Dear twin mom, we know you’re most likely suffering from sleep deprivation, but don’t worry, we have the solution for you!
Although there are a lot of useless pieces of advice about how to raise your newborn twins, there is one piece of advice that is old but gold, and we can’t argue against it. In order to be able to get some sleep for yourself, you need to have your babies on the same sleeping routine.
Yes, sleep training twins is one of the hardest tasks that any new twin mom has to face, but without it you’re pretty much lost. And I’m not exaggerating.
We’re here to share with you the best sleep training twins tips and guide you along the way of going to bed with a smile on your face.
Identical, But Individuals
Yes, your twin babies might share the same embryonic sac, but that doesn’t mean that they’re the same individual. Quite the opposite, they each have their own needs, feelings, as well as routines, even as infants. While most parents tend to treat their babies as the same person and try and impose the same habits on both of them, this tactic is only a recipe for disaster.
This means that their sleep training patterns may vary, as well. It’s definitely not a mission impossible, but you should be prepared for the long wait. And remember that it’s totally okay if one of the twins catches on before their sibling does, but it’s okay, because they’ll both get there eventually. This is by no means a reason to make the other sibling feel ashamed or not good enough.
When Can You Start Sleep Training Twins?
We know that you can’t wait until your babies are going to bed at the same time, but hold off, momma.
Given that your babies are healthy and born full-term you should be able to start sleep training them between 4 and 6 months, as this is when babies are old enough to self-soothe and fall asleep independently.
If your twins are born prematurely (before 37 weeks of pregnancy), you may need to go by their adjusted age to determine when it’s an appropriate time to start sleep training twins.
Should you decide to wait longer than the recommended time you’re risking your twins developing a sleep regression, which makes it harder to sleep train them.
How to Sleep Train 4-Month-Old Twins?
Why should you start sleep training 4 month-old twins? Because this is when most babies are starting to drop their nighttime feedings and are ready to sleep for longer stretches of time. This is also the recommended age by expert doctors.
But before you start the sleep training ordeals you need to guard yourself with heaps of patience and strong will, because it won’t be easy. But know that with time and practice, you can definitely be successful. Here are our best tips for feeding, naps and bedtime routines that can impact your twins’ sleep schedules:
- Always lay your babies down on their backs! This prevents them from choking or having SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome)
- The sleep train twin mattress matters! Always make sure that your babies are sleeping on a firm mattress, even if they’re sleeping outside of their twin bassinets and cribs. Also, avoid any toys, blankets, pillows or bumpers around your sweethearts. We love the Dream on Me 3″ Spring Coil Portable Crib Mattress, because it’s Greenguard Gold Certified to ensure optimum health, safety and peace of mind. Plus, you can take it anywhere to ensure that your babies always have a firm surface to sleep on.
- Develop all sorts of routines for your babies. When we talk about routines we don’t mean just sleep training twins, but also tandem feeding, tandem potty training and tandem playtime. This will help you with establishing a regular sleeping routine. This means that if one twin wakes up before the other one, you need to wake up the other twin, as well, even if it’s in the middle of the night.
- Make sure that your babies are not overheating. The ideal room temperature for your newborn twins is 68-72 degrees Fahrenheit. Also, dress them in lightweight, breathable materials. Parents love seeing their angels in all of the Twin Onesies by TwinStuff. We absolutely adore the Miracle Onesie by TwinStuff, because it’s super fun, soft and your babies can nap with style. We couldn’t agree more with the slogan on the Miracle Onesies: “sometimes when you wish for a miracle… you get two”.
- Add white noise. A sound machine that plays a repetitive rhythm can help ease a baby to sleep. Although not mandatory, it’s definitely a nice addition to your sleep training twins ordeal. We love the Magicteam White Noise Machine, because it features 20 non-looping sleep sounds, so you can be sure that at least one of them will do the job.
Can Twins Sleep in the Same Crib?
That seems to be the question of the decade. There are lots of conflicting opinions yet no unanimous conclusion has been made.
On the one hand, doctors believe that it’s not a good idea if your twins are sleeping in the same crib, because it could be quite dangerous for your babies. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) firmly advises against having a shared bed for your twins. The reason is that sharing a crib can increase the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).
SIDS is one of the biggest concerns of parents of both singletons and multiples. Although the chance of this happening is quite minimal, approximately 1 in 2,000 infants, twins are at a higher risk because they are often born prematurely at 37 weeks or even earlier up to 32 weeks, or have low birth weights. Having two separate beds for your twins will limit the chances of your babies becoming entangled with one another, suffocating or getting overheated.
On the other hand, some parents believe that twins should share a room or a crib is quite beneficial for twin babies, because it resembles the womb experience their babies had when they were in mommy’s tummy. They are already comfortable with being with each other, which means that sharing the same crib can help them get adjusted to the new world together and faster.
If you decide to put your infants in the same crib you should only do this for the first 3 months. Once your babies start wiggling and turning around the chances of SIDS increase significantly. Make sure you designate a spot for each twin in the crib and establish bedtime routines, so that they don’t get entangled with each other. Position them at opposite sides of the twin crib, or place them head-to-head, or get a crib divider for twins.
Twin Sleep Training and Feeding Schedule
Even wondered how some twin moms get to have a few more hours of sleep than you, and always seem to be on top of everything? We’ve uncovered their sacred – sleep training twins. While you might have given this a shot already and decided that it isn’t for you, with patience and practice you will achieve the results you want! And believe me, you want your twins to be on the same sleeping and feeding schedule, so that you can dedicate some “me time”. With our trusted tips & tricks you will be able to master the sleep training twins ordeals.
