Nap Schedule for Twins?

Whatever you do, do it with consistancy. A schedule is set times for things, like when my kids were small they went to bed at 7pm, up at 6am and off to school at 7am on the bus. When we moved to town we changed it to bedtime 8 up at 7 and off to school at 8. As infants I let them wake up on their own, usually around 7, around 10 they would nap, noon eat lunch and 1 nap again. It might take a bit of adjusting, but it will work.

HI E.
Great question.. from one mother of multiples to another!!
I had one who loved napping- the other not. One a night owl, one a morning girl-- and still the same to this day and they are 9.
I used to laugh when my other 'mom' mom's would say well you just have to do this and this and this...
you will find what works-- and it will take some time and it will change over time.
The key to surviving multiples-- flexibility - and you have it more now that you're home so yea!
I kept mine on the same eating, sleeping, napping schedule from the start. I also bottle fed which made it easy as I could sit them both in bouncy's or chairs at the same time and do both. So -- they did everything side by side.
And finally- they napped- sometimes, ate as they knew it was time, sleep- sometimes- still have one up at least once a night.
I did up at around 6-7, nap at around 10 if they would- the swings made it really easy (again 2 of everything) , lunch, nap again around 3-4, dinner and then bed-- when I could get the night owl down. To get them on schedules, I shifted the one off about 15 min a day until they were the same.
Hang in there-- it gets easier about 3 or 4 yo- then hard again when the sass starts- ha-- then easy- then hard.....you get the idea.
Find a great twins club if you have them.
And- keep your humor and Nap with them any chance you get!!!

about me: 50 yo perfusionist, wellness coaching also doing a nationwide online weight challenge for $, mom of fraternal 9 yo twin girls

B. J

I agree, each situation/family/child is different. I hope you will find what works best for you (soon!). I have triplets and got them on a good napping schedule around 6 months (they're now 5-1/2 yrs.) - before that they were catnappers and wouldn't all nap at the same time, and I needed to get them napping at the same time consistently for my own sanity). They were early risers too - up between 5:30 and 6:00. I would put them down around 8:30 a.m. (tired but awake) and they would nap for about an hour and a half. I would put them down in the afternoon around 1:30 and they would sleep for two to three hours. Then I would put them to bed around 8:00 p.m.
Good luck!

Hi, I have 14 month old twins and completely understand! I got mine on a decent nap schedule after reading Baby Wise. I'm usually not big on reading books like that, but it explained a really simple method for encouraging good sleep. I think I got the book for about $0.99 on Amazon! Mine are still on the same schedule they were on at 8 months- up around 7am, 1st nap mid morning, 2nd nap mid afternoon, bedtime 7pm. Contact me if you want more details. Good luck, it will get easier :)

at that age, my kids took two naps a day. usually started our day around 7am, nap from 9-10:30ish, then another nap from 1-4ish, bedtime around 7 or 7:30.

I put my twins down for two naps of 1 - 1.5 hours until they were 2. then it went to 1 nap of 1.2 - 2 hr until 3 and now they don't nap anymore :( (they're 4).

I didn't read every comment so I may be repeating but in addition to consistency re: time you need to create a routine. I split them into two bedrooms (one in crib one in pack n play, played music, etc.).

The only downer is that it's very hard to do anything... you're locked into being at your house but you can use that as an opportunity to get some home projects done (baby books, etc)! Good luck

Always remember every baby is different. I got my son on a nap routine at around 7 months because I literally had no idea what I was doing lol. My mom had passed away and all our family lived far away.

I read Dr. Sears Baby Sleep Book, The Baby Whisperer and the No-cry sleep solution. They were life-savers! Taught me so much about infant sleep. Once I understood infant sleep I could then teach my son how to sleep and he did really well. But with all babies being different my daughter was never the sleeper that my first was but she knows the routine and can get herself back to sleep pretty well on her own. I can't recommend those 3 enough.

While you are learning, try putting them down about 3 hours after they get up. It took me 6 weeks to teach my son to sleep by literally doing and saying the same things every nap and bedtime. It helps them learn what to expect and what is expected.

I read and found it to work very well, that for babies this age to follow a 2 - 3 - 4 schedule. And what I mean by this is, after your babies wake up in the morning, lay them down after 2 hours, then after they wake up from their nap, lay them down after 3 hours and then after they wake up from their 2nd nap, put them to bed after 4 hours. Around transition times (when my baby transitioned from 3 naps to 2 around 7 months), its a little harder to go these stretches, but after a week or 2, they usually have adjusted. In order for you to get them to sleep later in the morning, you may need to adjust their bedtime and put them down a little later. I realize how difficult this is, especially since they are not napping well during the day right now, however, if you put them to bed a little bit later every couple of days, you should be able to move their bed time. My kids go to daycare and wake up around 6:30, took their 1st nap from 9-11 and from 1-3 or 2-4 and went to bed at 8/8:30. And on the weekends when they were home with me and slept in a little later, I followed the same schedule (2-3-4) based on when they woke up. It works wonderfully!!! Good luck!