If newborns can't tell the difference between night and day...

[rubybambini]

...then why does our otherwise content breastfed DD turn into an unrecognisable screamer at 10pm? Just coincidence? We can't fathom what's changing at all.

Anyone else notice this? Any tips to help? I do realise she's still very very very little and finding herself, but...a pattern has to start somewhere and we're worried that a 3-4 hour settling down period every night might be hers, and we'd like to break that pattern sooner than later.

Here's the background:

She's lovely, our first, and just 9 days old today. She seems to want to breastfeed every 3.5 to 4 hours, which is great, and we sometimes have to wake her to feed, she rarely screams (during the day).

So a typical day is feeding at around 6.30, 10ish, 2ish, 6ish. All these feeds / nappy changes, swaddling, bathing and play episodes take 1 to 1.5 hours, and she'll go to sleep quickly and contentedly.

However, a 10pm night feed starting time so far means that we're lucky if she'll drop off before 1am - and this morning 3am - five hours of screaming - arghhh, at our wits end with trying to soothe her.

We tried soothing, walking, music, two nappy changes, a very quiet dark room, watching WeeSee videos on YouTube, some formula, pacifying on my boob, and then finally, expressed breastmilk, as by that time, she'd been screaming so long, she was due another feed. Reading that back, she was quite probably over-stimulated.

I don't think she has colic - as in, she doesn't pull her feet up and her tummy doesn't seem sore - but happy to be corrected on that.

Thanks so much in advance.

And to add - tried lying in bed with her still on the boob, no joy - still just fussing and head shaking. I was pretty sleepy, not even close for her.

Night boobs aren't failing you - it's a combination of the flow being slower at the end of the day so the baby has to work a bit harder for it (swapping back and forward between boobs a lot can help with this) and the baby just being tired and overwhelmed after a long day. It doesn't last for ever though, don't worry!

You sound like you're doing brilliantly though - 8 or 9 good feeds in the day is great. Try to get as much rest as you can during the day and be really strict with yourself about sleeping when the baby does.