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Rountine help or advice please?

Hi, My twins are now 9wk old and we need a routine (or should i say i need a routine)...

I have been wanting to start for a week or so, but have been trying to figure one out with the natural pattern of whats happens now and I have also been waiting for the clocks to change this wknd!

My girls feed every 4 hrs and currently take 6oz bottles, we get 5 feeds in a day (occasionally 6, but we dont exceed 30-32oz's), does this sound right??

Currently we dont have any bedtime rountine, except for just over a wk now i have fed between 7-8pm then done a top up feed (whatever they'll take) between 9-10pm, trying to keep them asleep (is this dreamfeeding??) This seems to have worked and i get till about 5.30am with them after this feed.

I think my rountine should go something like this.... Am i right??

7am - wake up and feed
8.30-9.30 - Nap time
11am - Feed
12.30 - 1.30 - Nap time
3pm - Feed
4.30-5pm - nap time
6.30 - bedtime routine (wash/change)
7pm - feed
10pm ish - top up feed

My questions are... how long should they nap for?? Is 30 mins ok? If they nap longer should i wake them? When should playtime be in this rountine?? Is bathing at night the best time? Whats the latest they should nap, to ensure a long nights sleep?

Sorry for all the Questions, but these are my first babies and really would appreciate the advice, tips, reccomendations etc...

Em x

Replies

  • hi Em!

    fisrt, i've never had twins, so dont know how much it will differ, but.....

    napping - i'd let them nap for as long as they want - they gradually change the pattern themselves, but are also manipulated by travel- in the pram, car etc. my personal feelings (after 3 kids!) is that good sleeping during the day doesnt cause them to be awake at night, but to sleep better at night!!! my first was a crap day and night sleeper, but the other 2 had lengthy naps, and slept well at night!

    feeding - you seem to be doing ok with them, so dont worry about that. also dont worry if they do exceed what it says on the back of the milk box every now and then- that is only a guide. babies take what they need, stop when they want, or sick back what they guzzled that wont fit in.!

    again, this is a personal feeling, but i wouldnt bother with the dream feed - i feel this is done for you, not them - we think if they have it, they wont wake the same over night, but i'm not convinced - i did it with my first, he fed about 7, i dream fed him at 10-11 - basically force feeding him- until 1 night he was sick everywhere - re bathed, clean pj's etc etc - he screamed, i cried.... blah blah! i never did it at 10-11 again, and he still went til 3am which is what he did before! i didnt do it with the others, and they all found their own natural bedtime after bath, then bottle about 7:30!

    bathing is your choice again - i've found it much easier in the evening with working, older kids etc, and i think it works well for us.

    playtime - pretty much when it suits you all again- you can let them play on their own too, as if you are constantly with them when awake, you may make a rod for your own back when they are bigger!

    it will click for you all, i promise! :\)
  • Hi, again I think Ollier has covered it for us, the only thing I'll add is your question about how late to let them nap to get a good nightsleep. Some books say not after 3pm ,but I think so long as baby has been up for 2 or more hours before you put to bed then they should be fine. My lo naps at 4.15ish for 40mins and goes down at 7.30 for a full night with no bother at all.
    Sounds like you're doing a grand job with two though. S x
  • Thanks ladies!

    I missed one more Question though... where should hey nap? Mine do it on me, in bouncy chair, on playnest etc... but should i be putting them in the cot?



  • They are only little and I think when my lo was this age I let him nap wherever he fell asleep. Now he's older he naps in his cot when we're at home, if not in his pram or car seat.
    I think now he's older I can see his tired signs a lot easier so I just whip him up and put him in his cot. When he was little I would go away to put kettle on and he would be asleep on play mat by the time I got back, I just left him there if he seemed happy enough. If they fall asleep on you, enjoy it. Before long they'll be bigger and won't want to snooze on you anymore. S x
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