a mom (especially a mom to twins) is hard enough without criticism!

With that said, we started sleep training this weekend. We did this with Blair and were successful with it and it has really benefited our whole family.

Matt and I thought long and hard about keeping the twins in the same room or not. We have the space to separate them and knew we were planning on doing that eventually anyway. So, we decided to bite the bullet and do it.

BEST. DECISION. EVER.

Now at bed time I don't fret (as much) over one waking the other. Everly always has to fuss before she falls asleep whereas Cal doesn't. She was constantly waking him up which would frustrate the daylights out of M and me. One crying baby is hard enough, we don't need two!

Also, now that they are separated, when one wakes too early for the day we let them fuss/self soothe themselves back down. For example, yesterday morning Everly woke at 6:10 am (no thanks) so we let her fuss and she was back asleep 5 minutes later till 7:30! If they were in the same room then Cal would have woken up too, and he's not quite as good at putting himself back down like she is.

NIGHTS
Nights at our house aren't too terrible, (usually) knock on wood. The twins either wake once or twice. When one wakes to nurse I always get the other one up for my sanity so I'm not nursing all night long. Unless one wakes too early...then they need to go back to sleep.

We start our bedtime routine at 7 or 7:30 and they are typically in their beds by 8:30. I give them a 2 ounce bottle of my best friend's breast milk (she has a TON) and then nurse them afterwards. They drain me every time. We do this so that the twins continue to practice taking a bottle and don't eventually refuse it. Plus, a little extra milk at night never hurt anyone. ;)

Someone usually wakes around 2 am so we change and feed them both. Then I let them get up for the day around 7 or 7:30. Of course this is best case scenario and doesn't happen every night. Sometimes they are up every four hours. But, again, now that they are in their own rooms and can cry without waking the other one this might change. Before we were running in to pick up the crying baby before they woke the other one and wearing them in a front pack till it was time to eat. No fun.

DAYS
Daytime naps are a struggle. They were with Blair too. I know that nighttime sleep usually comes before daytime sleep so I am trying to be patient. Everly has seemed to figure it out quicker than Cal but I say that loosely. We wait till they show us tired cues and then take them upstairs and lay them down drowsy but awake in their own beds.

Everly usually fusses a bit and then will sleep. If she does wake up then she is more capable of finding her hands and soothing herself back down.

Cal will be content in his crib for a while and then will start fussing. We go in and soothe him after a few minutes and then eventually he puts himself down. He throws quite a fit though before he gives in.

For now they are getting better at self soothing and crying less and less every nap. I've only been doing this one day and I already see progress (thank goodness!). My doctor told me it could take as long as a week and that sleep training is always harder on the parents.

My pediatrician told us that she used Baby Wise and thinks that it is the best thing. She was very encouraging and reassuring. I trust her and I trust our past experience so we are continuing to persevere. It is difficult now but I know that we will benefit in the long run. I'm trying to think big picture here!

And as I currently type this I have my eyes glued to their monitors and am jotting down every time they fuss and/or self soothe back down. Sigh. M says I must enjoy torturing myself. This is all temporary though, right?!

Annnnnd I never have to sleep train a baby again so I may as well enjoy it. ;)

Oh. And in the meantime Blair has decided to put herself to bed for naps. Ha ha there's light at the end of the tunnel!

PS If you are still reading this you must either A. Have twins also or B. Have an incredibly boring job.

;)