Crying in the afternoon/evening

[Alyssa Drough]

My DD is nearly 12 weeks old.

The last couple of days she's been going crazy but only in the afternoon/evening.

A couple of weeks ago we switched her onto medium flow teats and she had a few problems with gas but we started putting infacol in her bottle and she got better. Usually I can hear if there's wind still in her but I can't hear anything.

If she's laying down she will try and sit herself up by lurching her head forward.

She refuses her bottle, even when she hasn't eaten for a few hours.

She is dribbling but I wouldn't call it excessive.

She's not bringing milk back up.

If we can calm her down she might be alright for half an hour or so but then she starts screaming again.

Has anyone got any ideas or advice??? According Mr Google it could be anything! The symptoms don't seem particularly specific to any one thing.

 

[SpringCrane]

It sounds like the witching hour to me =(

I have two pieces of advice:
(1) Just keep trying to soothe her. Even if something doesn't seem to work, try it again later. (My son's "trick" was a darkened room, swaddled, bouncing on an exercise ball, and singing or shushing rather loudly. He also liked being outside a lot. But those didn't always work, and something that didn't usually work would be a lifesaver some days.)
(2) Remember that this will pass.

It passed with my son when he was about 3-3.5 months if I remember correctly. Try taking turns with her, to give each of you a break. Know that you aren't doing anything wrong, and really, it will pass!

 

[Brz04]

I agree with pp it may be witching hour...ours was from 8-11pm like clockwork until DS started his own routine of going to bed at 6:30-7 around 3.5mo then it suddenly stopped. I'm not sure if part of it had to do with him being overtired and trying to "tell" us he needed to be in bed much earlier at night!! Could it be colic?? How many hours a day does it occur? I've heard of colic starting several months after birth.

 

[Perplexed]

My baby also had some similar phases and at one occasion she even refused to drink milk for 5 hrs... No advice I'm afraid other than ride the storm till it passes.

I give her a tummy massage sometimes...seems to help a bit. But on one occasion it just pushed her over the edge lol

 

[Missnurse]

I have the same thing it starts at 7pm till he goes to bed at 8, I honestly think it's because he is tired and telling us it's bedtime, once I take him up to bed and give him his bottle he's out for the count!

 

[candyem]

We used to call it grumpy hour with my son. From 5-6.30 he used to be really fussy and didn't want to do anything. I used to take him in the garden and let him watch the trees or walk him around the house singing him songs until bedtime.

 

[HPmum2B]

DD2 is almost 11 weeks old and we have it from about 6pm till 10pm when she finally gives in and goes to bed. I remember DD1 being the same. I can't remember when it passes, but I think it was by 4 months. Me and hubby just take turns at soothing her. Sometimes she calms for a bit. Maybe snoozes, then gets going again.

 

[Joannaemma]

We found it was because LO was getting overtired in the evening.

The only way we can get round it is bath at 6, bottle and in bed at 7 (started at 8 weeks),took him a few days to get into it but now he loves it and knows as soon as we go upstairs and put him on his mat there it's bath time. He often still is really grotty from 1630 to 1700 though but his bath keeps him busy.

We did like putting him to bed a bit later as it meant he got the bulk of his sleep when we we're also sleeping and putting him to bed earlier meant he woke not long after us going to bed, but he's slowly getting longer and now goes to 3-4 am (previously 12-1) and then a quick feed and back down until 7 xx

 

[Smiler82]

Witching hour!! I remember it fondly.... :S

I was told it's just their way of relieving a bit of stress; they're learning so much so quickly it just gets a bit much and they go crazy. I just braced myself every afternoon for the storm to come! It always passed with some singing, shushing and plenty of cuddling. He stopped doing it after about a month or so. Hang in there!

 

[Alyssa Drough]

Thanks ladies...

Well this is day 3. I'm getting better at keeping her calm but she still just starts screaming every now and then. Sometimes I think she's in pain, but sometimes I'm not sure. She's still doing that weird thing that looks like she's trying to do sit ups. She can go all afternoon until about 9/10pm.

Someone on FB suggested silent reflux? I'm not so sure.

Hopefully you're all right and it's just a weird phase!

 

[Lovn.sunshine]

Yep, I agree with the witching hour phase! It last from 7pm-10pm daily, like a switch was turned on in LO. Lasted nearly a month. It will pass. Just keep up with doing whatever soothes her. It may be different each day.
And definitely consult with LO's doctor too, to rule out things like silent reflux!
Good luck, it will get easier!