Bedtime Struggles, at my wits end

kfry22

We have really been struggling with bed time for the last few nights and it is getting worse. Around 6:30 he will eat and then take a quick nap for about an hour. Around 8pm he wakes up, I do a bath if he needs one and Pjs. We keep him calm and cuddle with him until he is hungry around 9. After he eats, it's like he knows he is about to fall asleep and gets terribly cranky and fussy. He goes in spurts of dozing off for s minute or so, acting hungry and nurses for a few seconds, crying, using a pcifier, all while being held and rocked. Eventually he will wear himself out and cry/scream himself to sleep in my arms around 11:30-12. Last night it went on until 1am. Is this a growth spurt? Witching hour? Any suggestions? I would like to figure out what I'm doing wrong sooner rather than later as I go back to work next Monday and work either very early hours (2,3,4,5am) or late at night (until midnight).

jasmineluke

How old is LO . Maybe growth spurt or wonder week (not sure what they call it)

kfry22

He is 7 weeks and one day.

KristynLee15

It sounds like a growth spurt to me.

tracij12

We are dealing with the same but LO is 13 weeks. It is tiring and frustrating for sure! No advice just a big hug and some sympathy. Hope it passes quickly!!

chein1

We've been dealing with this for the last few days. Our LO is 8 weeks and 1 day. I think it's a growth spurt because yesterday she wouldn't nap at all during the day and she's been asleep for 3 hours currently. She had colic prior to this but that subsided and now this. Just know it's a phase Hang in there and drink wine! (If that's your thing...if not...ice cream binge?)

dimi2015

My baby was fussy too until we started a propper routine that was exactly the same every day.

6.00pm bath then dressed & swaddled
6.30pm bottle
7.00pm into cot

Then at 10pm I would go into his room and pick him up without waking him and give him a bottle (as a top up - babies automatically suck without even waking) and he would sleep another 3+ hours.

At first he wouldnt sleep till the 10pm feed so I would just feed him as soon as he woke up and get him back to sleep and back into cot but eventually it stretched further enough that he slept till 10. Now at 11 weeks he sleeps from 7pm till between 2.30 & 3.30am betfore hes up for another feed. with the top up feed at 10.30

So much easier with him in bed by 7! Gives me time to prepare dinner, tidy up the house and relax with hubby.

jah64

My 8.5 week old is doing something similar but she will fall asleep for 15 min then wake up crying then fall asleep etc. This goes on for 2-3 hours each night and started about a week ago. I'm thinking it is a growth spurt or part of the wonder week they go through around this time! Hang in there momma...this too shall pass!

ameares721

Are you swaddling?!?!?!? Makes all the difference for us. The Ollie swaddle has been amazing!

koriemo

Have you tried moving bedtime earlier? LO goes down between 6-7 and does so much better that way.

kfry22

We don't swaddle because that makes it worse. Way worse. Like pinching his face up and making himself turn all red in the face and scream. He doesn't do well with his arms confined at all.

Yes we have tried having him go to sleep in his crib at 7 when he falls asleep but always wakes up between 9-10 to start the crazy fussy period.

I suppose I just need to accept the fact that this is just a phase and won't last forever.

chein1

@kassyfry I'm in the exact same boat. Swaddling is far from being a cure-all...she despises it and it makes everything worse. LO will nap around 7-8 and we'll think we're skipping the crying that night...nope wakes herself right up to start. I just don't get it! Only thing that helps is knowing that there's nothing wrong and nothing that needs to be fixed that we aren't fixing, it's just a very loud, very draining phase that will pass.

Dawnmarie0310

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