DD screams before sleeping--what's up with this

LilliesMommy

i mentioned this in another post the other day, but I just can't take this anymore! So, DD screams before EVERY time I put her down for sleep- naps and bedtime (for the past several days). It's like she's just freaking out and cannot calm down. It's awful. I should mention that I've sort of been doing the EASY schedule, but mostly following DD's cues, but it has helped me to feed her when she wakes up so I know when she gets fussy after being up a while that it's b/c she's tired. She has seemed to do really well with it for several weeks now. But now it seems like the whole thing has gone haywire, and she starts screaming her head off for like 15 minutes before sleeping. I just sit there and hold her, do the 5 S's, none of that seems to help at all, she'll calm down for a sec and then go at it again. So I've noticed that the only thing that will calm her down is to nurse her, and she'll nurse for like 5 min and finally pass out. I guess I just don't know if I should just nurse her before sleep and right after (like we've been doing lately) or switch to just feeding before sleep or if there's something else I should be doing...I really don't care about the schedule, I just want DD to be a happy baby! I know that some say you shouldn't nurse to sleep, some say it's fine, etc and I'm just wondering if I should be doing these back to back feedings or what...Please no flames, I know ppl have strong opinions about this. I just want the screaming to end, it kills me. I feel so guilty while I am holding her screaming and unable to help her. Is this normal behavior? Is it just a phase? My pedi was of no use with this (again) so I appreciate any feedback.

KellyNAaron

If nursing helps her calmly go down, that's what I would do. I dont buy into the theories/routines of books/baby trainers. I dont have anything against it, it just isn't what feels right to me so I just do what works for DD. If she is falling asleep that quickly than it isnt to nurse, its for comfort.

susanmosley

My DD is 5 months and I nurse her often, not always, before naps and bedtime. ?It is comforting and it works and she is a happy baby and I am a happy mommy. ?I will change when it stops working for us. ?If it works, I say go with it. ?One thing I have learned is that my baby is always changing, so I find myself worrying less and less that I am developing a horrible habit. ?And if I find something that works for us both, I do it. ?Good luck. ?Go with your gut, not the books.

anjalismom

my 4 mo old started doing the same thing recently. I know its hard to hear them scream. We noticed as soon as we picked her up she fell asleep on us out of exhaustion but as soon as we put her back in her crib on her back she screamed. I think its from being overtierd so we had to leave her screaming 10 min and she eventually fell asleep. HARD N we are trying to give her more naps in the day and its working last night she slept through nite and was not as cranky. Also if nursing helps do it. I totally nurse my LO to soother her all the time I don't care what the books say a mother know's how to keep her baby happy and every baby is different. Sometimes the books don't take that into consideration.

bv27

My baby is going through the same thing. She cries before naps so I can't put her down and nursing seems to be the only way to reliably calm her down for a nap although sometimes she can nap in the swing or during a stroller walk. Her longest naps are when I hold her and nap with her after nursing.

I'm trying to follow the EASY schedule and I've started to try to start soothing her for her nap about 30 minutes prior to when I want her to nap with mixed results. 

If you do find a way to get your baby to nap without crying, I'd love to hear what you did.

Good luck!