When the clock strikes 7:30....

[Snoozysleepthief]

I’m hoping someone can offer some advice as I feel like my eyelids are being pinned open at the moment! I have a beautiful 6 week old baby boy who is amazing during the day and sleeps relatively well at night. The problem that we’re having is that when it gets to 7:30 and he is awake then all hell breaks loose - he can basically scream from then till midnight when he finally passes out from exhaustion. I hate seeing him like this and it’s so hard because I can see in his wee face that he is so tired and yet he fights it so much. Any time it looks like he might be dropping off he starts thrashing and crying again. I always try feeding him in the hope that it settles him (he is EBF) but he pulls on and off and cries while he is trying to feed. I think it’s caused by sheer overtiredness but he gets lots of sleep during the day so it just seems to be at this time of night. We’re not really in any sort of routine yet as it just depends what we’re out and about doing but I don’t know how to make sure that he is always sleeping come 7:30 :(! It’s horrible to have to see him like this...I don’t think it’s medical related as if he sleeps through the 7:30 mark he generally is absolutely fine when he wakes up and I get him ready for bed and he goes down no problem.

I’m sorry this is such a rabble I’m just completely exhausted. Please tell me this is just a phase and he’ll grow out of it sooner rather than later!?

Sounds like colic. It’s usually characterised as clockwork nightly screaming episodes! Luckily there are medicines that can ease colic, I’d recommend seeing your GP.

Have you tried putting baby in a tight swaddle with a dummy when agitated? Then sway while holding baby. Tapping on the outside of the dummy to encourage comfort sucking.

Mostly though, this time of might usually involves cluster feeding.

Thanks for your replies! He eventually fell asleep in his swing last night and my OH got him into his grosnug and transferred him to his next2me without him stirring and he slept from 1 till 8 this morning so he must have been absolutely exhausted after all the upset :( I did give him a dream feed at 4am so think that kept him going which was good but I don’t want to have to deal with him being so upset just to have a good nights sleep :(!

Had his 6 week check at the GP today and he said it might just be that everything gets too much for him by that time of night and that’s why but to keep an eye on it and go back if it continues.

I tried the swaddle idea last night but probably gave up too soon as if anything he became even more distressed and that was stressing me :(! If it happens again tonight I’ll try that before he gets too hysterical. I could cope with cluster feeding if that’s what it was but he screams while he’s feeding which is just awful!

I’m hoping to bypass the 7:30 mark tonight by getting him bathed, in pjs and sleeping by 7 as I can normally get a good 2 hours nap at least out of him. He has been an absolute wee angel all day today so pray for us that it continues tonight!!

This is nicknamed the witching hour, a lot of babies go through this in the early month(s). It’s really tough, but it passes x

It definitely feels like the witching hour - occasionally the witching 5 hours!!! Seem to have solved the issue tonight by getting him in my sling - after walking up and down the stairs with him and doing 500 squats he fell asleep and has been sleeping now for nearly 3 hours! Happy to keep wearing him if it’ll help him not to get so upset...hoping he’ll wake up soon so we can get ready for bed though!!

@Snoozysleepthief yep the sling is amazing at getting them feeling secure x

We found that our baby was actually ready for bed for the night by 7pm. We battled the witching hour for a few weeks then one night around 7 weeks just tried putting him properly to bed at 7pm. I was shocked as I thought it was too early for him to go to bed at his age as he'd need more feeds, but he thought otherwise! Since giving him a much earlier bedtime, we've skipped the witching hour(s!) entirely. Definitely worth giving him a go at putting him to bed and seeing if he prefers that.

You could try swaddling him before he gets to upset. Put DS loves his Love to Dream swaddle as he can rub his face and suck his hands.

Also, yes, our sling was a life saver. I spent a lot of time with him in a sling, bouncing on a yoga ball

Also look up and try some anti colic tummy massages. Sometimes it's wind upsetting then at that time of day.

@Lemondrop99 glad to hear you’ve been through it and come out the other side! I hadn’t thought that it could be because he wants his bedtime to be around there as his whole day at the moment is just big cycle of sleep feed change repeat! I will try getting him down for 7 tonight and see how it goes!

Had a look at the love to dream swaddle - currently using grosnugs but they’re only to be used up until he’s 12lbs and he was weighed at the doctors the other day and is 11lb 2oz so nearly too big for them but I know he’s not ready to have his arms out yet in an actual sleeping bag as his startle reflex is still really strong! I think I’ll need to be purchasing a couple of the 50/50 ones to do us until he’s ready for a proper sleeping bag!!

Thanks for your message, you’ve given me some hope!