Hi,

This question might seem a bit minor compared to most sleep issues but it is driving my husband and I a bit crazy.

Our little boy is nearly 4 months old and he is just gorgious (aren't they all!) most of the time. He sleeps just fine during the day, a couple of shorter sleeps in the morning and afternoon (45 mins to an hour)and a longer sleep (around 1.5 to 2 hours) in the middle of the day and he is pretty easy to settle for all of those sleeps. In the evening once he settles he will sleep through from 10.30 ish through to 7 or 8 in the morning with one feed in the middle of the night around 3am.

During the day, I can often put him to bed awake and he will fall asleep happily or worst case we just have a little cuddle, sing a song and he's off, it rarely takes more than 10 or 15 mins.

So, my question is, the time between around 4.30pm and anywhere up to 10.30pm he won't sleep, won't settle, is often upset and wants to be held upright all the time. He'll sometimes sleep on us but the minute we lay him down in his cot he screams blue murder. This means he is often going two full feed cycles before he finally settles to sleep. This time, around 5 hours of constantly trying to settle him is utterly exhausting and I find myself getting really tense and just wishing 11pm would come around as he rarely goes past that time. It also means that my husband and I are tag teaming all night and don't get 10 mins to ourselves to just sit and chat. By the time our little boy has finally settled I just fall into bed.

Am I worrying about nothing? Is this completely normal or should I be trying something different?

In terms of routine, we don't really have a fixed routine. I try to keep things fairly calm from 6pm although the tv is still on in the loungeroom, he has a bath every second day, I play music in his room, read stories or sing songs and have a cuddle for the 20 mins or so before I try to put him down which is usually around 7-7.30pm.

Any advice or words of wisdom would be gratefully recieved.

Thanks,

Thia