Bed time is battle time - help!

[gorge]

My 4 month old (one of a twin), has suddenly started going crazy during the lead up to bed time, and screams at full volume for an hour, nothing will console her. I don't think there has been any change in the routine (bath, bottle, bed at 7pm), and I don't think there is any thing wrong. I can't leave her to cry for any amount of time, as it wakes her twin brother, and he ends up in a similar state.
The screaming can come on at any time ie during bath or bottle or in the cot, and it makes no difference if we leave out the bath and just do a low key top and tail.
Please help - I am too exhausted at the end of the day to deal with this!

dont know if this will be much help but my son did exactly the same thing at about 4 months so we decided after about 10 nights of this to put him down earlier. He now has his bath about 6.10 bottle at 6.30 and in bed by 6.45 after a couple of nights of he was like a different baby. Hes almost 7 months old now and is still in this routine.I know how you feel I used to go through the day dreading bedtime hoping that tonight will PLEASE be different I know it must be so hard as you have twins and maybe cant put them down earlier but maybe worth a try?

Sorry, I don't know what to suggest. It sounds like you have a 'settled' evening routine so that can't be the problem. For the last few nights my ds (12 weeks) has been doing similar inconsolable screaming but actually refusing to feed as well - think it might be wind or some other kind of tummy problem with him though. Bit of a worry. I think these things can just be phases which come and go for no obvious reason, clearly your dd must be a bit out of sorts though, but I think you should just stick to your normal routine. Is she really tired by that time in the day? When was her last nap in the afternoon? How long does she nap in the day? Could it possibly be overtiredness? If she's been fully awake for 2 hours or more that could be the problem. Not sure if this helps but i hope it sorts itself out.

we said sort of the same thing

lots of sympathy here and trying to keep it bumped for you. Could she have colic? All my children went through a screaming phase in the first few months but it stopped by 6 months.

hope things improve soon

Any better tonight gorge?

Wow - thanks all so much. I think it was indeed overtiredness! We tried an earlier start time for the bed time routine, and more of a nap after the 3 pm feed, as your suggestions. Put her to bed 1/2 hour before her brother - she screamed for 5 minutes only then slept until 4am! Did the same thing last night - screaming only about 2 mins then slept until 3.30am. I was pulling my hair out and loosing my rag before - so massive thank you for the fab advice. Its always the simple things isn't it? And you need an experienced mum to point it out when you are suffering from sleep deprived dementia!! Thanks x

Prawns and parsnips rule!

Hi gorge im so glad things are better for you I remember very clearly the feeling of sheer frustration and wanting to scream yourself!!! Long may it continue!!