5.5 month old screaming at bedtime

[ExtremelyAverage]

Every 2nd or 3rd night we have an absolutely diabolical time. When we try and put him down, he spends 2-3 hours alternating 5 minutes of sleep with 5-15 minutes of scream crying until he finally settles. Totally resistant to soothing (breastfeeding, rocking, cuddling etc). It’s like he’s desperate to be asleep but just can’t quite do it. On none screamy nights he goes to sleep but is extremely wobbly for the first few hours and needs lots of resettling but doesn’t cry. Once we get past 10pm he’s pretty decent and will maybe only have 1 or 2 feeds.

We’ve been really strict with routine this last week or so and it’s getting worse because we are building in overtiredness now and not letting him nap all day like he used to. He loves naps, can’t go in the pram or the car without him falling asleep. Would sleep for hours in the day if allowed. All naps are motion which is maybe an issue.

Wake 6:30
Nap 8:30ish until 10ish
Nap 12:45ish until 2ish
Nap 4:45-5:15
Bedtime 7:45

Please please help. I can’t stand hearing him this distraught.

How long has this been going on? If it's recent it could be an ear infection. My youngest would scream when put in their cot and that was always our first indication that she had an ear infection.

I think your naps look too short and the bedtime too late, so really likely overtired. purs has always worked with a 6.30-7pm bedtime, 2 hr mid day nap, 45 mins to an hour naps at other times.

Wake 6:30
Nap 1 - shorter wake time than others so from 8- 9.30
Nap 12- 2
Nap 4-5
Bedtime 7pm

Could it be a bout of sleep regression? I know it can happen at 6 months. When my DC had it the sleep regression, it was horrendous!

https://www.whattoexpect.com/first-year/sleep/sleep-regression/

Slightly younger little one here (4.5 months)
Loose routine is
0630 wake / feed to anchor start of day
0800 - 0930 snooze
0945 - feed
12-1 snooze
1pm - feed
3-4:30 snooze
4:30 feed
6:30- 7 snooze - this is capped at 30mins, not quite ready to stay awake till 7/7:30 for supper feed
7:30 - feed
8:15 - bed

Both my kids went through phases like this; I worked out in the end that I was making it worse by picking them up. They actually wanted me out of their face to go to sleep 😁 but wanted comfort, so I used to just rest my hand on their tummy and pat gently.

It's shit! But it passes.

Wine.

Thanks for the thoughts everyone

@Muffinmanfromdrurylane good idea. He’s such a cheery baby during the day and naps so well I’d be surprised but I’ll definitely bare in mind

@pponk thank you. I definitely think overtiredness plays a part. Thing is though, mine just would not sleep 16 hours per day. When he was napping for longer, we were having lots of split nights, false starts at bedtime and hourly wake ups. Capping naps has helped all of that, but bedtime is a sh*t show. Thing is, if any of the naps get longer, I’ll struggle to fit 3 in for a sensible bedtime. Maybe he’s ready for 2?

@Popcorn23 thanks for the article and @pregnancyrollercoaster thanks for the routine

@OhGetFucked I definitely think there is something in this. My first was an absolute velcro child where as this one will not feed to sleep and I definitely piss him off more when I offer boob. I was against sleep training with my first but I genuinely think this one just wants to put himself to sleep but can’t quite do it yet. Wish it wouldn’t require so much screaming!!

I didn't read the signs at all either, until one night I was pacing the hall with a screaming baby and my mum walked in, took one look, and said 'maybe she just wants to be left alone to go to sleep' 😁