Any ideas why my baby screams at bedtime every night?

[Slh122]

DS is 13 weeks (14 weeks on Tuesday) and for the past 3/4 nights it has been a nightmare to get him to sleep on a night. I dread bedtime.
He's EBF and we start his bedtime routine at 7 and then he goes in the cot (in our room) at 8. He then cries for the next 2 hours - I offer feeds, cuddles, check he's not too hot or cold, check his nappy. He sleeps fairly well during the day and I feed him on demand.
Before this started happening, he was sleeping from 8 pm until about 4 or 5 (and slept through until 6.30 on one occasion). Now he's waking up at 2, 5 and then every hour from 5 onwards until we get up between 7 and 8. I'm knackered and feel like I'm back in the newborn days all over again.
He refuses a bottle so no chance of me leaving DP to deal with him for a night. I don't know what to do because it's clear he's upset and I don't what it is :(

Too early bedtime? Cluster feeding? Teeth starting to move? Growth spurt? Development spurt? Has he got a cold or anything, that can make them more grumpy?

Their routines do shift about as they get older. For example I wouldn't expect a 3 month old to sleep as much as a newborn, so if he's still having lots of daytime naps he might just not be ready for bed at 8.

But a degree of evening grumpiness seems to be quite common anyway, we used to call it the witching hour. Sometimes taking DD for a walk in the fresh air would help. Or at least she would stay asleep as long as she was out with DH so I could get a break and regroup for the next feed.

Over tired?
I'd probably try putting him down on his tummy to see if he slept better that way (will hide the thread now).

Could it be trapped gas? This is apparently very painful once they're laid on their backs.

I will most likely get completely flamed for this but could you try giving him calpol? If he is in pain that you aren't aware of (ie his teeth) it could give him some relief and allow him to drift off, especially if the crying is out of character.

Or just cuddle/nurse him to sleep?

Or it could be a growth spurt, hence the extra waking, he could have growing pains?

I think he's possibly over tired. Around that age, ds could be asleep by 7. What are your day naps like?

Is he too old for colic? Could it be that and it's unsettling him for the rest of the night?

My 12 week old gets like this if he's over tired by bed time. I have to be really vigilant that he gets a nap in the evening to be awake only 2 hours before bedtime. Ie wake up at 5.30pm if I want to start putting to sleep at 7pm.

If he skips that nap he gets too cross and tired to settle.

Witching hour or two! I'd try a little earlier, just based ontthe last nap rather than 7pm

He is teething and I put anbesol on his gums. Last night I did give him calpol as he sounded like he was in pain and he settled after that.
He could be over tired. He's quite a high needs baby and some days I really struggle to get him to sleep. I will try getting him to bed earlier and see if that helps.

Hi there,

My DD1 went through this at about 8 - 10 weeks so I know how hard it is to hear them get so distressed. But I think it is very very common and there are various theories including the PURPLE phase of crying:

purplecrying.info/sub-pages/crying/why-does-my-baby-cry-so-much.php

and stress relief crying:

www.awareparenting.com/cryinginarms.htm

My DD1 stopped after a couple of weeks when we moved her bedtime earlier and gave her a dummy but I don't know whether it was just a phase, she was overtired/over-stimulated or whether the dummy was the magic cure (I'd always sworn I'd never use one before I had kids! Oh how I look back and laugh at myself!)

It's very common at this age. Just cuddle him/cluster feed him until you go to bed. He's too young for bedtimes. If you let yourself be led by his cues, then you and he will be much happier

Apologies if that sounds a bit blunt but in my experience, routines are pointless and painful for young babies for everyone. You can get him into a routine if you want when he's a bit older but life with newborns is hard enough without putting yourself under added pressure