Really cranky nights, starting at 6pm

For the past three weeks we have been dealing with a really cranky DD. We do everything we can think of to make her stop crying. She isn't hungry, isn't hurt, doesn't need to be changed, has had plenty of attention, etc.

The only thing that will make her stop crying is the pacifier but she will spit it out constantly. She seems to want us to hold it for her because when we do she is perfectly fine.

I read online that babies sometime have this "winding down" period from "built up energy", yadda yadda.

Can I get a few thoughts on this please? It is difficult to deal with at times because she will cry for an hour straight sometimes. DD used to do the same thing but for the past week he hasn't. Maybe it's just something all babies go through? If it is something I can fix I would definitely like to but at the moment I am out of ideas... we just hold her and pacify her -every night- until she stops crying and falls asleep.

Thanks in advance!

 

Sorry, I meant to say, DS used to do it too - not so much anymore.

 

Sounds like 6pm is past thier bed time... this is what the twins did too... we started putting them down around 5pm and wouldnt ya know it :good:
I guess we would need more info on thier sleep schedule?

 

My first thought is that they may need to go to bed earlier. It would be helpful to get some information about her routine. It could also just be a fussy time for her regardless of what you do.

 

It sounds to me like the "witching hours". It ususally sets after 6 and can last until 10 pm. Here is something you might find useful.

 

I really like the above link... For one baby... If there's two cranky babies, then what?

It does sound like witching hours to me. The only thing I can suggest is to pray it will end soon. Indeed, try skin to skin contact or nursing or carrying -maybe in a sling- would help.

 

We went through 2 weeks of the witching hour 2times. Once when they were 6 weeks (actual) and once when they were 6 weeks adjusted. They both did it. Crying went from 6:30 to 7:30 (sometimes longer) every night. It was really horrible, but it was a phase and we never went through anything like that again! Hang in there! The only way to keep my sanity (b/c DH was deployed) was to have them both in their car carriers. My hand held their pacis in and my elbow rocked the seat. Oddly enough, Wheel of Fortune helped Jake! LOL! He couldn't see it, just liked the sounds. Hoping this doesn't last much longer for you! :grouphug:

 

Did you have them check for relux? My DD used to have bad relux. It got worst from 4-6 months. We used to constantly hold her from 6-9pm. She was crying, so uncomfortable, puking. But after 9pm, she was back to happy again. It worked like clock work really. From 5-6 months, it got terrible, we used to have to give them car ride everyday. Some nights, we had to drive them around and around. BUt after 6.5 months, it ended. So hang in there. I hope it will end soon for you.

 

We had a terrible witching hour at that age, and it turned out that I was just putting them to bed too late. So I would try that first. Hang in there.. random crying is the worst!

 

"Witching hours" - described our situation exactly! But we have tried all of those things. Walking around holding her does work - for a few minutes until she gets bored! I wonder how long this will last. It's like clockwork, it's every night 6pm - 12 or so. The fussiness peaks at around 10pm.

 

Sounds like 6 pm is bedtime! My two did this too, and so now their bedtime is 5:30-6. Sounds so early, but babies really need early bedtimes. Especially if they are miserable and cranky Mine used to go to bed around 7 or 7:30 but not sonce a few months ago (they are almost 7 mos now). The book Healthy Sleep Habits Healthy Child is awesome...

 

Ah, the 6:00 meltdown! We went through that, too. It doesn't last forever.

 

3 months was when I started putting mine down early. But, in order for it to work, they had to be well rested throughout the day too. I found that 1 1/2 hours of wake time was the absolute maximum they could be awake during the day and in the evening too. Even if they woke up at 6pm from a nap, I put them back down again for the night at 7pm.

Try for a few days to put them down to sleep pretty much every hour after they wake up. It may mean staying home for a few days but it will really help. Some days, mine napped 5 times especially if they had short nap times (I still would put them down soon after they got up especially if they only napped for 30 minutes).

 

Bingo! They are asking for an earlier bedtime. I highly suggest "Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child." GREAT info!!

Try 5:30 then if that's not early enough, move it up! GL! I remember those fun times

Mine did 6 pm to 6:30 am from 12 weeks to about a year and 1/2. Then we moved it to 6:45pm. Now we do 7:30pm. My kids NEED early bedtimes or they (okay, me too) LOSE it!

 

We had this too, starting around then. Most moghts we would each wear one around the house, do whatever we hadto do. Ultimately cluster feeding helped.