Think for a minute about all the things you do before crawling into bed each night.
You may not realize it, but even as an adult, there is some semblance of a bedtime routine that you follow.
What would happen if one night you changed some of those steps?
You’d probably have a harder time falling asleep.
And that is why we are emphasizing the IMPORTANCE of establishing a consistent bedtime routine for your twins from the moment they are born!
It is pretty safe to say that every new twin mom hopes for peaceful sleepers.
Hours are spent scouring the internet for solutions for your sleep deprivation so you and your twins can sleep through the night.
Well mama….before you can begin sleep training your babies YOU NEED A BEDTIME ROUTINE!
Why is a bedtime routine so important for sleep training your twins?
Babies thrive off of routines. Period.
A calming and consistent bedtime routine signals to your babies that sleep is coming, which will help your twins to fall asleep independently.
And that’s the ultimate goal of sleep training……to get your babies to fall asleep on their own and to get themselves back to sleep when they wake throughout the night.
The important thing is not WHAT you do each night as you put your twins to bed, but HOW.
You could stand on your head and sing Jingle Bells three times as long as you do that EVERY NIGHT!
Decide on 6-8 steps that you will follow each night for a realistic bedtime routine that lasts 20-30 minutes.
Begin establishing your routine early on and be consistent.
That way you’ll be one step closer getting your twins to sleep like champs!
5 Things to Include At Bedtime:
Really, the steps that you decide to follow each night at bedtime are up to you. It doesn’t matter what you do, as long as you follow the same steps each and every night.
A simple routine could look like this: you might change a diaper or have them go potty (if appropriate), put on pajamas, give your babies a final bottle or nurse (again if age appropriate), brush their teeth, read a few stories and then tuck them in with a kiss goodnight.
The purpose of your bedtime ritual is to calm your kiddos down and signal to them that it is time to sleep.
So you may also want consider these 5 ideas:
- Put your babies to bed at the same time each night. The more predictable your schedule is the easier bedtime will be.
- Play Soothing music to help create a calm environment. Use quiet slow music as opposed to your favorite freeze dance jams!
- Dim the lights to begin setting the stage for sleep and get your babies settled.
- A warm bath can be relaxing for young babies. I found that as my twins grew older, baths became more exciting rather than calming when they could splash around in the water. Eventually, I had to take it out of our bedtime routine, but initially, it was a great soothing tool for bedtime.
- Baby massage is a great time to bond with your baby and it relaxes their muscles, getting them ready for peaceful sleep.
Just remember mama, it doesn’t matter what you choose to do each night just so long as you do the same thing EVERY NIGHT!
Isn’t it great that you can start “training” your babies to be awesome sleepers the minute they are born?
So as you embark on the beautiful journey of twin motherhood, be intentional and consistent to help your sweet babes become peaceful sleepers!
If you have ideas for your bedtime rituals — or things you want to try to stop the bedtime battles — we’d love to hear about them!
Just leave a comment and let’s connect!
