# help - baby screams for at least an hour every night before bed



## EmmaM2

As teh title says, it doesn't matter what we do he screams for an hour before he exhausts himself everynight - sometimes more. We are generally holding him the whole time but It doesn't matter what we do or if we try to do bed earlier/later he just screams. Does anyone have any advice?


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## EmmaM2

oh and i don't mean a wind down cry i mean a scream - arms flailing, back arching screaming. He has been fed, winded, changed, bathed, quiet, dim room the lot. please help!


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## ellie27

Sounds tough!!

How old is he?

Does he seem tired for bed when you put him down?

How much nap time is he getting a day?:flower:


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## RedRose

My baby was very much like this when she was overtired and overstimulated. I remember reading once that it is similar to when we've had a really busy day or been at Alton Towers and just can't switch off. I found it got better if I worked really hard at making sure she has enough sleep during the day, even if I held her in my arms for hours, at least she was sleeping. Also, try and make sure she's not overstimulated in the evenings, just nice calm cuddles and playing, not passed around with the TV on etc.

Good luck and congrats on your new arrival!


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## EmmaM2

Thanks ladies - he is just over 3 months. He usually has enough sleep during the day and he is definately tired at bedtime but then gets overtired because he wont go to sleep! He definately behaves like he is overtired/stimulated but nothing we do during the day makes a difference. I don't have him downstairs before bed, he stay upstairs in the quiet etc but it just seems to make no difference. We are at our wits end with it. He basically ends up cio - the only difference is he is being held rather than left alone.


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## NeyNey

How long between his last sleep during the day and his bedtime? At 3 months he shouldn't be awake more than 2 hours before he goes down for a sleep. (approx). I'd try giving him a nap (like a 45 min sleep) about 2.5 hours before you plan on putting him to bed....So for example with our boy He has a 2 hour sleep from 1pm to 3pm and then wakes and gets fed, then has a 45 min nap at 4-4:30pm wakes, then we bath and then feed around 6=6:30pm and bed at 7pm. (sometimes he goes earlier if he's really tired). 

Also when you say he's screaming, is that while in the bed, or while you hold him? Sometimes if they are overtired holding them can make it worse as they actually want to go to sleep....Do you swaddle? That can work wonders. Do you put him to bed awake for him to settle himself to sleep? Things like this can make a difference.

I'm just throwing ideas as I think of them hun lol.....I do feel for you though as we were in a very similar situation (only he screamed for hours, not just 1) and then we read a book called "save our sleep" by Tizzie Hall and it has just been fantastic. Dylan is much calmer and the whole feeling in the house is much more relaxed now....


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## Louise23

Kayden was like this from about 9 weeks til 4.5months, at about 5/6pm.. he didnt want milk/clean nappy/cuddles/playtime/sleep/anything else.. He just wanted to cry... for between 45mins - 1hr 30mins.. It drives you crazy.. But I figure if you try everything and there's still no change IMO then i used to strap kayden in his carseat/lay him in his crib and carry on with sorting the 3 girls out. As if i just held/sat with him i got the same reaction as I did if i put him down. So like I say hun. No advice but plenty of sympathy.. xx


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## emski803

my daughter is like this ive just found that laying her in our duvet with the sides higher than her head (so she cant see out) settles her so quickly then i just sit there and stroke her cheek if she starts screaming i sing twinkle twinkle and i thinks shes so shocked at how terrible my singing voice is she goes quiet!! i can get her down in around 10 mins this way then transfer her to bed... dreading later on tho when she wont settle herself but not worrying about it yet will cross that bridge when i get there!


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## bibswy

Hopefully its just a phase. Both of my kids were exactly the same at that age - my baby boy just seems to be getting past it now. Sometimes bringing bedtime forward an hour and feeding to sleep helped with us.. or I'd end up rocking him to sleep til my arms ached, lol! I agree with another poster that its like a build up of stress from the day - as they get older they adapt and cope with it better. It sounds like your doing the right things to help by keeping him quiet before bed. I have just introduce a snuggle blanket and i found this helped a bit too by keeping my LO's hands busy so he doesn't keep pulling his dummy out. Hope it eases up for you soon - xx


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## lkb21

Could it be colic? My daughter does this at t time every night, we've found putting her in her bounver amd bouncing her to sleep works. Also. I was advised to find a blank piece of wall and whilst holding her, face her at the wall, its calming if they are over stimulated apparently xx


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## Tiredgirl

I am having very similar problems at the moment, used to be able to get him down at 7/8 but now with all the crying/fussing its taking till after 10pm, hoping its just a phase cause it is making me feel quite down with all the crying. xx


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