Hello everyone,
My wife gave birth to our GGB on Dec 9 at 33wks and 3days. We have had all of them home now for about 2 weeks, and were wondering when we should start getting them in to a nightly routine so that they are able to learn day from night, and eventually sleep through the night later on.


Thank you,
Mike and Lindsay
Brooke,Sara,Luke

Hi there. Congratulations on the birth of your tiplets!

We got our boys on a routine from the moment they came home. It was not easy, but it is so much nicer now that they are 9 months and know exactly what to expect. Both my husband and I loved it! We were concerned about them mixing up day and night too, so we were very strict with the schedule/routine and still are. At night we always followed a routine so they knew that bedtime/night time shortly followed.

It's a lot of work....but totally worth it. Good luck!

Sarah

We started as soon as ours came home as well. It didn't ALWAYS work, because they sometimes fell asleep too early, but we did it. It wasn't very elaborate, either - a little play time (if they were awake), diaper, pj's, bottle, with the bath coming before it all on bath night. At the very least it'll keep you guys sane, knowing what's coming next!

Amy

Julia, ^Caitlin^ (stillborn due to encephalocele complications) & Gabrielle
30.2 weeks

Thank you Sarah and Amy!


Since we have had them all home, my wife and I have been taking shifts, I would be on from 6pm to 3:30am and she would take over from there until I woke up, to help out. The last two days we tried to go to bed at the same time, after the last feeding, and wake up for the 12 and 3am feeding, however, this is not working because we are unable to get any sleep do to how active they are during the night. After the "bedtime" feeding, some of them can stay awake all the way to the next feeding, acting like they are still hungary. During the day they are able to sleep very well! So I was wondering if anyone had any advice how to change this?


Mike
GGB triplets 12/09/09

It could be that they still have their nights and days mixed up. They're just a tad over one month actual, about full-term now? The first one of mine to come home, she'd also be awake a lot at night after she ate. Sometimes she would eat a little bit more, sometimes she was just awake. She eventually was diagnosed with reflux, so I don't know if that could have something to do with your kids. But for now, I'd assume they have nights/days mixed up, and just try to keep them awake for longer periods during the day. I think all you read about sleep schedules and babies don't really apply until they're full-term.

My husband and I did what you did with the sleep/feeding schedule. I did it alone at night when our first daughter was discharged, because my husband was working. When our second was discharged, he took the week off, and we'd do the midnight and 4 am feedings together. After 2 days of this I told him to let me do the 12 & 4 and he could do the 8 am himself. It was better for me to have a block of more than 3 hours of uninterrupted sleep. When he went back to work I did them all alone, and he kept the 8 am on the weekends.

Totally unrelated, what is the significance of the 7775? I only ask because that's my birthday.

Amy
Julia, ^Caitlin^ (stillborn due to encephalocele complications) & Gabrielle
30.2 weeks

Thanks Amy!
Tonight I am back on the night shift, and we tried to keep them awake after each day feeding,so will see what tonight has in store for me. I know its going to take a few weeks before we see any results. Our two girls do have reflux, however,the alimentum and some rice cereal has nipped that in the bud.

As far as 7775 goes, I just think three sevens are lucky, and the five was just because three sevens alone were taken already.

Have a great night,
Mike and Lindsay

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Mike:

My trip crew is just 5 months old....so trust me, I am NO EXPERT on any of this---I am right there in the trenches with you! However, my kids all do sleep! And they sleep well!

We started the SAME ROUTINE every single night since the day that they came home from the hospital (and they were all discharged together). Although the feeding times have changed---the rest in the same.

By the way--my husband has NEVER done a night feed....so doing it all by myself kinda pushed the need to get them "sleep wise" right away!

In the begining, we did baths at 8:00---then last feed about 9:00---hoped that they were asleep by 10:00 and then let them sleep as long as possible. WHenever 1 woke up---I got all three up (usually 5 hours after the first time they went to bed and then 4 hours thereafter). I would move the one that I was feeding to a different room--and feed literally in the dark! Then put that one back to sleep and move on...till they were all done.

Gradually...they did longer stretches...until I finally let them Cry It Out on the advice on my Ped--as I was headed back to work and needed some sleep! The first 2 nights were rough...but they got it QUICK! Here is our schedule now:

6:00---bath
last feed right after bath which is usually between 6:20-7:00....
Then snuggletime for about 20 minutes (they all have reflux--so I do not like to put them down after they eat) and they are all in bed by 7:30 and sleep until about 5:00am and then I give them 1/2 feed (4ox) and they are back to sleep until between 7-8. ALso--the last feed I give them the Enffamil AR (added Rice) and an extra 2 ounces of formula....this seems to have work really well for them....

