Questions about the 'witching hour'?

[lmel16]

hi,

Im mostly formula feeding with the odd expressed breastmilk inbetween.
My baby who is 5 1/2 weeks old has this grouchy period between 6pm and 12pm. Were she seems to constantly feed and is unable to settle. Ive heard that this it quite commen but I wondered if I should still be trying to get her into a routine?
In the evening i try and keep the lights low, remaining upstairs and noise i.e talking to a minimuim. But it means that my husband and I are seperate in the evenings.
Would it do to much damage bringing her downstairs, in the light and noise as she doesnt sleep anyway?
I just dont want to cause more problems in her being confused between night and day and then never sleeping in the evenings?

Thanx Mel

 

[MissAma]

I'm no experienced parent but didn't want to read and run. I wish we had that long of a period of constant feeding, we're ecstatic when ours (just a week younger than yours) asks for another bottle or just a top-up, I'm watching her weight like a hawk.

With that said, there is an awesome book by Tizzy Hall called "Save our Sleep" and deals with establishing a routine. I read nothing but rave reviews so it is worth a try. Very easy to follow if you want to -we decided to wait with the routine for a month or so- and it gives you clear methods to try.

 

[lmel16]

Thankyou, I have actually got that book and have been trying her routines but I've struggled in the evenings as my LO just wants to eat and eat and also be wide awake. Hope your LO starts eating well soon.

Mel

 

[wispa86]

the only thing that we found with keeping Ollie downstairs until we went to bed was that then he was unsettled when we took him upstairs when we wanted to be going to sleep.

 

[Fiore]

Baby J used to do this and so we kept her in the licit room with us, we would just cuddle her rather than offer her a playtime on her mat. By following her cues as to when she is ready to go down for the night we've been able to establish a night time routine where she now goes down from 9.45pm (not sure why but this is her perfect time lol) and wakes at 7am. The main cue is her trying to hide from the light and noise by burying her face into my chest. When she does this I take her into our dark bedroom and rock her to sleep to be honest we let her do as she pleases in regards to routine in daytime, I try my best to follower her lead.

I've also found she eats regularly before going to bed, like every hour (from the magic 6pm lol!) and I'm not sure if she's stocking up for the night or just unsure what she wants? Anyway, for 9 hours sleep I don't mind lol!

I hope I've not jinxed myself here, but I wouldn't worry too much about it and as I say just follow LOs lead xx

 

[Fiore]

That's meant to be living room, not licit room lol! That's my daft iPhone trying to be a smart ass and correcting my words for me xx