The problem is that your boys have learned to go to sleep downstairs. Everything they know about "falling asleep" is there- rather than in their cot. You have two options. First- carry on as before but don't bother to put them back into their own cots just sleep together. I did this with my daughter who happily went into her own room at 14 months. Co-sleeping with two is obviously harder. But if you need to sleep (as I did)its the easy option.

Have you tried getting ready for bed elsewhere and sneaking into the bedroom with the light off? If you have a seperate bedroom for them this is a good time to move them. You mention a cot- do they share? Now they are more mobile they are more likely to wake each other. Can you seperate them?If space is tight two travel cots might fit.

The other option is retraining them to fall asleep by themselves. Harder with two - especially in the same cot-because at first they will both cry for ages before falling asleep- and keep each other awake.

Retraining means teaching them to fall asleep in the bedroom. At the momment the things that make them feel sleepy are downstairs and next to you- you want them to learn that sleep inducing things are all in the bedroom and do not involve you - so if they wake in the night everything they need to fall asleep again is in the cot. They do not have to wake you for cuddles . Its a simple and quick technique- but needs a very hard heart!
Bathing, cuddling, singing etc take place downstairs as before. As they become sleepy (but before falling asleep) take them upstairs into the dark bedroom (it should be as is at night) put them into their cot and leave. Don't go back in or pick them up if they cry- that teaches them that if they cry long enough you give in. Tough it out.
It takes about a week and lots of tears- it IS VERY HARD on everyone - but if you can stick it out it works.
Dorothy Einon

i will definately try it once again as that is what they did when they were younger but not for long as i found it easier to go to sleep downstairs then take them up. thanku and i hope it works so we can all have a good nights sleep for once xx

Hey!
I think u should start to put them both to bed awake and let them learn to put themselves over to sleep. Continue ur same routine that u use now like bath at certain time and all that but then put them to bed awake. It will take a few nights of crying no doubt but they will soon catch on! xx

my twin boys are 8 month i let them go to sleep downstairs and have put them to bed when they have gone to sleep ( i have dne this since birth as it seems the easiest option) over the past 2-3 weeks i have been doin the same every night and when i go up to bed they always wake up and start screamin not for food, just to be picked up. i will pick them up and then they drop back to sleep only to put them back in their cot and the same happens again. in the end i get so tired and worn out that they come into bed with me. anybody with any suggestions i would be grateful as it is really making me feel down with the lack of sleep as sum nights i am up from 1.30 and dont go back to sleep xxx