150 Minutes
We’re trying to establish a schedule with the twins. In the NICU, the nurses checked the stomachs every three hours. If they were empty, the received more milk. If they had undigested milk, they had to wait. The latter occurred rarely, providing more proof that they were my sons because I never miss a meal. If they were hungry before the three-hour check, I guess they went hungry. They were premature, so were likely in a perpetual state of exhaustion that prevented them from complaining.
When we took them home, we tried to keep their three-hour schedule. From sunup to sundown, we fed them every three hours. While we slept, we cheated the gap back to four hours. Sometimes they complained before their next scheduled feeding, but we easily coerced them back into complacency.
As the days progressed, they started waking sooner and complaining harder. I noticed they were waking after two and a half hours, so I decreed that to be their feeding schedule. We fed them every two and a half hours during the day, even if they were sleeping. Whoever said, “never wake a sleeping baby” wasn’t working around the schedules of newborn twins and a 19-month-old. At night, we let them sleep as long as they wanted, which was originally four hours.
As the days progressed, their sleeping time degenerated to three and a half hours, and then three hours. Finally last night, they slept two and a half hours between feedings. That’s 11pm, 1:30am, and 4am, and then we somehow coaxed them to sleep until 8am. That’s what happens when you establish a two and a half hour daytime routine. I hope that’s the bottom, because I’ve been in a fog all day, the kind of fog where you can lose track of minor details like which bowls games are on tonight, which child needs changed, which side of the road you’re supposed to drive on.
We’re moving their feeding schedule back to every three hours. The idea is to keep them asleep for a little longer at night. Much like preemies, Ellie and I are also in a perpetual state of exhaustion, except our exhaustion doesn’t prevent me from complaining. It does prevent me from completing a coherent thought, and if I can just get them to sleep for slightly longer stretches, I might start making more sense.
When we took them home, we tried to keep their three-hour schedule. From sunup to sundown, we fed them every three hours. While we slept, we cheated the gap back to four hours. Sometimes they complained before their next scheduled feeding, but we easily coerced them back into complacency.
As the days progressed, they started waking sooner and complaining harder. I noticed they were waking after two and a half hours, so I decreed that to be their feeding schedule. We fed them every two and a half hours during the day, even if they were sleeping. Whoever said, “never wake a sleeping baby” wasn’t working around the schedules of newborn twins and a 19-month-old. At night, we let them sleep as long as they wanted, which was originally four hours.
As the days progressed, their sleeping time degenerated to three and a half hours, and then three hours. Finally last night, they slept two and a half hours between feedings. That’s 11pm, 1:30am, and 4am, and then we somehow coaxed them to sleep until 8am. That’s what happens when you establish a two and a half hour daytime routine. I hope that’s the bottom, because I’ve been in a fog all day, the kind of fog where you can lose track of minor details like which bowls games are on tonight, which child needs changed, which side of the road you’re supposed to drive on.
We’re moving their feeding schedule back to every three hours. The idea is to keep them asleep for a little longer at night. Much like preemies, Ellie and I are also in a perpetual state of exhaustion, except our exhaustion doesn’t prevent me from complaining. It does prevent me from completing a coherent thought, and if I can just get them to sleep for slightly longer stretches, I might start making more sense.
posted by Matt at
9:48 PM
3 Comments:
Ah, so I see Santa did NOT put that sleep under your tree.
The three-hour schedule is HELL. Here's hoping their stomachs grow and hold more food so they can sleep longer. [fingers crossed]
Four hours straight will leave you feeling somewhat more human. Five or six will make you want to do a happy dance. And when they sleep through the night? Heaven!
Hang in there.
By
Becky, at 10:47 PM
I can remember vividly just how exhausted I was for the first four months. Things began to improve around then. I agree with Becky--you just can't believe how happy you are to get 5 hours in a row. I complained about this for, like, 3 - 4 months on my blog and everyone said it would get better. Finally, it did. Now we regularly get 7 - 8 hours. This, too, shall pass. Hang in there!
By
Amy, at 11:27 PM
BTW, I can't imagine doing the whole thing with another child to care for, too. You have definitely earned some RESPECT over here.
By
Amy, at 11:28 PM
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