I cannot tell you how much getting sleep helps! I have an older daughter that I NEVER would have let cry for a second....but with three...I had to do something. As soon as the Ped gave me the green light....it took very little time to get them on a good schedule.

OH!!! And SWADDLE them!!! I had stopped for awhile...and when I started again they slept SO MUCH BETTER! I have had to stop again now because they are too big...but they still sleep great!

Three is just a bit more complicated...and exhausting! but hang in there my friend....

Michelle

Hi Guys! Congratulations!
I am by no means an expert either, our triplets are 5 months old but they have been sleeping through the night since about 2.5 months. I know everyone has there own methods that work for them but here is what worked for us.
For the first 2.5 months, starting from the very first day they were alive, we fed them every 3 hours. I know it is tempting to let them sleep longer but this helps them, in the long run, to not get there days and nights mixed up. We would wake them up and feed them, my husband and me and sometimes my mom when she stayed over in the beginning. We tried to stay positive and enjoy the midnight and 3 am feedings together. I'm not going to lie, that first month we were pretty dilerious(sp?) in the middle of the night but it got easier. We would feed at 6am, 9, noon, 3, 6, 9, midnight, and 3. I am nursing, so I had to get up every time and my husband did the same. He only had the first 2 weeks of school off and then he went back. I look back now and have no idea how he did it, but he did, and it has totally paid off! We'd usually go to sleep at about 7:30pm with them and then sleep everytime they did throughout the night.
After 2.5 months, we didn't want to do any earlier because we wanted to make sure they were getting the calories they needed, we dropped the 3 am feeding and about a week later, they dropped the midnight feeding. We adjust the times a bit and would do a dreamfeed at 11pm and slowly brought it down to 9pm where it is now at 5 months. We are about to drop that feeding as well.
I also think it is important to make sure they get a full feeding every time and that they are not "snacking". Also, after they eat you need to keep them awake if you can. It is hard when they are little but the more you can keep them awake the better. We'd try and keep them awake for as long as possible (beginning with 30 minutes and working our way up to 1:15 now) after the 6am, 9 , noon ,3, and 6 feedings. The other feedings we fed them and put them right back to bed.
Good luck and I hope this helps. We are following "Babywise" which everyone has their own opinion on (many disagree with it:) ) but we love it and are having a blast. I have not been exhausted and thus I am able to enjoy the babies and feel good all day. Occasionally I'll take a nap during the day but I'm getting such good sleep at night I don't usually need it. The babies are so healthy and happy and I think it is because they know what to expect. they know when they're going to eat, sleep, and play.
Sorry this is so long but hopefully it helps.
Suzy
PS-how do you attach all the fun stuff like pictures and the label with their age?
GBB 8/25/09
Scout 4#9oz, Charlie 4#6oz, Kiefer 4#7oz

Thanks Everyone!!

I am sorry it has taken me so long to reply!

We are so thankful for all of you who took the time and effort to reply to our post, we were able to take all of your experiences, and put them to work.
We are doing bathtime 6pm, and then the last feeding directly after, upright bouncer and snuggle time for reflux, and lights out at 7:30.
We are on a 3hr feeding schedule still, and are anxtously awaiting our Peds approval to attempt to drop the 3:30 feeding if they are able to sleep through it, which we are starting to believe might actually happen thank GOD.
Suzy, I was wondering how many weeks you were when you had your trio? My wife was 33wks and 3days. Just wanted to compare your 2.5 months sleeping through the night, to ours, however, I think the gestation is needed to make a good comparison, it would be nice have that to look forward to!!
And as far as the counter at the bottom, just go to lillipie.com and it will walk you through it step by step, but as you can tell we still got some bugs to work oul LOL.


Thank you!!


Mike and Lindsay
Stockton,CA


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We used a sound machine...at night we put on the ocean setting...and for day time naps, we use the rain setting.
My kids know when they hear the ocean its time to sleep a long time...and the noise would keep them from waking each other up when they were teeny tiny and making all those baby grunty noises (which I now miss..LOL).
Ive always had great sleepers...we only put them in their cribs at night...until they were several months old and on a nap schedule. Now they go in their cribs at naptime...and at night.
Mine always slept from about 10p til 6a....as soon as the DR said we could quit waking them to feed. We were lucky.

I think the key with them has been the sound machine really. Even now, they go to bed about 645/7 at night and sleep til about 8am..and play til 830...I couldnt ask for better sleepres.

~Ashley~
Mommy to the six K's!
Keegan, Kyler, Kenzington and our trio Kaden,Kali and Kobe