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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

What is it about 5-7pm (3 month old son)

14 replies

Knitterbird · 29/02/2008 17:49

Help! Pretty much every night between 5-7 (sometimes 8pm), my DS is inconsolable. The only thing that will make him happy is being held upright and being walked around...and round... and around the house some more.

I check everything, feeding, putting him down for a nap, changing his nappy, playing with him & just leaving him alone.

I'm at my wits end and very, very tired after 2 hours of walking so any advice would be gratefully received.

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No1ErmaBombeckfan · 29/02/2008 17:51

It's not called suicide hour for nothing.....

FrannyandZooey · 29/02/2008 17:51

oh it is dreadful isn't it
it doesn't get much better as they get older IMO- they don't actually cry but my god they whinge

a friend used to get out of the house and go for a long walk with her ds either in the pram or in a sling
he still used to fuss a lot, but sometimes it calmed him, and she felt a lot better for the fresh air and the exercise

WingsofanAngel · 29/02/2008 17:55

Colic ?

mamalocco · 29/02/2008 17:56

We bought the Graco swing because of this very problem. Great for the odd 5 minutes the rest of the day as well for when they are really unsettled, but you just have to make a phone call, go to the loo (need MN fix.....).

MrsMar · 29/02/2008 20:23

I've got the babies book by dr christopher green and he calls it the arsenic hour...

TheAccidentalParent · 01/03/2008 19:51

I think they are all like this at that time of day. Goes on for years apparently, but crying becomes grumpiness

bigdonna · 01/03/2008 22:04

my dd was like this she had colic, baby massage and i think it was camomile tea i gave her!!!

emma1977 · 02/03/2008 23:14

My 11 week ds exactly the same.

We count down the minutes until Daddy gets home!

Joolyjoolyjoo · 02/03/2008 23:17

Yup!! We call it the twilight zone!! All the kids and baby start acting up at that time!! I put DS (16wks) in car seat in kitchen, put music on and dance and sing for him as I make the dinner!! Neighbours must think I'm nuts, but it helps! the music must be really loud. If nothing else it drowns out the fighting of his big sisters!

thisisthelast · 03/03/2008 07:19

DD2 still does this at 7 months! I think it is exhaustion from the day. I could be wrong but my DD is knackered by this stage but daren't let her nap late cos she goes to bed at 7. I've tried extending her naps and tweeked the times of feeds and naps but no change. I'm hoping it will improve when she gets mobile. My HV said it was colic but at 7 months I'm still waiting for it to end! x

chrissnow · 03/03/2008 07:33

My dd1 was like this too. I called it sensory overload. Too much happenened during the day for her tiny mind to process. You know how you get when you're really tired but just cannot get comfy and get to sleep? I imagine this is what its like for babies at this time. I bought a bouncy chair. Very basic, no toys or music (and barely any bounce!!) popped her in it and put her up the corner of whatever room I was in. No TV/music/toys or anything. I then sat and quietly read a book or something. The total quiet just seemed to calm her. She didn't want touching or stimulating in any way. Within about 45 mins she was always ok again. Sounds barbaric doesn't it? But I'm convinced she just needed 'me' time.
dd2 on the other hand - totally different matter she always was (and still is at 18months) grumpy and screamy at various times throughout the day. And nothing can calm her.

LolaLadybird · 03/03/2008 14:58

I second the comments on exhaustion/sensory overload. My 3 month old is getting a lot better but can also be pretty grumpy this time of the day. My solution when all else fails ... the hairdrier! I put DS on the bed and the hair drier on the floor a little way away and just leave it on a cold setting, worked a treat for DD1 too. I think the white noise just helps them zone out. I often do this to help keep DS happy while I do bed/story time with his big sister.

Pinchypants · 03/03/2008 15:10

Ah, the witching hours. I second the others - crying will stop but may well be replaced by being overtired, grumpy, whingey etc. My DD is 19 months and by about 5pm she really has had sensory overload. It is better in the summer, if that's any consolation with the evenings getting a bit lighter, cos at least it's easier and nicer to get out with the pram/buggy for a walk/to the park or something. An hour walking in fresh air seems a lot less tiring than an hour pacing. When she was very little I used to let her have an extra short nap/quiet time by herself, sometimes having to wake her up at 6 for her bath and then bed again at 7. I know it sounds mad but it worked a treat. Good luck!

KJTWINS · 03/02/2009 11:56

ive acually found that i give mine a massage and take them to the nursery and give them a kick around without their nappy on gives me something to do too and seems to calm them DP was working last night and i was dreading the 5 whinge cry etc but that worked for me anyway worth a try !

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