We know how amazing and, at the same time, challenging it can be to welcome more than one little bundle of joy. When you have two, three, or even more babies all needing love and attention, life can be a whirlwind. One of the biggest challenges is figuring out sleep routines that actually work, not just for your babies but for you too! Here's some tips and tricks to help your little ones sleep better, making your day-to-day life just a little bit easier.
Sharing a Cot: Comfort Through Closeness
When your babies are newborns, there’s something incredibly comforting about being close to their siblings. They spent months together in the womb, hearing each other’s heartbeats and feeling each other’s movements, so it makes sense that being close after birth feels natural and comforting for them. A shared cot can be a wonderful way to help ease them into the world.
Individual Sleep Spaces in the Same Room
As your little ones grow, they may start to need their own space, even though they still enjoy the comfort of being close to each other. At this point, moving them into individual cots in the same room can be a good move. It allows you to respect their growing independence while maintaining that reassuring closeness.
Getting Into a Sleep Routine
When you’re parenting multiples, having some structure can make a world of difference. Getting into a consistent sleep schedule is key—but it’s also something that takes time, patience, and plenty of flexibility.
Try to synchronise your babies’ sleep times as much as possible, but remember, it won’t always go smoothly. It’s okay if it takes some time, and sometimes it’s just about finding what works for you all, even if it’s different from what you initially planned. Stay open to adjusting your approach as you learn what suits each of your little ones, and know that you’re doing great!
Synchronising Sleep and Feeding Times
One approach that can help make life a little more manageable is trying to synchronise sleep and feeding times. This doesn’t happen overnight, but with gentle persistence, you can start to bring some alignment to your babies' schedules.
When one baby wakes up for a feed, try gently waking the other too. Gradually, they’ll start to follow similar patterns, making it easier for you to get through the day with a bit more predictability. Of course, this isn’t always perfect, and there will still be times when one baby has their own ideas—but even a bit of synchronisation can make a big difference.
Synchronising sleep and feeding times can be a bit of a hot topic. There are pros and cons, and it really comes down to what works best for you and your family.
Arguments for Synchronising Sleep Times:
Routine and Predictability: Aligning their sleep times can help you create a more predictable schedule, giving you some much-needed rest while they’re all sleeping.
Lower Stress Levels: When your babies are on similar schedules, you avoid the feeling of always being “on call” for different needs at different times, which can really help lower your stress and make it easier to stay focused on your babies.
Babies Are Adaptable: Some experts believe that babies are quite adaptable and that, with a bit of gentle guidance, they’ll learn to fall into a new rhythm fairly easily.
Arguments Against Synchronising:
Individual Needs Matter: Every baby is different, and each has their own sleep requirements. Waking a sleeping baby can disrupt their natural rhythm and might lead to crankiness.
Stress on the Baby: Sometimes, waking a baby doesn’t go smoothly—they may become irritable, which then affects everyone’s mood and the whole day.
Following Baby’s Cues: Many parents prefer to let their babies find their own rhythm, believing that this makes for happier and more settled babies.
The best approach is whatever makes your family’s life easier and more joyful, so try different strategies and see what works for you.
Creating Bedtime Rituals
Having a consistent bedtime routine can work wonders for helping your babies settle down for the night. This could be something simple and soothing like a warm bath, a gentle story, or some quiet cuddling time. Babies love routine, and doing the same calming activities each night signals to them that it’s time to wind down. Find a routine that works for you and that you can manage every evening without added stress.
Creating a Comfortable Sleep Environment
Your babies’ sleeping environment can make a big difference too. Keep the room quiet, dark, and at a comfortable temperature—ideally between 16 and 19 degrees Celsius. Blackout curtains can help keep the room dark during daytime naps, and a white noise machine can mask any background noise that might otherwise disturb their sleep. A well-ventilated room also helps keep your little ones comfortable throughout the night.
Seek Support When You Need It
Parenting multiples is a big job, and you don’t have to do it alone. It’s okay—and really important—to seek support. Connecting with other parents of multiples can be hugely helpful. They get it, and they can share advice that has worked for them or simply be there to listen. There are also special groups and professionals who can help, whether you need practical advice or just some encouragement.
Remember, you’re doing an amazing job, even on the days when it doesn’t feel like it. Raising twins, triplets, or more is an incredible adventure, and finding a sleep routine that works will make it all a little easier. Take things one day at a time, be kind to yourself, and celebrate every small win. You’ve got this!
We know having twins can be expensive. We, therefore, offer parents of twins (or more!) a 10% discount on all non-discounted items when purchasing at least two items. Please send your membership details for the twin organisation you belong to i.e. TAMBA, to: services@slumbersac.co.uk to receive your discount code.
