Help! I have 22 month old twin daughters who still don't sleep through the night. They share a room but they each have their own full size beds. We got into the habit of laying down with them until they fall asleep and then my husband and I would try to make our way to our bed. However, now my husband can't passify either one of the girls and its all left up to me. By the time I get them asleep and head off to bed myself, it seems like one will wake up crying when she finds that I am not laying next to her and her crying seems to wake her sister so then I find myself back to square one again. I am willing to try any suggestions. Thanks

Hello! I can definitely understand what you're going through. I have 26 month old identical twin girls. (they turned 2 in march) Anyway, I was bound and determined to have good sleepers, so I started the different sleep techniques when they were around 6 months old. It sounds like you may have to start instilling sleep habits with yours the same way you'd start with a newborn. My girls sleep great, about a full 12 hours at night and 2 to 3 hour nap every afternoon. Although, mine are still in the cribs, so my advice may be a little easier for me to follow than it would be for you. But, the first thing I did when I really started "laying down the law" was to put them to bed while they were DROWSY, but still awake. I'd rock them for about 15 min or so, then lay them down. If they cry for a few minutes, that's OK. Just go into the room every few minutes to re-assure them, but don't pick them up! Come up with some soothing words you say everytime you try to get them to sleep. Repeat these words as you go to their beds, cover them up and leave. Repeat it over and over if you have to. Just don't pick them up or give in to what they want. Establishing a routine is also very helpful. My girls know that every night when they take a bath, they get dressed, then sit down on the couch with me for a few minutes and drink their milk. While they are drinking their milk I start telling them that it's bedtime and we're going to go lay down with our blankies. They're not always happy about it, but they don't cry or fight me on it like they used to. Whatever you want to incorporate into your routine, just do the same thing every night. My girls don't want my husband at bedtime either. Or when they're sick, or if they fall down and get hurt....so I know what that's like as well. When they started doing that at bedtime, I just had to say ok you know what, it's time for bed. Goodnight. Then leave the room. They both wanted me to hold them and rock them, and they were just getting to darn heavy for it. I had to stop worrying about whether or not one would wake the other. And most of the time they did wake the other. If they both woke up then they could both just cry and go back to sleep. I'd go to them once or twice to give them hugs and kisses and tell them to lay down and go back to sleep. So that is what has worked for me. Now, if one of them happens to wake during the night, and cries enough for me to go to their room, all they really need is a hug and kiss, then I say OK, lay back down and go back to sleep.....and they'll plop themselves down and that's it. And, the other one usually doesn't even hear it. You just have to let them get used to the other one's noises. For me, it only took a few weeks for mine to really understand that bedtime means bedtime, and nobody is going to hold you all night long. But that was also when mine were smaller, and I've never slept in the same bed with either of them. Well, there has been a couple times if one was sick I'd lay her in my bed with me, but only for an hour or so. Now, if one starts to act like she wants to come to my bed, all I really have to say is, No you're going to go lay in your bed with your blankies, in your room with your sister. Another technique I've seen, but I haven't tried, is where you slowly move further away from your child's bed day by day. Like the first night you'd lay on the floor right next to the bed. Then the next night, a little closer to the door. And so on, until you're no longer in the room. But I've not heard how well it works. Also, when they wake up, don't reinforce it by talking to them or "rewarding" them for it. Like I said, go to them and say "goodnight, it's bedtime," and walk away. Don't give them extra attention for waking up or they'll continue it. There is a book that I would recommend, its called "The No-Cry Sleep Solution." Its a good book that offers a lot of insight into ways of getting children of all ages to sleep through the night. You just have to try everything and STICK TO IT!! Pick out bits and pieces of everyone's advice and find what works best for you. I hope something I said will help you. Like I said, I still have mine in cribs so it's a lot easier for me to put them to bed and walk away, they can't get out. I'll probably be the one on here looking for advice when we get them into new beds!! Good Luck!!

maybe you could try putting them in different rooms. Or just keep putting them back in bed and don't lay down with them.

Someone recommended the book "The no cry sleep solution"; there is a follow up called "The no cry sleep solution for toddlers and preschoolers". It might be more age appropriate.

quote:

Originally posted by katyray85:
maybe you could try putting them in different rooms. Or just keep putting them back in bed and don't lay down with them.

That's something similar along the lines of what Supernany does.

She is always instructing parents to put the kids to back to bed, no contact and once they're in their bed, do not go in there.

It may take a few hours, the first night, but eventually it works. The kids fall asleep and no longer cry for their parents or climb out of bed (in some cases).

This is very hard . I am kinda in the same situation but worse . i dont have twins but 2 girls 3 and 4 which are 11 months apart so kinda like twins. They have always slept with me and I have baby #3 on the way and neither of them want to sleep in their room. They have twin beds and a bedroom but all they do in there is mess it up but no sleep. I have 3 1/2 months to go. Dh is very unsupportive and thinks they should be allowed to sleep with me/us till they want.
Sorry I wasnt much help but you are not alone.