30 - 45 min naps

[marijke]

Hi, I have twins around 24 weeks old now. They nap for about 30 - 45 minutes and I really feel this is not enough. One of my daughters has been OT at the end of the day the last 2 days, it's so sad! I tried leaving them in their cribs for at least one hour trying to get them back to sleep but I've given up. If they wake up and don't seem tired anymore I just take them out. It's just too much hassle with 2 babies and a 3 year old who wants attention and does naughty things when I'm upstairs with the twins. We recently moved from 3 hour easy to 4 hour easy, I hoped that was the answer but it clearly isn't (in fact it seems to have gotten worse!). They stay awake for around 2 hours, sometimes a bit longer, sometimes less but it doesn't affect their naps. At night they sleep ok, they still have one night feed. Last 2 nights it seems harder to resettle at night too...
I don't know what to do: accept they do short naps and trust that at 6 months things will get better, try to extend their naps? Any suggestions?

[newmom09]

Wow. I am frustrated with one, I can't imagine having two babies and a toddler! But "you get what you can handle" is what my mom used to say.
You should post your routine as it might help. My son has the same problem and we are still working out the kinks, but when I figure out what works, I will let you know!

Good Luck!

[marijke]

Thanks! I am really frustrated right now, my daughter is overtired and wakes up after 24 minutes! She won't go back to sleep, screams, when I take her out of the bed she's happy!
I read somewhere that A-time can already be 2,5 hours at 5,5 months, maybe I'll try this. I have no idea what I can do!
Routine today:
5.45 L eat, back to sleep
7     J Eat, get up
8.45/8.50 sleep until 9.25
10   both eat
11.15-12 L sleep/ 11.30-12 and 12.35-13.35 J sleep (she woke up, pooed, but was still really tired so I put her in bed, she woke up a couple of times but was happy with the paci and slept again I think)
13.30 L eat
sleep 13.45-14.10

I have to adjust eating hours to sleeping hours, it seems they always have to eat when they should go to bed!