4 month twin sleep regression hell

[3under3mama]

I know there's a similar 2021 long (inactive) thread but I'm just needing to vent!

We're on our 4th week of sleep regression with our twins (born 34+6 in January).

It. Is. Brutal. They're waking every 45-90mins and tag-teaming each other. Last week, they came down with a horrific cold which has compounded everything, and it has been relentless. This is so much worse than our toddler (we also have a 2.5yo who is an angel and has slept through in her own room since she was about 9mo).

My wife exclusively breastfeeds the girls but we have done all nights together since birth (she breastfeeds, I hold them up for 10-15min after then put them down, as they are still very sicky).

I went back to work after 10 weeks (doctor) and before they hit 4 months, they were DREAMY (went down at 8, woke only once, slept til 6).

This must be payback!

They have to be breastfed to sleep as nothing else works (trust me, I've tried bouncing, patting, rocking, holding) and one will quickly scream and wake the other one.

I'm close to burnout (I appreciate it's so much worse for my wife who is literally sustaining 2 human beings). I'm struggling to function at work and I'm permanently run down (had bad COVID 2 weeks ago, now the same cold as the kids).

We don't have a village (parents in different cities) so have thus far raised the kids almost entirely on our own.

Hoping some poor twin mum out there can sympathise in the wee midnight hours and lend a virtual hug!

🧡🧡

Can you afford a nanny for a few months?
Twins would be relentless fatigue.

Maybe once they are eating some solid food, in about 2 months, they will settle better for the night.

Don't overlook simple illnesses like earache, teething, worms, chesty, dehydration etc.

Ah the twin sleep regression is horrific! Is your wife pumping so at least you can help feed one whilst she does the other? TBH my ex husband was useless so I did all twin sleep regressions alone (and was back at work myself full time when they were 4 months old) - i had to stop breastfeeding down that reason really - got a tommee tippee perfect prep machine which literally saved my life and it was just very much batten down the hatches and plough through x

Also have twins here. Yes the 4 month regression is terrible. I would definitely hire a night nanny if you can to support your family.

It's unusual to still be sick and need to be held up at this age. My son's CMPA presented like this. Have you looked into it? When I cut out dairy completely, he stopped being sick and we could be done with the holding up after every feed nonsense. Slept better too.

The 4 month sleep regression is totally normal, it's a permanent change in their sleep. It will end on it's own (it took 8 weeks with my son, he'd wake every 30 minutes and it was absolute hell, I'd go to bed with him at 8 and just grab little bursts of sleep between the wakes all night)! If you need it to end sooner you can sleep train, you could use a sleep consultant to help.