Hi all, first time mum and first time poster here. Would appreciate any advice! My baby is 14 weeks old and is generally a dream in the day time, very content and happy most of the time. However bedtime is becoming a bit of a battle and I’m struggling to understand why... we put her down between 7 and 7.30 usually depending on when her last nap ended (we aren’t in a strict timed routine but follow Huckleberry’s sweet spot recommendations with typically four naps a day that vary from 2hrs to 30mins). Usually it’s a 1.5 to 2 hr wake window before bed, she can’t seem to handle being awake any longer than that.
We have had a bedtime pattern in place for several weeks now of bath, PJs, feed, swaddle, cuddle and down in the crib awake with white noise on. To begin with we would have to shush her to sleep with a hand on her belly which usually took 10-20 mins, however it’s become much quicker and she’s more or less sending herself off to sleep now with me standing or lying next to the crib. So I have no complaints there, it’s just that as soon as we get her in from the bath and into PJs the poor thing screams and screams. To the point she won’t take her last feed now (usually she’s had one about 5pm so not a huge issue as she won’t be massively hungry - but previously she was taking this feed and feeding for 20 mins or so).
We thought it was the change in temperature from the bath at first as she started screaming when she got out of the bath to begin with. But she’s now quite happy until she’s all dried off and in a clean nappy and PJs and that’s when she gets really worked up.
I’m not sure if she’s just overtired or whether there’s something in this routine that might be upsetting her? Just want it to be a nice relaxing time for her and don’t want her to come to associate bedtime with distress. But maybe I’m expecting too much too soon, babies cry, I know! I had just thought the witching hour weeks were behind us...