Let’s talk about twin moms, shall we? How do you even begin to sleep train two babies at once?
Have you ever walked around with your twins and noticed everyone staring, as if your little ones were the most fascinating thing in the world like a rare, irresistible piece of chocolate?
This is the reality for twin moms. The stares, the endless questions, the fascination—it’s all part of the experience. But behind those curious glances, there’s the exhaustion, the double feedings, and the juggling act that never seems to end.
So, how do twin moms manage it all, especially when it comes to sleep training? Let’s dive in.
“Mammas - anyone got any advice on sleep training twins? Or can anyone tell me there is light at the end of the tunnel of a 10-month sleep regression?” This was the question that a twin mom Lydia posed.
She is part of a Twin Mom community where many women share their struggles and opportunities and even success with their twin children.
According to Cleveland Clinic, sleep training is the process of teaching your baby to fall asleep by themselves — whether that’s at the very beginning of the night when they’re first put into their crib, or when they wake up in the middle of the night and need to fall back to sleep.
Lydia’s question prompted responses from women who had done this before with one of the women - Karlie Njogu giving out her guide or receipt to sleep training..
“We sleep trained our twins at age 10 months also. It took three days for one twin and five days for another (to go from waking up five times a night each to sleeping through the night,” she said.
Njogu said during the sleep training the twin mom has to ensure that the bay does not cry non stop and instead goes to bed as soon as possible.
“We didn’t let them cry nonstop, but we did let them cry (max was 10 min,” she says.
But she notes that when a twin mom has tried sleep training and there is no hope for the twin to get a hold of the pattern, the only way out is to invite a sleep trainer.
“We also used a sleep trainer and we just did what she said and it worked. It might cost you some money, but the trainer will walk hand in hand with you to ensure that you achieve what you are aiming for,” she said.
But for Mary Atieno, a twin mom, her journey was a bit different. Atieno said she was never aware about anything to do with sleep training twins
She gave birth in 2019 and her adorable twins are now almost turning six years.
“For me, giving birth to twins was a miracle that I normally see on television. When you get pregnant, you can not know whether you will get twins or you will be a singleton until when you do scans,” she says.
Atieno said the miracle of having twins also came with its problems like sleeping at night.
“Remember that if one is sleeping, the other one has to sleep as well because if he or she does not sleep, it means that when the other one sleeps, the other one will wake up and you will have chaos in the house,” she said.
She said that what helped her was having extra hands when it came to putting the children to sleep.
“You can not take care of twins alone. In fact, you need people in the house to help you carry the children and literally sing for them to sleep at the same time,” she says.
Atieno says that this was not easy since it also needed a coordinated effort from the two collaborating parties.
“One person would go with one baby to the bedroom. And the other person would go to the other room or even the kitchen as long as they are in separate rooms,” she said.
With this coordinated effort, Atieno says it would be easier for the babies to fall asleep.
“However, let there not be any noise because children are interesting. You can spend 30 minutes putting one to sleep, and then they start closing their eyes. By the time you put them down, they will be awake,” she said.
Atieno says that of importance is to ensure that if your babies sleep at 4 pm daily, at no point should they sleep past that time.
According to Mayo Clinic, bedtime routines can start in the early months and could include soothing activities such as having a bath, reading or making up stories, and a good night hug or kiss. The whole process might last 20 to 45 minutes.
“Timing is key. You have to put a pattern whereby you know when they sleep and when they need to wake up,” she said.
Why sleep train? - According to Cleveland Clinic, sleep training translates to more sleep for parents and other caregivers. But is it safe and healthy for your little one.
“Sleep train Improves parents’ mood, improves infants’ sleep quality and Increases connection between babies and their caregivers,” it read in part.
The clinic noted that Sleep training teaches babies to fall asleep on their own without needing to be rocked or soothed.
Several common methods parents can try — either individually or in combination.
The Cry-It-Out (CIO) method, also called the extinction method, involves putting your baby to bed while they’re still awake and not intervening when they cry, unless it’s time for a scheduled feed. Consistency is key here, and it often works quickly.
The Ferber Method (also known as graduated extinction or controlled crying) uses timed check-ins. After placing your baby in the crib, you return at increasing intervals to reassure them briefly without picking them up.
The Chair Method (or camping out) involves staying in the room while your baby falls asleep. Each night, you move farther away until you’re out of the room entirely. It requires patience but offers gradual detachment.
The Pick Up, Put Down method allows parents to comfort babies by picking them up when they cry, then putting them back down to sleep — ideal for parents seeking gentler approaches.
Bedtime Fading adjusts your baby’s bedtime gradually to better match their natural sleep rhythm.
Night weaning, while separate, often complements sleep training by encouraging daytime feeding and reducing night wake-ups.
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