So our nighttimes are ok, but day time is a completely different story.

Gabbie has always been a great day sleeper. I have always been able to wrap her, plonk her in, and she's usually asleep by the time I've been upstairs, got Elke and returned.

Elke was always a bit more difficult and up until about 8 months old I was feeding her to sleep for day sleeps. We have since stopped this which was working really well.

We had a period of about 2-3 wks when I could wrap them and walk out and know that they'd go straight to sleep.

BUT - now it's a completely different story. I'm still persevering with wrapping as it's more of a sleep cue than a restraint, but all they do is STAND UP The only way I can get them to sleep is by physically holding them down in their cots until they fall asleep and as you can appreciate this is damn hard with two of them. And it's getting harder.

I've tried leaving them, and they just get so worked up. I can go back in and lie them back down, but they're sitting, and usually standing by the time I turn around, and I'm sure they think it's a game.

I just don't know what to do? Any suggestions?

Oh it's awful isn't it?! Fortunately it passed fairly quickly for us when the novelty of standing wore off. I just persisted and let them cry for a bit, going in only when they were really upset as opposed to whingy, and laying them back down before walking out again without saying anything. If they stand up again I just ignored them and only went back in if/when they got hysterical. They were fine at night too.

I found the newly pulling up stage the most trying age so far. Are they still sick? That probably isn't helping either. Hope you get some reprieve soon!

You poor thing - going through it with one baby is hard enough and I know twins are great fun but when they go through the difficult stages....

How many sleeps are they now having. Perhaps you need to alter their sleep times a little. Are they still sleeping in the same room together? Is one setting the other off?

Sorry for so many questions but it may help with some more suggestions.

Another one here that has just been through that stage. We went back to using sleeping bags for there day sleep so it was a bit harder to get up.

Are they able to get down themselves, at first Kai was unable to get back down so we 'practised' getting down from the standing position while we were playing.

Kerri

Oh god, I remember this horrible stage!! Several times I had to run out into the backyard and yell just to get my frustration out, followed by a good cry.

I had the girls booked into sleep school for a day, but had to wait 2 weeks to get in. Obviously I had to try something in this time, so I managed to find the solution. I ditched the wraps, and went for the sleeping bags! Sleeping problem fixed!!

I concluded that because they could now move around, they were unwrapping themselves, and then couldn't settle because they were too cold. And all this happened in the middle of summer, so it took me a while to think of the sleeping bag.

Give it a go. I hope it works for you like it did for me.

Yep, they're able to get down themselves so they're not upset because they're stuck.

They wear grobags to bed at night, and can also stand up in these so I'm not sure if that would be much of a restraint either.

They still need two day sleeps - normally 9am and 2pm. Ideally I'd like 1.5hrs as they seem to function really well throughout the day on that much sleep. I don't like to let them sleep past 3.30pm as it makes them harder to get down at night time. Today I tried just going back in when they were really upset, but 3.30 rolled around and they hadn't slept at all, and that was after only 30mins this morning so all in all a pretty rotten day.

They are over the worst of their colds, still a little snotty, and I'm sure that isn't helping things either.

One question I thought of tonight-
Our bedtime routine is feed, teeth, bath, dressed, bed. After getting dressed Elke goes in her rocker with her dummy, and I hold Gabbie for their lullaby (a song on CD) after which they both go straight to bed (without dummy). Do you think me holding Gabbie is contributing to her being harder to settle for day sleeps?? Tonight I didn't hold her, just put her in and she cried for 10-15mins and finally settled after some patting (but no picking up)??

also - any opinions/experiences with the Safe T Sleep??

YAY they're sleeping!! AND I put them both in awake and walked out!!

It was the sleeping bags - thanks guys - absolute lifesavers

My boys went through the same thing.

In the end I discovered that:

a) they no longer needed two sleeps as they were going to bed of a night at 6pm and waking at 8am and

b) they needed to stay up longer of a morning. I had been keeping them up for three hours and then putting them back to bed, but then discovered they were quite happy to stay up for four hours and by then they were nice and tired.

Are they tired when you are putting them down?

