N.,
Congrats on the twins! So much fun, and so much work.
There could be a number of reasons your girls are crying. However, when I get onto jobs with your issue, it's normally 1 of 3 things.
I will put them in order of most common.
1) Hungry
2) Tried
3) Over Stimulated
HUNGRY-
Per your description, you're saying the girls should be full. However, I find on most jobs that parents feed the bab(ies) once they wake up, play, and put the babies back down to sleep. Normally that entire process takes about 1-2 hours. If you bab(ies) are eating when they wake up, by the time you get ready to put them back down, guess what, they really are hungry again. Most books would tell you that it's allowing your babies to snack and they will not be good eaters. I completely disagree. And with ALL my experience with babies, they need the TOP OFF before every nap. This allows them to sleep with FULL BELLIES- and use the food to develop and grow while they sleep. If your babies are having short naps, it's because they are hungry.
So, it should look like this- they wake up at noon. You feed them (maybe at this age 4-6oz), change them, play with them and start looking for the signs of tired (yawning, red eyes, fussy). By 1245-130 it's time to transition them back to a quiet, dark place for a top off (about 1-3oz). This will allow them to use the food while they sleep and feel full. They should sleep about 2.5-3 hours at this point.
OVER TIRED
If your babies are fed and not hungry and that fussy, it means they are way over tired. I don't believe in ever letting a baby "cry it out." If your babies are over tired, they will cry like your talking about. Start transitioning them PRIOR to the over tired signs to nap time and bed time. Since they are used to being held, you're going to need to trick them and swaddle them tightly before you begin to transition them- and give them the top off while swaddled ( I don't believe in swaddling, however, I use this trick when I'm in situations like you're talking about)- This will trick them to THINK they are being held because they will be tightly wrapped, warm, and comfortable. Once they are ready to go down, put them down in a quiet place (hopefully the chosen sleeping spot-dark and quiet). You might need to pat them like you're holding them, and rock them a little. This is patting and rocking is WHILE they are in the bed. It might take a minute or two to calm them if they have woken up.
If this doesn't work, put the bouncing seat in the bedroom, or even in the crib if you're doing crib training. Bounce them in the seat-
If you're using a pacifier, use that also. You might need to hold it in their mouths to help them relax some. They are used to the motion, body heat, and tight holding, so think- "How can I trick these girls to think I'm holding them while they sleep?"
Eventually, after all this tricking, believe it or not, they will transition to little to no patting, swaddling, bouncing etc.
With the bouncy seat, you can use the vibrator, however, once they stop crying or start sleeping, TURN IT OFF. If they cry, turn it back on- do ON/OFF many times until they get used to NO Vibrator. My main philosophy is to use the tools as a distraction, and for training, and to remember----everything in moderation until the problem is solved and NEVER do it too much to form addictions-
The first priority is to get them sleeping- and get them out of your arms. Once you do that, you can really work on where, and how long. So, I've given you a lot of information that some of it might work, and some not depending on more details needed from you!
OVER STIMULATED
Most babies are over stimulated- by 10 weeks, the brain has developed enough that noises and light can overstimulate the babies- and they really need a quiet, dark place to rest (I'm saying this because most parents have their babies out in the living room to sleep, not thinking the noise bothers them). Also, since they are only awake 45min- 1.5 hours, it's important to recognize how much noise, and stimulation they have had during that time. I'm finding most parents are doing too much and not letting the babies just relax and take it all in by looking around.
I'm thinking your babies aren't sleeping 2-3 hour stretches, and if that's the case, you have a double whammy of over stimulated and tired babies- which makes the next go around harder.
Hope this helps some! You're so blessed to have such wonderful babies!
I'm in your area if you need some help.
C. Giovanni
Miracle Nanny