Four month sleep regression?

Okay, so we've been having issues of some variety or another for a month now.  First it was a nursing strike.  Then I took fenugreek to increase my supply and they nursed again, but got terrible gas waking them up all night.  So I stopped taking the fenugreek and they started sleeping better again, but became fussy nursers again and started fussing pretty much all day.  Then they started waking up at night too.  We took them to the doctor and got their reflux medicine adjusted, which helped with the nursing, but not much else.  The doctor suspected their daytime fussiness was from being overtired, so we're doing better about getting them a lot of naps now which seems to be helping with the daytime fussiness.
 
BUT...
 
They keep waking up.  We put them down around 7pm and they go to sleep with minimal fuss.  Then one of them will wake up around 10-10:30 with gas.  Some bicycles and she'll go back to sleep.  Then they both wake up at midnight and need to eat, then go back to sleep okay.  Then they wake up at 4-5am with gas and will only go back to sleep if I feed them again.  Then they wake up at 6-7 to start the day.  Prior to this whole debacle they'd been sleeping very well 7:30-6:00, only waking up once to eat around 2am, and for a while it seemed like they were going to drop that feeding and they even slept all night once.  Now they're up every three hours and eating twice overnight again.  The second nighttime feeding has been going on a little over a week now.
 
I just don't know what's going on, and I'm exhausted.  They used to sleep so well, what happened??  I'm trying eliminating anything from my diet that might be causing their gassiness but it's not like I started eating something different lately, it's the same food I've been eating since they were born.  Their adjusted age is 16 weeks.  Is this the "four-month sleep regression" I've heard about?  How long will it last?  Do I need to sleep train them or should I just wait it out?  It's not like they're waking up just wanting to play -- they're obviously gassy and they go right back to sleep once they've passed some gas and eaten.

 

I don't have any tips to help you out, but I just want to say I feel for you. My girls will be 4 months next week. Everything you're saying, is the exact same things we've been going through. It was at three months that one of my girls started having the nursing problems. She started screaming at every feeding after about 2-3 minutes. It was SO hard to get her to nurse for about two weeks. And then all of a sudden, she got over it. Except for her last feed of the night. I have to rock her to sleep through her screaming almost every night, while nursing her sister.
But through all that, the fussy eater was sleeping almost all night. She would wake once, and has slept through the night about 5 times.
And now, for the past 2 weeks, it's like we just got home from the hospital again with them. They sleep for four-five hours, and then I'm up all night, soothing or nursing one baby, laying her down, just in time for the other one to wake and cry.
It's hard. I'm tired. But, I think it's just a faze. It actually makes me feel better that your twins have been similar, because that tells me even more, it's probably just something to do with their age.

I hope someone can give some more knowledgeable input, and I hope your babies give you some sleep!

 

It's so nice to hear that I'm not alone!  Their behavior is so hit or miss every day.  After not sleeping much for a couple weeks they slept through the night last night.  ???  Who knows what will happen tonight?  We just got them to bed but they were screaming and throwing a fit most of the afternoon and through their last feeding.  I've given up on nursing for the last feed of the day -- it was way too stressful for all of us.  I usually nurse them when I get home from work around 5:15, but today they started screaming after 3 mins on the breast so I gave up and we put them to bed early with a big bottle.  I hear them making noise over the monitor though....

 

So.... how are things going with you and your girls? I hope they're sleeping better for you.

Things have been getting a lot easier in our house. It's slow change, but good change. Carolynn is back to sleeping most of the night - she wakes for one early morning feed between 4 and 6, and that's it. Adelynn still wants to nurse all night, but each night she sleeps a little longer before waking. Nursing is also a breeze all of a sudden (except them nawing on my when they're bored of suckling) which is wonderful.
Things certainly aren't always easy, but they're getting better. I hope they are for you too! Give us an update when you can.

 

We're back to one nighttime feeding, and 2-3 additional nighttime wakings.  Usually they go right back to sleep after a pacifier and a pat on the tummy.  They're hit or miss most of the day though and still having major reflux issues and nursing problems.  I'm down to only nursing once a day which is kind of sad but better than nothing, right?  I managed to get C to nurse yesterday afternoon by distracting her with ambient music and a visualization on a tablet.  Naps depend on how their reflux is.  They were a disaster yesterday (no more than 45 mins for any nap) but slept well last night and this morning....until now, when after 30-ish mins asleep C started fussing and hubby has been up there with her trying to get her back to sleep for 20 mins now.

 

Well glad they're back to one night time feed. I'm sorry they're still having the nursing and reflux problems. But if it's easier on everyone for you to pump and bottle feed, I say go for it! As long as you're pumping, you always have the option of nursing if the babies are up for it. I stopped nursing my first daughter at 6 months, because she wasnt interested enough and my milk started to dry up. I regretted not pumping later. After she started learning to move and play better, she started to like laying/cuddling with me again, but we were on formula by then.

But I have to say, trying to nurse fussy babies has been one of the most stressful things about having twins for me. You're doing wonderful keeping on the breast milk!

 

Thanks mommy2bof3!  I did end up giving up on nursing about a week ago after talking to a lactation consultant.  The stress was just too much for all of us and it was hurting my supply.  I feel like we're going in the right direction now.  The girls are almost on a schedule (at least, they would be if they would reliably nap for 1.5 hours instead of 45 mins), are eating well most days, and aren't having too much discomfort from their reflux.  They're sleeping better though still up a couple times every night.  On to the next challenge . . . swaddle weaning!