Why are My Infant Twins Flip-Flopping?

Last updated on July 12th, 2024 at 01:41 pm

A MoM recently asked:

Baby A has always been a very happy baby and kept me sane due to Baby B’s constant fussiness, with nothing appeasing him. Then all of a sudden Baby A has been a nightmare. He is cranky all the time. It is a nightmare trying to get him to nap at all and he doesn’t sleep more than 2 hours at a time at night. He doesn’t seem to be in pain, bit screams and screams and mostly when it comes to sleeping. I dont know what to do anymore. Could he be teething? Teething rings and pacifiers do not help. Is he going through the 4 month sleep regression? Please help!

Here’s what our Twiniversity fans had to say:

They will flip flop on you A LOT. My baby A used to be the one that greeted loved ones with open arms, while baby B avoided and would lose his mind over most people picking him up. Now, he’s totally the opposite. If sleeping is the main issue try a sound machine.

I’ve had a similar experience. I will agree that the babies flip-flop. Could be tummy, teething or ears. When mine were 4 months old our doctor had us use new formula that was more gentle on their stomachs. We switched again a short while later. Sometimes it’s trial and error with the feeding and/or he could be going through a growth spurt. Try offering an extra half oz. and ask the doctor about the tummy drops too. We invested in tummy drops and baby Tylenol and still keep these on hand. In the meantime, keep rocking, swinging and changing environment. I also found out that mine were afraid of the dark. Maybe have a lamp or nightlight, as well as a sound machine.

I would say it is probably the 4 month sleep regression. However, just to be on the safe side, I would have his ears checked just to make sure he doesn’t have fluid on them. It could also be teething. My girls didn’t get their first tooth until 5/6 months but the month before was rough. Does he have reflux? We had to slightly lift our mattresses due to reflux issues. That did help a lot.

Ah, the 4 month freakout. Hang in there mama, it will pass. Mine did a lot of flipping back and forth. For the longest time my baby B was the sweetest, quietest and so laid back. Then at 4 months old she went completely bonkers. It lasted a couple of weeks and was horrible, but it did pass. Now at 16 months old, they tend to take turns going nuts, especially with teething.

4 month regression! My baby B had it bad! There’s nothing you can really do except wait it out. Hers lasted 5 weeks. It was terrible, endless screaming and no sleep. If it’s any consolation, my baby B who went through that is now 3 years old and the easiest kid. Baby A was a dream baby and he’s an incredibly challenging preschooler.

If they are around the 4 month mark it could very well be one of the dreaded sleep regressions. Keep your routine the same and predictable as normal for them as they will find this comforting despite what they are going through. Power through, I know it’s so hard and it will go back to “normal” soon. Until the next thing that is!

Mine would flip every few months. One would be great with pretty much everything, the other not so much, then they would switch. It could be any number of things, teething, growth spurt, etc. All I can say is it eventually gets easier and hang in there.

4 months? Could be anything. Both teething and growth spurts can cause a lot of discomfort. Or maybe it is separation anxiety.

Nobody is lying about the flip flopping. It got to the point where I stopped telling people their personalities because they would be opposite the next month. Hang in there!

My twins switch from time to time. Overall one is usually more laid back but easily irritated if not given her space. And the other one is more high strung, but easy going as long as he has company.

Are You a New Twin Parent?

Check out Natalie Diaz’s book:
“What To Do When You’re Having Two
The Twin Survival Guide From Pregnancy Through the First Year”

In What to Do When You’re Having Two: The Twins Survival Guide from Pregnancy Through the First Year, national twins guru and founder of Twiniversity (and twin mom herself!) Natalie Diaz provides a no-holds-barred resource about life with twins, from pregnancy and birth all the way through your duo’s first year of life.

Accessible and informative, What to Do When You’re Having Two
is the must-have manual for all parents of twins.

Buy Now

Have you taken your expecting twins class yet? We offer a great class on demand so you can take it on your own schedule! There are so many video modules covering everything from your twins’ baby registry to your first week at home with twins! Sign up today to get started before your twins arrive.

Need some twin parent friends? Get the support you need with a Twiniversity Membership. Benefits include a monthly twin parent club meeting on Zoom, access to a private Facebook group just for twin parents, and a video library of twin parenting lessons. Visit Twiniversity.com/membership to join today!