Sleep Help - Manhattan,IL

I rocked my oldest to sleep until he was about 14 months, he sort of "weaned" himself from being rocked, he started getting really squirmy. I finally decided well I'll just put him in his crib and see what happens and he was just fine. I don't believe in letting them cry it out either. I guess I would suggest trying The Sleep Book by Dr. Sears, it has lots of alternative suggestions to crying it out, it's good to have a plan of attack. Good luck.

I do not have any other suugestions, but I did have to let my boys both "cry it out"
They do need to learn to self sooth as a stage of development. It only took 3 days with both of them for YEARS of much needed sleep. It seems cruel, but I can say, they will never remember it, and you both will benefit.
Being able to say night night, i love you, and give a kiss, lay them down and walking out of the room and them not crying for more than 10 seconds is really wonderful... and peaceful!
My doctor had told me to do it, and it is really hard (I truly cried as much as my kids did those 3 nights).
The benefits out weigh the heartbreak..
Good luck!

the book "Healthy sleep habits, happy baby" by Dr. Mark Weisblut has a lot of suggestions. I would give them some toys to cuddle and a little blankie. A little cry it out won't hurt them. usually it takes about 2 days. I used it when my little one was about 6 months and only had to let her cry for 2 days. After that she could get herself to sleep pretty easily. I also helped her at a young age - about 3 months learn where her hands were and encouraged her to suck on them so that she could self soothe. It seemed to work as she is a great sleeper/napper.

My dear friend had twins. She found that by putting them is seperate rooms and using one of those sound machines that have the ocean, waterfall, etc was a tremendous help. She said tehy would only cry for a few minutes. GOOD LUCK

Hi Marcia,
As a twin myself I ask my Mom how she put my sister and I to sleep since it was just her most of the time with my Dad gone to work and she said she would sit between our beds and rub our backs.
I think whatever you decide just stick with it and the kids will learn your new routine.
Best Wishes!

Hello twin mommy! I feel like I am always working through new sleep issues with my now 13 month old twins and have a few thoughts.

I nap them in separate rooms (DD in nursery, DS in p-n-p in my room) which helps a lot - otherwise they "talk around" and never go to sleep. Different story at night, they sleep in their room together.

Up until TODAY (God help me) I used to put one of them in their infant swing with a bottle while I rocked the other in the room with bottle. Then I'd get the other, rock them to finish the bottle and then put down. I never let them fall asleep in my arms, always put them in their crib drowsy.

When we began the bottle weaning process about a month ago, I would do the same thing minus the bottle. This greatly shortened the mama time in the rocker (clearly my issue, not theirs) but they still went down just as well.

We decided this weekend it was time to let go of the swing-crutch, so this morning I got them both upstairs, read them a book in their nursery, put DD in her crib and then DS in my room and listened to my DS cry for about 3 minutes, and my DD is still crying/whining a 1/2 hour later! However, she is a very determined and stubborn little girl and is starting to get ready for one long nap, so that is probably her issue (I still need my morning shower and am trying to keep them on the same schedule, so wish me luck).

I'll be honest, it is not easy on your own and you'll miss holding them after they eat on the way to their nap, but it really will work and the crying really doesn't last very long after the first day or two. If you stick with it, you'll find that almost immediately after you leave the room they quiet down and fall asleep. What a wonderful feeling it is!

One thing I read by Dr. Weissbluth that really helps me in these transition times, is that you are teaching your children to sleep well which is so important for them for a lifetime. You are certainly not hurting them by a little crying (which always FEELS like a lot!) and this too will pass and your little angels will be happily snoozing off on their own sooner than you think if you stick with it.

Now, I am not a childcare professional or a doctor by any means, but I am a first time, somewhat neurotic 30-something mother of twins and, although books and advice do help, I have found that by rolling up my proverbial sleeves and doing the hard work for a couple days (listening to babies cry, missing the old experiences with them) I am ultimately most successful.

Best wishes mommy, listen to your instincts, hang in there and your twins will soon be independent snoozing little angels.
H.

Another book to look at is No Cry Sleep Solution.