I began to write a post about my daily schedule with the girls and I realized how much energy, money and thought I’ve put into these girls sleeping 12 hours a night. It was so much that it became it’s own blog post!
Having read and spent money on a LOT of sleep programs and books, I sort of picked through and I chose what worked best for the girls. Having two babies in one room meant a lot of trial and error. What worked for one, may not always work for the other.
I schedule their naps around the recommended sleep times from the National Sleep Foundation and the recommended wake times from various books and programs. I never go over the suggested amount of awake time and in general followed the girls’ lead. I really liked the Little Ones program for sleep. And I know a few friends that would recommend the Taking Cara Babies program!
We try to create a healthy environment for sleep in the following ways:
- Dark Room: A very dark room with both these Blackout Curtains from Target and these Blackout Blinds from Amazon.
- Aromatherapy: Having done personal research into essential oils, I feel comfortable with the Plant Therapy brand specifically and am so happy that they have a whole line of kid safe blends to take out the guesswork. And if you’re still guessing, there is a 24-7 customer support hotline where you can literally talk to an aromatherapist! I’m not getting paid to fluff this brand right now either, it’s just that awesome. At night, I will diffuse (using this diffuser) a sleep blend like this one from Plant Therapy:
Currently we’re fighting off colds and rotating these blends from Plant Therapy in the diffuser:
- Safe Sleep Guidelines: We also put them to bed in separate cribs that are spaced safely away from the other. I get this question from just about everyone. They ask if the girls share a crib. After a lot of research, I learned that crib-sharing is not considered a safe sleep environment. Also, I wanted them to have the chance to have quiet time and personal space. If you knew my girls you would laugh to think about them sharing ANYTHING let alone their sleep space.
- Sound Machine: We also use a Sound Machine like this one from Target:
- Swaddle/Sleep Sack: When they were little, the girls hated to be swaddled where they couldn’t access their hands. However, their newborn startle reflex was so frustrating and would sometimes wake them earlier than they wanted to be awake. Luckily for me, I discovered the Love To Dream Swaddle Up sleep sacks. They allow the baby to have their arms up, and self-soothe, while still containing that newborn startle reflex. These served us from the time they were newborns to about 1 year old. I liked that I could transition them easily from one arm at a time without really committing to no sleep sack. They did just fine without them as well.
- Limited Stimulation: I make a point to pick up all of their toys directly after dinner (with their help of course) so that we have time to play and say goodnight to our toys. I also make sure to turn off the TV if it was on, and limit the use of any personal screen time as best I can. I turn off any fluorescent or overhead lights and keep things dim. This is the time we can get the rest of our energy out but also transition into a calmer environment.
- Routine: I always do things the same way, in the same order, using the same phrases. This helps them to know exactly what is happening and limits any surprises or interruptions to their play. I also make sure to continuously communicate what’s happening and what is about to happen. Specifically since the end of the day is when they are the most fussy.
- Quick Exit: We do all of our nighttime routine in the living room and keep our bedrooms a space where we sleep only. We will occasionally spend time there, but it is mainly known to them as a calm quiet space. When it’s time to put them to bed and we’ve said goodnight to everything we can find, I walk into the dark room and place them in their cribs. I repeat ” It’s time to go night-night” over and over and will briefly rub my more rambunctious baby’s back if she needs it before quickly exiting the room. I don’t linger or say anything other than that mantra on repeat. They will of course talk to each other if they’re awake and want to. But for the most part, they’re happy to go to bed.
The most important part of a routine is to keep an open mind. As they grow, their needs grow. By focusing on creating a healthy sleep environment for them, you will have a foundation that allows you to cater to their needs as time goes on.
This is just what works for us now. Who knows how it will change in even just a month! Let me know if I missed something that works wonders for you! I’d love to hear your thoughts!
-Eva
Disclosure: Bear in mind that some of the links in this post are affiliate links and if you go through them to make a purchase I will earn a commission. Please know that I link these companies and their products because of their quality and not because of the commission I receive from your purchases. The decision is yours, and whether or not you decide to buy something is completely up to you.
Domestic Musings 