Daytime v Nighttime Feeding Schedule

[frailgirl]

Hello! First time poster, first time overwhelmed adopted dad to twin boys 11 weeks (5 weeks adjusted). My husband and I were given the go ahead from the pediatrician to let the boys wake us up at night for feeds and stop the regimented “every three hours.” This results in one usually going longer than the other, at that point we wake both up and feed them. We tried to feed both on our own, but it was overwhelming and was taking 2-hours with lots of tears. That was a month or so ago, we may revisit now that they are outgrowing some of their feeding issues. We have a Table For Two, maybe now with a bit more head control it will go better.

My question is, based on your experience:

1) Should we keep waking them both up, if only one is fussing?

2) If we do that, how do we get them back on the same schedule during the day? (Let’s say one ate at 4 and the other at 6). Just wake up at 7 and try a bottle, then go three-hours from there?

TIA

 

[zachariah89]

@frailgirl We never did shifts because we just wanted it done faster so we could sleep.

We wine both until we noticed one wouldn’t stir much and then we tested leaving her and she slept through.

Then we would just feed one and try and align to our normal feeding times together.

 

[madria]

@zachariah89 We never did shifts either. Just didn’t make sense for us.

 

[flyboyruss]

@frailgirl Mine were similar, but we always woke up the one who was sleeping and offered a bottle. We were on a strict 2.5 hour feeding schedule for weight gain, then got the go ahead for letting them cue us, when we'd wake the other baby, then for the first morning feed we kind of met in the middle. So if they ate at 5 am we'd feed at 8, then adjust our schedule throughout the day. Mine are five months now, four adjusted, and neither wake to eat at night. We LIVED by our feeding schedule and honestly still do.

 

[frailgirl]

@flyboyruss OK thank you, and I’m assuming that you and your partner both woke up to feed each time?

 

[goodward]

@frailgirl We did this. Woke up the other one. Because if not we would be up again in like 40 minutes anyway.

And for us we both got up. Some people promote the shifts here but for us we both got up for every feed when they were little like this.

 

[flyboyruss]

Yep we both got up. I thought feeding them both when they were that little was easier with two people, but if you have a twinz pillow or table for two you definitely can do it alone, that's what I do now.

 

[katherinemoening]

@frailgirl We always fed & changed both even if only one woke up day or night. Both of us got up for the night wakes and, one would change them while the other would warm up bottles (we would pre-made them for all the night feeds in advance before we went to bed, then wash all the bottles/repeat in the am) then we would each feed one, change them again and settle them down. It was much taste this way. Occasionally my partner who does better with little sleep and wasnt also pumping would take both out of the room and feed both/prop bottles once they were bigger.

 

[frailgirl]

@katherinemoening Thank you!

 

[jekamean]

@frailgirl My little ones are 5 months and no longer wake up at night for feedings, but when they were smaller my husband and I would do shifts. We would always feed both boys together even if that meant waking one up.

 

[cookie1720]

@jekamean I have one that’s ready to sleep through feeds and one that is still needing to eat every 3-4 hours for weight gain. Worried that waking the one ready to sleep through will teach her to wake up during the night!

 

[madria]

@frailgirl When we got the all clear, we would try to pacify the one who woke up first until the other woke up. If the first waker was just not having it and ready to eat, we’d wake the other one at that point. It was just easiest for us to keep them eating at the same time. We also started using pitchers of formula around this time so all we had to do was fill the bottle and warm it.

 

[mungomerbeliever]

@frailgirl No do not wake up one that is sleeping. You want them sleeping through the night. If they aren't under weight let them sleep.

 

[cevans07]

@frailgirl My twins are 8 months old and I still wake the other one (if they don't sleep through...). You will be up a lot during the night while they are still little if you don't make them be on the same schedule.

Basically if you do something for one, always do it for the second one. It makes life so much easier. If one needs a new diaper, change both. If one needs to eat, feed both. If one wakes up from a nap, wake the other.

 

[cookie1720]

@frailgirl I was literally coming on here to ask the same question except we have the go ahead to let one twin sleep as long as she wants and the other wake every 4 hours. Worried that waking the one ready to sleep longer stretches will teach them to keep waking up instead of sleeping through but it’s so hard having them on different schedules

 

[frailgirl]

@cookie1720 Oh gosh, that is tough! No clue, but it feels like their sleep schedules will change many many times over the coming months and years-maybe waking them both up won’t set any kind of precedence because it’s going to shift anyways? No expert here!

Also just because one has permission to sleep through the night, doesn’t mean they actually will.

 

[faithgirl2000]

@frailgirl I also have identical twin boys. We have a twin z and it has been a real lifesaver for me. When my husband is not here I can easily feed both babies at the same time in it. I put a rolled up blanket so they're being fed in a side lying position that they do really well with. I also don't have to listen to one yell while I'm feeding the first. I also have a table for 2 and only tried it once and realized they were not old enough and did not have good enough neck control yet. They are currently 17 weeks old, 7 weeks adjusted.
We also just got the ok to feed on demand. When one twin wakes up honestly, usually the other wakes up after hearing the first scream. If he doesn't I wake him up and feed him. Otherwise he'll pop up shortly.

 

[frailgirl]

@faithgirl2000 We have the table for two and found the same thing, that they just weren’t big enough yet. We’re hoping to give that another try eventually. But for now we are doing all right with getting up. Again, they’re really only waking us up one to two times a night. And providing us with pretty decent stretches so it’s OK and manageable for now.