21 week old suddenly started screaming after being settled to sleep

[Andie20521]

My DD has always been a good sleeper, and normally goes down half drowsey in her Moses basket. No issues with her, self settles if she wakes in the night etc

The last 48 hours have turned into hell! Every night, or daytime nap she has started screaching every time I try and put her down. I tried comforting and putting her back once she is calm, repeatedly but the screaming at full volume starts again.

I don't want to get into bad habits such as feeding/rocking her to sleep etc which is what I have resorted to. I really don't want to do controlled crying, but I know its a temper thing as as soon as she is lifted out she smiles and then yawns etc so I don't want her to get the wrong cues ie I cry Mummy will let me play,or let me fall asleep on her!

She is getting herself over tired, and then its a full blown hysterical cry.

Any suggestions?

Help anyone? Please!

It's probably either the 4-month sleep regression, or the beginnings of separation anxiety. I don't know what the answer is but I wouldn't worry about getting in to bad habits too much - you might be fighting a losing battle until she's a bit older, and it may be better to just go with the flow. If she stays asleep once down, then I don't think feeding to sleep etc is a problem in the short term - it's when they come to rely on it for every wake up that it gets difficult.

It's a phase - my almost 21 week old just went through exactly the same. Always been a great self settler and suddenly started screaming the house down at nap time and struggling to go to sleep at bedtime. In the end i kept going back in to offer reassurance until he was so tired he could no longer fight it and went to sleep.

The last two days have been much, much better. Don't worry about bad habits - a good self settler will generally return to their old ways with just a little help from you.

Just want to second matana - my DD was like this for a couple of weeks then suddenly yesterday was fine again - has self settled the last 2 nights and (fingers crossed) napped ok yesterday. Not very long but no screaming! With her I think it was a mix of growth spurt and separation anxiety. I know how horrible it is, we had evenings of screaming for up to 2 hours while we rocked, jogged, fed and repeat so I feel your pain. It WILL get better :)

Jigged not jogged :)