Screaming baby only at bedtime

[Emr147]

Our baby is coming up 6m this week and recently he has started screaming at bed time.
we had done the same routine since 3months old- play downstairs, bath upstairs, change, bottle, bed

he has recently started screaming straight after his bottle then we manage to calm him down and he settles in our arms then as soon as we try to put him in the cot he screams - this can go on for hours

he has reflux so I don’t know if it’s that but getting worse, separation anxiety, over or under tired.

4 naps
6.30 wake - 1hr15-1hr30 wake window.
7.45/8am first nap
8.45 wake - 1hr45-2hr wake window
10:30 nap
11am wake - 2hr wake window
1pm nap - usually a contact nap till 2.30pm- 1hr30/45 wake window
4.15pm - nap till 5pm
6.30/7pm bed time

bearing in mind we go off all of his cues and not timings of things so these do change
by bedtime he’s rubbing his eyes and rubbing his face aggressively into me when I try to rock him so the signs show he’s shattered by 1hr30 wake window

help!! Can’t keep doing a 1-2hr screaming battle at bedtime :(

If he has reflux that would be the first thing to look at.
Once my daughter started sitting up her reflux was much worse at night compared with the day time. Prior to that it was the opposite.
Has he had a growth spurt recently or a cold or teething as all three cause my daughter terrible issues with her reflux. Then if not resting due to reflux he probably will be ending up tired and ratty. My daughter is 3 now and she is in a terrible mood the next day when she has been awake all night with her reflux.

@Superscientist once he actually goes to sleep he wakes at 10/11pm for a feed then sleeps all the way till 6am
it’s literally just bedtime he’s screaming until he finally goes to sleep
so I’m not sure if it’s anxiety related but he is arching his back as well
Literally a minefield !!

Back arching is a classic reflux symptom. Is he on any treatment for the reflux?

@Superscientist no the dr was reluctant to give him omeprazole (not sure why)
he’s on carobel as the gaviscon upset his stomach

The nights are getting lighter. Once you feed him how about popping him in the pram and going for an evening walk, take a coffee and a book, or chat with a partner if you have one, maybe listen to some music. Once you get back home you could leave him to sleep in the pram and then move him when you go to bed if you have a house set up that allows it.

Maybe time to re-evaluate the omperazole or try a different thickener before bed.

How long has it been since you tried gaviscon. My daughter needed lactulose with the gaviscon for the first month or so but once she was a bit bigger she was fine without a stop softener. She's allergic to carob so couldn't have carobel. They might be ok with gaviscon with the feed before bed and carobel with all the others.

It sounds like the reflux at the moment is just tipping into a problem again hopefully you can get on top of it before it escalates. The thing I have been most unprepared with my daughters reflux is the nonlinear progress. Hers goes in and out of being managed because there are so many factors that contribute to it. Such a juggling act!