Our boys are sleeping!

The boys' sleeping has been off ever since Zach and I went back to work.  They have been getting up 3-4 times a night to eat, and often sleeping in our bed or our room in between if we couldn't get them back to sleep.  They slept in Rock n Plays, and they had been in their cribs prior.  We created some bad habits by putting them in our bed and feeding them every time they woke up.  We were totally in survival mode, and it wasn't working for anyone.  

I have a friend, Valerie, from North Platte who is a childhood sleep consultant out of Omaha.  My dad was talking to me one day about another girl from North Platte who has twins.  She called Val and got her help getting her boys to sleep through the night.  She wished she had called earlier because it was the best money she'd ever spent.  He suggested I contact Val.   So, I began emailing back and forth with her.  (Her company is called Amazing Little Sleeper.) I loved the way she talked about sleep and our need for it.  She said the boys' brains needed retraining to sleep.  We decided it was worth a try. 

Three weeks ago on Thursday we had a FaceTime consultation with her.  Our nanny, Alicia, had to be there for it, so that we could all be on the same page.  There were things she told us that didn't surprise me at all (routine, darkness, laying them down awake)  and other things that I had never heard of before.  The biggest shock was the timing for bed.  She wanted us to have them down earlier than I expected.  This about broke my heart because it would mean even less time with our boys.  The "working mom guilt" was real.  Some things she left up to us to decide, like the method we chose for intervening when they cried.  Other things, like bedtime, were nonnegotiable.  She asked us to trust her.
Zach and I talked about everything the next day, and I cried a lot.  We weighed the pros and cons and concluded that we couldn't continue like we were.  We decided we'd do it and start on Saturday night.  

On night one, the boys screamed for 3 1/2 hours before they fell asleep.  Yes, you read that right!  For the first two hours, we went in every 15 minutes (our chosen method).  One would quiet down for awhile, but he would start back up when his brother didn't stop screaming.  We finally decided that going in wasn't working for them, so we stopped.  They started calming down soon after.  Once they were asleep, we had multiple night wakings before midnight.  They slept a six hour stretch from 12-6 after I fed them.  If we didn't have Val's support, we could never have done that first night!  We would have rescued them not knowing if we were doing the right thing.
The second night, it only took them 1 hour to fall asleep, although we had one stretch in the night where they cried for an hour and a half.  Again, they slept from 12-6.  
The third night there were no tears at bedtime and no night wakings.  We ended up waking them at 1:00 because I was needing to nurse.  They then slept until 7:00!  Night four, they again went to bed with no fight.  They woke up at 2:50 to feed.   Night five, they woke once to feed.

Their naps have also adjusted.  They have been sleeping the exact stretches Val recommends and falling asleep with no tears.  Alicia's calm demeanor and consistency have been crucial for making this happen during the day.  

The amount of sleep we're all getting is obviously the best part.  I feel refreshed and energized.  But, there are other wonderful things that we have figured out.  Our family time has actually increased, rather than decreased.  We are leaving school earlier to get home.  We don't work on supper, do homework, or do any housework until after the boys are in bed.  They also no longer nap in the evenings, which means more time together.  Our time is quality family time.
Also, bedtime is no longer stressful.  The way we used to do it, Zach was wrestling one baby in one room while I wrestled the other in a different room. Then, we'd finally get them down only to have them wake up soon after.  I had a lot of anxiety about bedtime.  Now, bedtime is a family affair.  It is peaceful, and it's a special time for all of us.  We sit in their room together.  Monroe reads to the boys during their bottles.  Then we all sing songs and give kisses.  I love ending their day this way!
After the boys are in bed, we have time with just Monroe.  After Monroe's in bed an hour later, we actually have adult time, something that hasn't existed for the last six months.

I am on cloud 9!  I feel like I have been given my life back!  I am a better, happier mom, wife, and teacher with less stress and more sleep.
I am so glad we contacted Val!  Amazing Little Sleeper, you are my hero!