4 month old suddenly having meltdowns at 7pm - any ideas?

[belinda31]

Hello,

Our four month old has always been a tricky eater - and for the past couple of weeks or so I've been fretting about him taking only 3 or 4 oz per feed, but he has been getting better during the day and is now hungrier, taking abou 5-6oz per feed.

However, the 7pm bedtime feed has turned into a total disaster. He used to take up to 9oz, fed by his dad, and it is the only time they spend together, but now refuses to eat at all, (so tonight has gone to bed having last fed at 4pm) and screams and screams and screams. He is definitely tired (he slept about 2.5 hours today in total, but has been awake since c.3pm, and wouldn't sleep after that) but do you think that's what is causing these meltdowns?

Do babies suddenly get worse at sleeping in the day around now? He used to just drop off when he needed a kip, but now gets fretful and cross and ever more wakeful. Can I do anything to help him sleep? (apart from the first sleep of the day, around 2hrs after waking, when he goes back to bed relatively easily, he tends to only fall asleep in his pram, but sleeps soundly)

I would love him to be a bit perkier for his dad when he comes home (he's never been bad in the evenings before, he's always been quite perky at this time up till now) and would love any advice as to why you think this might be?

In terms of food, he's had about 23oz so far today, and I will feed him before I go to bed, and he'll take about 7oz, so he will have had enough. Should I just give up trying to feed him at 7pm? how can I stop him having these meltdowns before bed?

Any tips gratefully received!

Thanks

put him to bed earlier?

over tired babies are harder to feed and harder to settle

sounds like hes overtired. are u feeding him on demand or by the book (ie every 4 hours or so)? as whenever my dd2 is very tired, i wrap her up firmly so she cant wave her arms all the the place and either feed her with the bottle or hold and rock her till shes asleep. i do noticed that around about every 4 hours of being awake, my dd2 starts crying and needed a nap. she is nearly 6m old.

it's prime growth spurt time, too, so poss not unusual that his body clock is messinghim around
could it also be early teething?

I agree with what others have said. Put him down earlier and see if that helps.

Early teething/growth spurt also classic around 4 mths, so may just have to ride it out

Is he like this because of the change in person (i.e his dad?)

I say this because we got EXACTLY this from dd when she was 12 weeks old. She had always had a bottle of ebm from DH since she was 3 weeks old and we had a nice little routine when I went to the gym. All of a sudden she started going NUTS - hysterical. She was inconsolable (not really like her as she was a pretty chilled baby) and poor DH was really upset as he used like that time together.

It passed after about a week, because it was not easy whilst it lasted. DH persevered and sent me out the house as it upset me to hear her (it upset him as well...one evening all three of us were in tears!)

DD did this too, I just had to ride it out, lasted for a few weeks

I don't think it is the change in person, because it started this evening before he got back. I think it's exhaustion, but is it bad to put him to bed without feeding him? (i guess if he goes down then it's fine as he can't be too starving, and I'll feed him later). I normally feed c.every 3.5-4 hours, but it is pretty much on demand, that's what he wants.

So, since the issue is tiredness, if I put him to bed earlier does that mean he'll wake at 5am? If so, what do I do about that? and any tips for getting more daytime sleep in, short of constant pram pushing (though that's even working less well than it used to)

Thanks!

I agree, he may be ready for bed at 6pm rather than 7. My ds was like this - needed to be in bed by 6. Give it a try - hopefully he won't wake earlier in the morning. Is he having feeds during the night? Do you feed at about 110 or 11pm before you go to bed?

Also agree it may be related to teething. DS got his first tooth at 5 months and the few weeks before were hell in the evenings.

I gave calpol in the end on a few nights as he wasn't overtired and we figured he must be in discomfort or pain.

HTH