bath & bedtime gone all to pot at 6mo any ideas?

[choolie]

DS is 6mo, and has always had a bath before bed since the early weeks. He has quiet time from around 4.30 onwards, a walk or upstairs gentle activity. DH home 5.30, goes up with DS, bath around 5.45 - 6pm, followed by feed and bed (cot), generally asleep between 7 - 7.30. However the last couple of weeks it's started to be a nightmare. DS cries from around 5.30, usually cries in the bath and when getting out (previously loved it) and won't calm down until feeding, or I generally go upstairs and help out.

We've tried shifting the times, but don't feel we can start any earlier, and he tends to get a second wind after his feed and can be awake for another hour or so after that some nights. Have I totally got his times wrong and need to adjust them do you think? if so, any suggestions??? - he wakes a few times at night still. His naps tend to be 9-10am and 12ish - 2pm, give or take half an hour or so. But they've not been great the last few weeks either. Has anybody else found problems at this stage? any suggestions gratefully received! TIA

When is he having his evening meal (or is he just on milk still?) Could it be that he's either overfull or hungry when you are trying to get him into the bath?

DD was a little sod from 6-8 months in the evening and just appeared to switch between her own bizarre routines every couple of nights. It does even out though in time. She's 10 months old now and goes down later than I'd like (about 8) but does sleep till 6 - normally.

Or it's possible he's teething of course, have you looked for lumps in his mouth, sometimes they just get fretful instead of drooling/biting/ear pulling.

My gut reaction is hungry too - what time is the last feed before 4:30pm? This sounds like my DD at the same age and we would think she was tired but I think she was just clammering for the milk but I made her wait for it until after the bath. She was better when she had milk at 4:30 ish and then again at 6:30ish after the bath (we just started weaning then, so solids weren't really going in but I would offer her food about an hour after milk generally). There is a massive growth spurt around 6 mo so they will feed more to get the calories in.

Could it be he is overtired? My LO is same age as yours IIRC, and he can't make it from 2 til 7 without getting seriously arsey. Could you give him a short nap at 4ish and put him down half an hour later if need be?

Also second what the others are saying about food -- I squeeze in another feed between 4 and 7 as he seems hungry around this time, also my LO is definitely on a growth spurt (had 4 big feeds last night, including two within two hours of bedtime!). He is already bursting out of size 6-9mo clothes!

thanks for your replies, have only just managed to get back on, been ill last few days. Everything you've all said really ties in with things the last few days, so thankyou! he's having baby rice at 4pm, but won't take a BF at this time, so I'm spooning milk in him and he's taking some out of his doidy cup (! great pride in my clever boy emoticon!) altho' most going onthe floor, but i've upped the solids so he has 3 little meals now (mainly baby rice still with small amounts fruit/veg) and as a result, he's taking more milk too! - he's been waking mid-eve for another feed as well as his sleepy feed. tonight and last night much better at bath time, had chuckles with DH in bath. Last night was the best night we've had in 3 months, woke just 2am for afeed, resettled straight away, awake 5.30 straight in bed with us, awake 6.30 for feed. I feel so much better for some more sleep, so am hoping this is a sign of things to come! he's certainly a lot happier today for better sleep himself, so fingers crossed.

thanks again for your suggestions