Another thing that I have just started to do is put down the baby that falls to sleep the fastest first. Then 10 minutes later I put down their brother. This is because they were both starting the nonsense again with wanting to stand up and talking to each other (they are 13 months). Now when the 2nd baby goes for their nap, the other baby is asleep and they follow suit.

Hope this helps if for someone reason the sleeping bags stop working. It is such a fast learning curves having twins!

Just wanted to say I'm happy they both went straight to sleep for you today!! I hope you have just as much luck tomorrow!

See, sleeping bags are wonderful inventions.

Safe-t-sleeps were the thing that saved my sanity, we used them up until 14 months and then even used them again when we put the boys into bed at 2 years (stopped them getting out of bed and mucking around!!)

Congrats on getting them to sleep!

I have to say i used the safe t sleep wit my DD and it is fantastic. The sleeping bags didnt work in the longterm for us because it wasnt holding her down!

She is now 2 1/2 and she still has her safe t sleep, she doesnt like to sleep without it, i think it helps remind them of being wrapped cos it is something around their tummy.

I have another 2 sfe t sleeps in the cupboard for my twins. I figure if it worked last time it should this time too. They are not cheap but they are well worth it!

Best of luck

Ok, so now they're in there in their sleeping bags chatting away (and standing up). I did wonder about them going to one sleep per day - but they're too young aren't they???

ETA (8mins later)
Sleeping beauties!!

Mine were 8 months old yesterday and bang on cue wouldn't you know it one of them started standing up in bed. The trouble I have is that they are already in sacks and she just stands up in it and thinks its a great laugh. They are also starting to babble and laugh at each other and lob their dummies over near the other's cot.(yeah real funny)

Anyway my approach is to only go in if they get really distressed and eventually they put themselves to sleep yesterday. Am about to put them down for a sleep now - I hope they don't do it!

I am also thinking about changing their sleep times but am not that keen because I want them them to sleep at least once a day at the same time as my daughter. The other thing I am thinking about is separate rooms for daytime sleeps but back together at night.

Its all too much really ... only four more years and they start school.

I've also found that tucking the end of their sleeping bag under the end of their mattress stops them standing up.

They're down in <10mins again this afternoon.

Aaaaargh! I think it is contagious

I have just spent the last 53 minutes (I kid you not) going in and out of O & L's room laying them down and replacing their dummies, only to hear them get straight back up and chirp and carry on with each other. I think they are now finally asleep- which is just awesome as I will have to wake them up in about half an hour to collect DD from school .

They are in sleeping bags too but have just started this carry-on about a week ago for their day sleeps

You read my mind!

Mine were down in less than 10 mins today too. Here's wishing you all (and myself)good luck for tomorrow!

Grub - How are they sleeping now? Was it just a phase?

I actually told someone the other day that my boys were good day sleepers. Stupid stupid me. Now they are fight EVERY sleep.. Standing, screaming, laughing. No kidding, They were in their cots for 1.5 hours 2 days ago before I just got them up. What sleeping bags do people use in the day? It's too hot for their fleece one or the curly top one. I also can't let them "cry it out" as Isaac gets hot and this makes him itchy and then he scratches himself to pieces, even with mittens. So technically I can let Jacob cry it out but not Isaac.

Any new advice? How is everyone else going? When does everyone elses babies sleep? I am slowly going mad.

ETA - I am only just starting my boys on solids now and they are still yet to sleep through the night, whether this makes a difference. Isaac will have 2-3 bottles over night and Jacob will have 1 or 2.

Mine are nearly two and one of them just last night slept through for about the fourth time ever.

I don't know whether to or !

Oh, hopefully this thread will restore some of my sanity!

Am going to look into these Safe-T-Sleep things, our problem is really just Kyla though. Isaiah is mostly a pretty good sleeper, but, Kyla really can get me to the point of tears. She is easily woken, sleeps very little and is very very hard to settle.

I've heard the theory that 'sleep breeds sleep' i.e if they have good long day naps they are more likely to sleep longer and better at night, however, both of these babies have decided that one day nap some days is enough. Then, we have the problem of them wanting to go to bed for the night early, then, waking at 1am and deciding its play time...

Ok, enough whining from me - will be keeping an eye on this thread for more great advice!