Trouble in the evenings

[Hypnorm]

Hi,
I was wondering if any one else has the same problems?
between about 6 pm and 11pm i can't get baby to settle very well - he always has wind which i very difficult to get up, and ends up screaming which is very hard on us all - i have started to dread evening and night feeds because i can't get him to settle.
have been using dentinox and gripe water to try and get the wind up - i think it could be colic - he is only just over three weeks old.
leave me and hubby very drained and short with each other.

 

[*sam*]

Hi,
I'm not yet with child but I look after them and a few of my friends have recently had babies.
First of all are you breast or bottle feeding???

 

[Hypnorm]

Am breast feeding.
He is gaining weight steadily

 

[Sarahe]

Hi Nypnorm,

Just a thought when winding him are you using the back or pushing his feet and legs to the chest?

My sister breast fed and after a few weeks she found a problem with wind and his tummy kind of blew up, the midwife showed her how to wind him pushing his feet/legs in to his chest to relieve the wind. (loud but very relieving)

Pehaps that would work, if you are not using this method.

This may settle him.

Sarah x

 

[*sam*]

Hi,
I think it could be colic like you said, my best friend had the same problem with her little boy and asked her midwife about it, apparently it's more common in boys. She had the early evening/evening crankyness with him, which is apparently the time for it.
The midwife said not to over stimulate him, get him into a routine of early evening bath, followed by a feed, try and stay calm and take regular breaks.
Unfortunatly, there is no treatment to prevent it.
Hope this has helped.
Good Luck, Love and hugs, Sam x

 

[tracyM]

Hi Hypnorm

Daniel our eldest was just the same - started at 3pm and screamed non-stop until about 9pm, and then wouldn't really settle because he hadn't taken any milk in all that time but was too tired. We tried all sorts of gripe water, colic drops, baby massage etc, but nothing seemed to work.

We had an arsenal of tactics to use

sit him in front of the washing machine - used to pacify him for about an hour after starting

bedtime routine - we completely abandoned it and made sure we were out doing something when he would normally be at his worst - even wandering round the supermarket - he'd still have the odd scream but an old lady would usually come over and start cooing at him which put him on for another ten minutes.

hoovering - didn't stop him screaming but drowned out the noise

trip in the car - the only thing which really worked but hard to do night after night - I drove down the M6 to Birmingham and back a few times

time out - we used to take it in turns to sit with him in the garage - gave the other person chance to sit down in front of TV with a warm brew in peace and quiet for half an hour.

I found myself getting stressed before he even started as I knew what was coming. I know you'll find it hard to believe now, but it does get easier.

Tracy xx

 

[Sarah W Baby Belly]

My sister in law had a technique for soothing my nephew when he had colic, of cradling him in an upside down position on your arm and supporting the head with the same arm and swinging backwards and forwards whilst patting on back with the other hand. Is this making sense?

I also read about this same tip on a website called www.babytips.co.uk, where you can get loads of hints.

Hope this helps

 

[minikins]

Am in exactly the same boat. Dominic tends to get wind later in the day and normally settles around 8.30pm naturally even though i would like him up at 7pm, however it's now 9.05pm and he is not settling tonight and I am sooooooo tired yet again - lol !

xx

 

[OverTheMoon]

Oh my god I am not alone!
Its soooo hard isn't it? I love my little boy to bits but am getting grouchier by the day. My friend has recommended a homeopathic remedy called coli-something which i am going to look up on the internet right now and get some ordered!
We have been putting two teat pipettes of infacol in with his bottles (I am breast feeding and bottle feeding - just the bottle at night) and this has helped him bring up some wind.
My friend has a baby who is now nine weeks old and she assures me once they reach the six weeks stage it does improve. Will my eyelids hold out for another three weeks?!!!
Sending lots of sleep dust to you all (me included!) xxx

 

[minikins]

How are all your nights going now?

I actually have some good news, I finally have a night time routine and Dominic only wakes once in the night, here is the routine;

6pm - Half a feed

Then change nappy, massage, dress for bed etc and calm down.

7pm - Dominic is mainly settled very quickly

10.30pm - wake Dominic for a big feed

3.30pm - Dominic usually wakes up naturally for this feed

6.30am - 7pm - Dominic wakes up for the day ahead.

I got this from the Gina Ford book (this was the only good and workable thing in the book for me, the rest makes you paranoid).

Good luck girlies!

xx

 

[stephlw25]

Thats a very good routine you have there minikins! Jamie is very similar he has his last feed at around 10.30 and usually sleeps through until 3.30-4ish and wakes again at 7.30!

 

[Hypnorm]

hi, things are about the same as steph - feeds around 10- 11 then goes through till 3-4 the 6-7am not to bad,
Takes about 1 1/2 hrs for night feed after feeding winding and getting back to sleep. have put radio in his room so i have some thing to listen to in the am feed! usually classic fm!

 

[stephlw25]

AW dont we have good babies!!! lol jamie slept right through until 6pm last night!! so am liking that very much!!! dont know if that was a one off thou!!