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Parenting

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Original poster

Is the witching hour real? How to get through?!

10 replies

MRSDoos · 19/06/2023 20:45

Little one is 7 weeks and is quite a content baby - until around 5pm - 9pm every evening he is none stop grizzling and fussing. He might settle with dummy or sleep for 5/10 mins here and there.

I went to a baby and mum group and they all mentioned it could be a witching hour as their babies seem to do it too. I googled it and it seemed interesting. Did your babies have this and when did they stop doing it? Any tips on keeping baby a bit happier? If that’s possible!

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ColonelSpondleClagnut · 19/06/2023 21:27

I don't know if you're breastfeeding but it's the typical time of day for cluster feeding. Usually just as all the evening chores need doing so it's a good excuse to someone else sort the dinner if possible!

Original poster

MRSDoos · 19/06/2023 21:37

@ColonelSpondleClagnut He does seem to eat more in the evening - I’m bottle feeding ebm and formula and he does always seem hungry in the evening

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Nancy155 · 19/06/2023 21:43

My little one did this around a very similar age. We ended up doing a bedtime routine of bath and bottle in bedroom and actually put her to bed in her crib at 7. Took her a day or two but after that she fell asleep straight away. She’s 13 weeks now goes to bed at 6.30 and sleeps for 12 hours straight and has done for a few weeks.

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Wicksytricksy · 19/06/2023 22:27

Yes, both of mine did this.

I used to hand them to my husband and make it his problem.

UnravellingTheWorld · 20/06/2023 07:37

Mine had a meltdown for a few hours, every three days like clockwork. He was crying, screaming and inconsoleable. Wouldn't feed or sleep. I obviously couldn't leave him lying there as he was a newborn - so we just took turns cuddling the screaming baby for a few hours until he decided he would have some milk. He's never cared for dummiesz

When he hit 5 weeks he suddenly outgrew it.

Twizbe · 20/06/2023 07:55

Yep both of mine did it.

It got better at around 12-14 weeks when they started to go to bed around 7.

For me it was more about making me comfy which in turn helped them. I made sure I’d eaten before it started. Then I’d get comfy on the sofa with a box set, water and snacks and just breastfeed / cuddle all evening. It was so much easier when I expected it and just gave into it.

If you want, you could look at feeding at the breast and getting some support with that. Not required though if you want to continue with EBM.

climbershell · 20/06/2023 08:57

You're so lucky it's just grizzlies and fussy. Mine is now 8.5 weeks and from 6 weeks, come 7/7.30 she screams violently inconsolable for an hour or so. No chance of sitting on the sofa watching TV, it's pacing around, up and down, doing anything to try and calm her, going insane myself.

Yesterday i put her in the carrier at 7pm & went walking to try bypass the screaming. Ended up walking for 1.5hrs, because she was fighting sleep, getting upset, falling asleep 20 mins but not a deep sleep and wake up again. But it eventually worked and I didn't have relentless screaming for the first time in 2.5 weeks! I listened to podcasts. She did wake 10 min after putting her in the cot, but no screaming. Nappy change, feed and back to sleep

I'll be doing that every evening this week!

ColonelSpondleClagnut · 20/06/2023 13:26

Oh it's hard isn't it! But it does get better and you will get through it. As others have said, if you can then just concentrate on snuggling in with little one, feed and cuddle and rock and shush - or pop them in a sling if they like that. Or you can hand baby over to someone else who can also do that so you can have five minutes to yourself! :)

Original poster

MRSDoos · 20/06/2023 15:27

@climbershell oh no he does go bright red and scream and scream for ages inconsolably as well
so much so the first time he did it I thought he was in pain and called 111 for advice lol

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climbershell · 20/06/2023 21:00

MRSDoos · 20/06/2023 15:27

@climbershell oh no he does go bright red and scream and scream for ages inconsolably as well
so much so the first time he did it I thought he was in pain and called 111 for advice lol

Definitely pop baby in a carrier and walk! Second night running I've done this and managed to avoid screaming totally. I made sure to get her in 7.15, as it usually starts by 7.30. 10 mins into the walk she fell asleep for 35 min, woke up, I walked another 30 min and she was still awake but calm. Got in, into swaddle bag, no screams and now feeding. Soooo, even despite not walking her into a deep sleep it prevented the screaming again!!

I mean, it's not like you can sit on sofa and watch TV or anything when they're scream incessantly! Plus, getting some exercise in :-)

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