Tiredness with 2!

[Ilovemytwins]

Hi Everyone!

Hope someone can help me! I have 6 month old twins and some days I am just so knackered! They sleep all night, apart from the occasional blip. I have help during the day, yes I am very busy all the time as they don't sleep at the same time. I sometimes feel a little dizzy as I am up and down so much.

Been to docs, bloods were fine. I keep insisting this is not right, but they keep saying its because I have twins and am busy! And the fact that I sleep lightly.

Has anyone else ever felt like this?
Thanks,
Xxx

hey! am currently pregnant with twins (due next week!) so i've got this to come!! i'm sorry you're feeling so tired.

why don't you post in the 'multiple births' section - there's loads of twin mums there who coujld give you good advice. i've asked people loads of questions there, and there's always loads of helpful answers.

i would have said maybe you're lacking iron but if you've been tested....

oh god, ignore that post!!! i thought i was in the PREGNANCY section!! (but then why would you have been posting in the pregnancy section about this????

think maybe it's me who's overly tired!!!!

hope you feel better soon!

I think it is just knackering, that's one thing... erm, could you do a bit of internet digging and see if your doc has tested you for everything? I had a friend who had thyroid problems after having her little girl, she was constantly knackered. Just an example.

Otherwise... any chance of getting them to nap together? Some of the baby sleep people (Marc Weissbluth for example) say that after 4 months it's OK to have them nap "by the clock" because their body clocks start to mature and they can be awake longer. When my two hit 17 weeks (only a couple of weeks ago I must say, so who knows if it'll last) I stopped putting them to bed at the first yawn and now put them down at 9am and 1pm with usually a bonus nap at about 4. They don't always sleep for the same length of time (DT2 has been up for nearly an hour now while DT1 is making it to an heroic 2.5 hours) but at least if they go down at the same time you get some time to yourself. (I also make a point of prioritising whatever nice stuff I have to do eg vegging out in front of Holby City because I never know which nap is going to be the long one!)

Are yours sleeping through the night yet? If not, could you get your other half to do some nights so you can recover a bit? Or maybe if they're sleeping in your room you could move them out? I wake every time one of them sniffs. Counting the days till they're 6 months and we can leave them alone (you know because they say it's good to sleep in the same room as them for the first 6 months because of SIDS).

Ok it is very tiring and definately a good idea to try and get them to at least start naps at the same time even if one wakes before the other, also to have lots of help and breaks which you already do. I don't think it's ok to be feeling dizzy though if you didn't have twins would the Dr have used having a baby as a reason? Are you actually doing far more than you realise? or should be? it's true that some things can wait eg, some of the housework stuff. If you find you just don't sit down at all then make time even if the dts are awake. If they are playing happily for 5 mins/30 seconds have a quick cuppa! Oh and make sure to eat! Sometimes it's hard to even do that I know but tell yourslef it's for survival and toy picking up can wait! beyou how old are your twins now? I put my dts in their own room at 5 1/2 months as only the moses baskets would fit in our tiny master bedroom and they outgrew them. It was nice to have my room back and take the blackout blind down as I love daylight streaming through in the mornings!

It is very tiring, I second trying to get them to sleep / nap at the same time - dosnt always work I know. How do they sleep at night ? Do manage to get any rest. If not can you have nights off where someone takes over, and you can get a good night sleep.

I also agree with leaving the housework etc, if people ask if you need help - say yes please. My Mum used to make meals for me to pop in the freezer so I didnt have to cook and we stocked up on pizza and other easy bits.

My DT's are 2 now and we have tantrums, fighting and running off in seperate directions but it is no where near as hard as the baby stage so in my experience it does get easier.

Even with another pair on hands around to help it's so intense looking after twins. Do you ever get any time away by yourself do something non-baby related? I found an hour a week at a Pilates class made the world of difference, mentally and physically. Concentrating on the moves rather than feeding/sleep/nappies and stretching out not holding babies was so refreshing.
Only an idea though, you know in yourself if something's not quite right so see your gp again if so.

Hi everyone!

Thankyou for your replies, I will def give everyones advise a try!

Nancy54 good luck with everything! hope your birth goes well!!
You have all made me think about housework, etc. I do try to do everything and make everything perfect so maybe I need to just forget about certain things!
My DTs do sleep in their own room they are 6 months now, and most nights through. So I get a break that way!! Will try and get them to nap the same, and rest if they do. No RandomKath I dont get time away really, I spend time cleaning if I do.
I will try and remember to eat more frequently, and just for reassurance I have booked more bloods for tomorrow. Thyroid and iron are included in those.

Thankyou again for all your replies, I am sorry for the short reply. And I really hope I havent missed anyone. Got to go now, as one is full of a cold and not a happy baby!!! Xxx

It is exhausting.
Mine are a year and I have one older. I am gradually beginning to feel more like my old self, but there are still plenty of days when I think: "Will I be tired for the rest of my life?!"
Are you b'feeding? I did and found this extremely demanding on my body and appetite.
I also felt utterly exhausted when my periods first returned. I went off to get my bloods done, but all was fine.
I have also found a lot of truth in the saying: A change is as good as a rest. Being in the house everyday with two beings entirely dependent on you is draining.
It will get better though.

Stop the cleaning, give yourself some rest, its bloody tiring. Could someone take them out for a walk whilst you sleep? Sleep as much as you can, even if you can't sleep just rest in bed and close your eyes.

Keep checking out the medical angle and I hope its all OK.

I found it really tiring, I still do and people don't realise how tiring and unremitting it is. Mine are now 2 and it is easier, they play together and its lovely to watch (at least until they start fighting). I'm gradually starting to feel a bit more like my old self but its taken a lot longer than when I had a singleton.