What now?!

[Rollonbedtime7pm]

I have posted before about DD2's bedtime screeching and thrashing about - she is finally starting to go to sleep more easily but has recently been screaming blue murder just before she goes to bed, so when she is taken up for a bath, during the bath and when she is given her milk.

Honestly, she is not a crier generally and this sounds like she is being murdered! It makes no difference what time it is, how she has napped that day, who is doing the bath - just endless endless screaming so then she chokes on the milk and everyone ends up pissed off and unhappy.

She is nearly 6 months. Just so fucking tired of it - it's not the bloody law to scream at some aspect of bedtime, why do my babies (she is #3) seem to think it is?!

Don't really have an AIBU as such, just to be thoroughly sick of it!

What time is her last nap before she goes to bed at night?

My dd is similar age and also a screamer after her bath. Her brother never did it so we just assume it's part of her personality! At that age they can't control their behaviour so I can't see the point of getting angry about it.

It's she on solids yet? Maybe that would help settle her a bit? (and yes, I'm taking my own advice!)

She's a bit young for it to be about anything. Focus on making it easier for yourself. Skip the bath if that is where it starts or is part of the battle. Give her milk earlier and string it out while lounging in front of in the night garden.

Skip the bath. No need to bath babies every day. If you feel you must, do it in the morning.
With no. 3 you have to consider the welfare of the whole family and that includes yourself!

I agree with skip the bath. I've never understood why people bathe babies at night when DH is coming home, dinner needs to be cooked etc. I would hate having a hot bath and then getting wrapped up in bed!

Skip the bath. The witching hour is tough enough as it is. Cuddles and milk is all that's needed at that age IMO.

Could she be slightly colicky?

She's definitely not colicky - apart from being a bit old for it now (having never had it previously), her sister had colic until she was at least 4 months old. It was bloody awful and DD2 is nothing like that at all, it seems a very focused period of crying!

She was a bit better tonight - you could see her visibly winding up to it as she was getting undressed so just made sure to keep her calm with lots of cuddles and reassurance. Seemed to work better than the "just get it over with quickly" that we were doing.

She usually has a nap around 4:30 - 5 before bed but tbh she is rubbish at that time of day whether she has napped well or not! She struggles a lot at teatime with tiredness.

Babies are cute and everything but I do prefer it when they can talk instead of the crying that leaves me clueless!