The Practically Perfect Baby - How to Successfully Schedule Your TwinsThe Practically Perfect Baby

One of our practical parents offers her sage advice on how to get your twins successfully on a schedule…because you TOO can truly establish REAL normalcy and harmony in a twin household.

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Welcome to the world of twin parenting!

As parents of two singleton girls, my husband and I were thrilled to discover that I was pregnant with our third baby. That delight quickly turned to dismay when I discovered at 8 weeks that we were expecting two bundles of joy. The first thought that ran through my head was “I am never going to sleep again” the second being “I am never going to have a moment to myself again.” As a mother who had lived and died by the schedule with my singletons, the thought that scheduling would be impossible with twins sent me into a tailspin. I cried for a week (I blame hormones).

After the shock wore off and I got my gumption back, I decided I better figure out quickly how I was going to manage having twins and scheduling. Through a combination of trial and error, patience and persistence, we established a twin schedule that saved our sanity. And you can too!

But first, it’s important to note at the outset that as parents of twins you will face certain challenges that parents of singletons usually do not. While some twins are born full-term and progress in line with full-term singletons, most twins are born prematurely. Premature babies tend to sleep constantly, which can lead to problems with gaining weight appropriately. Because the babies may not be gaining weight as they should, they sleep all the time. It can become a vicious cycle. Don’t give up hope though. You can get your twins on a schedule — but you must be cognizant of, and sensitive to the fact that twins may have higher needs than a full-term singleton. With this in mind, this is how I know you can get your twins on a schedule, successfully:

Rule #1: Establish ONE schedule for both babies.

The best piece of advice I have for you is: keep the babies on the SAME schedule. When one baby is hungry, feed them both. When one baby needs to be changed, change them both. When one baby needs to go down for a nap, put them both down for a nap. I know this won’t always seem practical. However, you must do this in order to get the babies following the same routine.

Having said that, I know the first couple of weeks after having a baby (much less twins) are chaotic. But there’s no harm in trying to get your twins on schedule immediately. Newborns don’t always want to cooperate with grand plans so some days early on aren’t going to be a success. But please keep at it. Just remember this: if you follow the above mentioned advice, at a minimum you will quickly have your twins eating and sleeping at the same time, thereby allowing for a seamless transition to a firmer schedule as soon as is possible.

Tip: For newborn twins, try starting out with our PPB’s Birth – 3 Weeks Schedule, Option B.

Rule #2: Be flexible, but not too flexible.

When putting your twins on a schedule, you’re going to need to be a little more flexible than the parent of a scheduled singleton. But please note, being flexible does not mean disposing of a schedule altogether! I cannot express to you the importance of getting your twins on the same schedule. If you do not, you will not have a free moment to yourself, much less for your husband or any other children you may have. That being said, you need to be flexible when establishing a schedule for twins. The goal is to get the twins on a schedule, but to not make everyone miserable in the process!

The best starting point is to choose an age-appropriate PPB schedule. And remember, as I mentioned above, twins oftentimes face challenges that full-term singletons do not, so bear this in mind when determining how strictly to incorporate the schedule into your babies’ lives. Your twins may take longer to adjust to a schedule. Your twins may need night-time feedings longer than a singleton baby. Your twins may need a little more sleep. Whether your twins experience all, some, or none of these issues, the solution is the same: keep them on a schedule! You just need to modify the schedule you’re using to meet your twins’ particular needs.

Tip: Make sure your twins’ crib and nursery is set up for good sleep: Crib Essentials, Nursery Organization

Rule #3: Stay positive.

I know this sounds cliché, but it is critical to remain positive in order to survive (and enjoy) those first couple of weeks with your twins. In the chaos of those weeks, it is hard to believe you will ever get your child on a schedule and have some semblance of order back in your home. But through the sleep-deprived haze, please remember:

You will get your baby on a schedule.

You will sleep again.

You will go out to dinner again.

You will be able to put the babies down and have a meal in peace again.

You will have all of the above again, I promise.

However, until that time, make the conscious decision to really enjoy your time with your newborn babies as they transition into their new scheduled routines because before you know it, these moments will be a memory and you will be left wondering how it passed by so quickly.

Tip: Have your partner keep an eye out for the signs of baby blues (which can literally be doubled when you’ve just delivered twins!) and postpartum depression: Read PPB’s Baby Blues vs. PPD post because there is no need to suffer either condition!

Know that I’m wishing you tons of success with your twin babies,

Becky Buxton, PPB Guest Writer

P.S. Start them off in the same nursery crib and then move them into two cribs (still in the same nursery) at 4 months or when they really start moving around.

As a former attorney and mother of four, Becky Buxton currently stays at home with her two singleton daughters, twin boys, and lives with her husband in Auburn, Alabama.

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