5 month old fussy and crying in the evenings

[HariboFrenzy]

My (almost) 5 month old is a nightmare in the evenings. Just unhappy, crying, fussing... it makes it quite hard to settle him. At the moment he is usually bathed around 7 to be asleep by 8, but fusses from around 5/5.30 onwards. Should I be starting his bed time routine earlier? Im worried that if I put him down at 7 or earlier he will wake too early in the morning...

What time do others put babies to bed?

[Jelly101]

My 5 month old went at 7.30 and has woken for a feed now. He's restless in the evenings too. I just don't get it he's happy as Larry during the day and no trouble whatsoever. As soon as it gets to around 5-6pm, that all changes. He is bathed, changed and fed at the same time, but sometimes it can take up to an hour to settle him. The only way that he settles on his own without a fuss is if I put the Hoover or the hairdryer on.

[MockTheWeek]

My DD is eight months and we had the same thing. I think it's just that time of day. We brought her bedtime forward to 7pm although it often ends up being earlier if required and it hasn't affected her wake up time.

[September60b]

My dd is 9 months and she is really grumpy from around 5pm onwards. She is usually in bed by 7.30pm but occasionally she will go down earlier (6.30ish) depending on how she is. I don't find that it affects her wake up time at all.

[HariboFrenzy]

Thank you for replies. Seems that it is a common fussy time! Interesting that some of you have found putting them down earlier makes no difference to waking - I guess I've got nothing to lose!

[ODog]

Sounds like he is tired. As others have said oase no difference to wake up times here. In fact as DS has got older (16mo now) is he goes to bed late he tends to sleep worse and get up earlier than if he goes to bed at a good time.

[HariboFrenzy]

Definitely an earlier night being had tonight in the frenzy house - he was awake from 4.45 this morning