Fraternal Twin Naps-Help!

[Sunspot]

Any advice for getting them to nap? They keep waking each other - unfortunately, we're in a one bedroom and I can't separate them! (They are 5 months old)

[twowhat?]

We had to separate ours for naps for the same reason when they were little - I feel your pain! Can you try one in the bedroom and one in the closet? (haha). Or one in the bedroom and the other in a quiet corner somewhere? I know some people have had luck with a white noise machine; maybe place it strategically between the two cribs. When ours used to nap together as babies, I had the baby monitor turned way up so as soon as one made a peep, I'd rush in to get her out of the room. Often that also meant that the twin removed from the bedroom finished her nap on my chest on the couch...

[glbb35]

I hate to say it but there are times when this will keep happening. I swear they hit milestones and change all over again. Our two DS's used to wake each other up when they were younger. One would cry and the other automatically wake up. Eventually they do get more used to it. Def use the suggestion of the white noise maker and maybe even some darker shades or black out drapes. My twins were very light sensitive so whenever they had a lot of light one was always up. shortly after that, the other. then for a while they mellowed and we didn't have issues.

Then sure enough, it started all over again. climbing out of bed and waking the other but climbing in with him. So we bought crib tents. Wow! Love them!!!! and they love them too. They love to zip themselves in and I think it gives them a big sense of security. Now they are 2 and we have darkened their room better and they sleep much better. We also have a fan in their room which helps A LOT with noise control. They are also spaced farther apart too. Now they have pretty much learned that if one wakes they can either wake up with him or just go back to sleep.

Going to bed is our fun thing. You hear the "no, go bed!" and then from the other "noooooooo, stoooooppppp, nooooo talk". But within about 5-7 minutes of us not intervening, they fall asleep. They do get used to it. Just give it time.

YOU might need a noise maker for yourself. This way if you can;t hear them for a few minutes you will give them the extra time to learn to fall asleep and stay asleep. IT is a hard thing to do but when we are tired and can hear them it seems like forever before they are asleep when it is actually only a few minutes.

Good luck to you!!!!

B

DS 03, 06, twins 09 and new baby 7/11

[veronica]

My boys are 5 months and seem ok. They currently nap in their swings. I have a noise machine in the room and we sort of blast the music on one of the swings. If one is already napping, I tend to keep diapers/wipes and a swaddle in the living room so I can get the second one ready for his nap. Then I just tip-toe in, drop and go . It works most of the time.

then again, with DD and ODS screaming most of the day, the babies are immune to a lot of noise anyway...

[mikeys_mom]

I had an extra pack n play in our large master bedroom closet and we used that for one of the twins to nap. I have also heard of people setting up a PNP in the bathroom if they didn't have an extra bedroom.
We kept them together in the room at night to get them used to each other's crying but *I* needed the 1.5-2 hours of quiet nap time that it wasn't worth risking one waking the other up.

At night, if one of the girls would wake up crying and I couldn't get her back down easily, I'd move her to the PNP in the closet. Two crying babies all night long is not fun.

They are now 2.5 yo and share a room. They are still in their cribs and if one wakes up during the night, it doesn't seem to disturb her sister at all.

[Naranjadia]

I just have to echo what the others have said - we did the sound machine in between & we occasionally used a pack'n'play in our bedroom for when it was really bad. I think at one point, I had a little boom box in their room with either lullabies or the "psychologically ultimate seashore" LOL.

It does come and go in waves. We would have a problem for weeks and then it would become routine again.