REALLY unsettled at bedtime - what can we do?

[maninthemooncup]

DD is nearly 7mo and we have been lucky so far as she is a pretty good sleeper. I have overcome her resistance to naps and she usually has about 3 hours split into two sessions, one from about 10.30 and one from about 2pm. She naps in the buggy outside and sometimes has to be walked off to sleep.
Bedtime has gradually got earlier and earlier in response to her "tired cues" (gone from 8pm to 6pm in last six weeks), and until very recently she would self-settle, ie we would give her a cuddle and put her down awake and she'd happily go off to sleep by herself.
The last four weeks or so, she has screamed and flailed at bed time as if she's overtired. It doesn't seem to matter how early bed time is. We try and wind her down nicely, into pjs, quiet play in dimly lit room, then cuddle in dim room, light off, bf, all is fine then the screaming starts :(
She does eventually go off but I am finding that increasingly I am feeding her to sleep, which is frustrating as she's never needed this before! She does have a dummy but is an accomplished screamer with dummy in...

Is this likely to just be a developmental thing? It does seem like her brain just can't switch off like it used to. She's waking a lot at night too but I'm assuming that's a growth spurt as she seems hungry.

[Igglybuff]

This too shall pass

DS went through phases like this - would need to be fed to sleep for a while. Then it would stop and he'd self settle again.

There is a developmental leap around 6 months ish, could also be teething as well.

I'd go with it. After a feed, if she cries, then get her off with a feed if that works. If she doesn't cry, then see if she'll self settle again. She will in time, I promise (my DS did).

[maninthemooncup]

Thanks, that's very reassuring! I know it doesn't sound like a dreadful problem compared to what some people go through, but it is upsetting to see her get so worked up and I do worry that she'll never get back to settling herself again.

I'm sure there's a teeth element, she doesn't have any yet but is very drooly and chewy this weekend and her top gum is razor sharp as my nips can attest to!

[Igglybuff]

Oh I feel your pain!!

Yes the last few nights DS has been self settling after needing cuddles when he was ill. (he's nearly 14 months). I used to get so stressed about it but as long as I give him a chance, he'll be able to do it!