What to do with 4 month olds

[Anonymous]

Looking for activities, play ideas, and sensory ideas. Ideas to get them to laugh. The parents and I have only got them to laugh a handful of times. They are happy and smile a lot after naps but only for hour or so then they look bored no matter what we do. Also how many naps should they be taking and how long should each nap be?

I've cared for newborns- toddlers and usually don't have a problem entertaining and working on milestones with them however these twins nap two times a day for 30 minutes max if I'm lucky. I am with them 10-12 hours and running out of ideas. We take a 2 plus hour walk a day, which they don't nap on either. They are a lot fussier than other babies I've cared for and I think part of it is due to lack of sleep. They go to bed around 7/7:30 and are up 3 times a night to feed ( pediatrician has stated they still need to eat during the night) and then they are awake at 5/6 am for the day. They eat every three hours and that is also the recommendation of their doctor.

[Anonymous]

Before you worry about how to entertain them, you need to fix the nap issue. At this age, they should be sleeping for at LEAST 3 hours during the day, but really more. Work with the parents to establish a strict schedule for the day that they follow on weekends as well; be consistent and concentrate on sleep, everything else will follow.

[Anonymous]

Definitely fix the nap issue. They wake up at 5/6. When do they go down for their first nap?

[Anonymous]

They nap for 1 hour during the day? That is ridiculous.
What is their daily schedule? At 4 months, they should be awake for 2.5-3 hours at a time...at most!!
That is insane.

[Anonymous]

While it is still warm out, drag a blanket to the park or backyard and lay the babies on it - looking up at a tree. Nature's mobile!

Read, sing and narrate everything you do. Make up silly songs and dances. My charge was about four-months-old and wouldn't laugh - until I was just talking to him about what I ate last night and said "Kung Pau chicken" and he laughed!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Definitely fix the nap issue. They wake up at 5/6. When do they go down for their first nap?

They don't go down for a nap until 10 or so and then again around 2:30.

Db is a doctor and says some kids just don't sleep. I have only been there 2 months and only 3 days a week. They used to be good nappers but it's getting worse, and I think it's because the parents don't push naps. One day I got them both to take 3 1-2 hour naps 2 in the crib and 1 in the swing. Mb and db were not happy that evening that they slept so much. I gathered some information to provide they need more sleep. I don't think the parents really try to get them to nap. Mb tried to get one to sleep and only tried for 15 minutes then said guess your not tired. I try for 30-45 minutes, 20 or so rocking until they are almost asleep then put them in their cribs and pat their butts/side by their hip. When they woke up after 30 minutes I went back into their room and patted their butt/side again and kept saying shhh and they went back to sleep.

I'm not going to quit since it's a great job and great family. I think they just need a little help in the sleep area.
If anyone has articles or links I can share with them and information on how long they should be sleeping days/nights at different ages that would be appreciated

[Anonymous]

Have them Google anything having to do with healthy infant sleep guidelines. Babies that age need 14-15 hours of sleep every day. From what you said, they get 1 hour during the day (should be more like 4 or 5 hours) and about 9-10 hours at night, with 3 feeding...so basically they are getting about 8.5 hours per night.
9.5 hours of sleep is not healthy for babies this age. Their little bodies need that rest to grow and prepare for all the work it has to do. Their father should know better.
This is why they are cranky and cry all the time. The poor babies are sleep deprived. They will have a hard time retaining any knowledge.
Are they on a feeding schedule?
They should be on an "eat, play, sleep" schedule.
Basically this:
Wake:6am
Eat:6am
Play:6:30-8:30am
Sleep:8:30-10:30
Eat:10:30am
Play:11:00-1:00pm
Sleep:1:00-3:00pm
Eat:3:00pm
Play:3:30-5:00pm
Sleep:5:00-:5:30-5:45 (This should be more of a cat nap)
Eat:6:30pm
Sleep 7:00pm

This sincerely pisses me off.

[Anonymous]

They definitely need more sleep. I've been an infant nanny for many years now. At four months they need 15-16 hours of sleep in a 24 hour period. They need to go down for a nap every 1.5 - 2 hours. At this age they should be getting 4-5 hours of naps a day. Generally I've had my charges on E.A.S.Y routine. The first week or so will be rough but you need to start putting down and waking up at nap times. Parents need to be on board as well. Twins are hard and you need a schedule.

Activities - Ive always done a variety of things. Walks, toys, music, reading, tummy time, practicing developmental milestones, classes, little toys, mirror play, etc.

Hope this all helps.

[Anonymous]

Do they get fussy and seem tired? I do think some babies need less sleep but this seems extreme.

[Anonymous]

Are they on the same schedule??

I agree they need more sleep.
I care for 8 month old twins (my third set of twins, I've also done two sets of triplets) and they wake at 7 nap at 10 until 1130/12 next nap 230 to 4/430 bed at 8pm (no wake ups at night).

How is their eating schedule?
Definitely get them out on a blanket outside in the grass. They can entertain them selves by watching the wind in trees, birds, flowers.
There is no need to entertain them all the time.

[Anonymous]

Read War and Peace, introduce quantum physics 101, Mandarin Chinese. Play peek a boo, lots of love, Einstein's mother did this and look at how he turned out.

[Anonymous]

War and peace will put me to sleep. The goal is op wants to put the babies to sleep

[Anonymous]

When my charge was four months this was his schedule:

7:00 AM Wake up/eat
9:00AM Nap
10:30-11 AM wake up/eat
1:00 PM Nap
2:30-3 PM Wake up/eat
5:00 PM Last nap of the day

These babies need to be sleeping much more than they are right now. I think the best thing to do is to find out why they wake up so much. Is one disturbing the other? Are there outside noises/light bothering them? Are they not being stimulated enough during awake times?

Usually when the baby I watch would sleep less than an hour at any given nap time (except the last one) I would go back up and rock him again. Typically I could get him to sleep another half an hour or so that way.

[Anonymous]

Op here, thanks for all the advice and it's exactly what I thought they need more sleep.

Tips on how to bring this up to mb she's a new mom and I don't want to come across like I'm judging her.

The pp's that already replied have been kind so I'd like kind gentle ways to phrase it. I know that can be difficult for some of the nannies on here. I'm only looking for constructive ways to talk to her

[Anonymous]

Some kids just dose and not nap. One of mine was like that. He'd dose about 30 minutes in the car or bouncy seat a 2-3 times a day and that was it. He didn't take real naps until about one (and then we hit the 1-2 hour naps). I wouldn't worry about it.