Sleep by The American Academy of Pediatrics

Author:The American Academy of Pediatrics
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: American Academy of Pediatrics
Published: 2013-08-28T21:40:00+00:00

CHAPTER 6

Twins and More

The majority of sleep challenges related specifically to multiple births are faced in the first year of your babies’ lives. Sleep becomes easier after the first year.

Multiple births, once rare, now occur quite commonly. The rate of identical twinning, which occurs when 2 children develop from a single fertilized egg, has stayed the same, but the frequency of fraternal (multiple-egg) twins and triplets is soaring, thanks in part to treatments based on the harvesting and fertilization of several eggs at a time. It is not all due to in vitro fertilization, as increased use of fertility treatments (for example, hormones such as clomiphene [Clomid]) are also partly responsible. As a result, the number of multiple births has increased 42% since 1990 and 70% since 1980.

The greater the number of babies born from a single pregnancy, the greater the likelihood that they will be premature and smaller compared with single babies born at term. For that reason, many of the sleep patterns and disruptions seen in twins and multiples are the same as those seen in premature and low birth weight babies (also see Chapter 1, “Sleep Patterns in a Premature Baby,” on page 14). In addition, multiple gestation babies are at higher risk for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and other accidental sleep deaths, so it is especially important to follow safe sleep guidelines for the first year of life (see Chapter 2).

When what you expected to be a single baby turns out to be 2 babies, or 3, or more, the potential for sleep problems is doubled or tripled, and so are the challenges in dealing with them. You may be surprised to learn that each of your babies has a different temperament and personality—one of your babies may be a more restful sleeper than her co-twin. Strategies that work for one baby may need to be tweaked for another. Luckily, you can also have twice as much pleasure and sense of accomplishment when situations, such as sleep, are under control. Good sleep habits will only benefit the emotional and physical health of your suddenly expanded family.

Your babies need proper sleep to grow and develop, and just as importantly, you as a parent will need adequate sleep to successfully navigate the challenges of your growing family. No matter how self-reliant you were before your babies arrived on the scene, this is one time when it’s truly difficult to go it alone. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Your significant other may need specific guidance as to how to assist with the babies’ sleep schedules. A parent’s single night of 6 hours of interrupted sleep will allow him to handle the following day much better. Do not assume your partner will instinctively know what needs to be accomplished; good communication is quite important at this stage in your babies’ lives. Your family and friends will likely be glad to lend a hand. At the same time, do not hesitate to ask your baby’s pediatrician for advice and support more often than if you had given birth to just one baby.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.