Help?! DD is absolutely inconsolable at the end of the day

Pash, my almost 4mo DS2 has started catnapping for 20-30 mins approx 3 times daily. The past 2-3 nights particularly, but on and off during the past 2-3 weeks, he has really been unhappy around 7pm and DH and I have to wrap him, walk and rock him to put him to sleep. Fortunately it usually only takes 10 or so minutes, but it's not so nice seeing your happy baby very unhappy.

I'm aware that DS2 is overtired by evening, and that's why he's crying ... but trying to keep him asleep longer than 30 mins during the day is much easier said that done. DS1 used to love a dark, quiet environment - but DS2 isn't quite so lucky as we're in a different house now (his room's not as dark) ... and there's a noisy toddler running around!

My "trade off" is that DS2 is sleeping approx 10 hours straight overnight, and he already weighs 7.6kg, so in all regards he's thriving. Most of the time he's a pretty happy little chappie - it's just lately that he's been Mr Cranky Pants around 6-7pm.

I'm not sure I can offer you any advice, other than to say that we don't really have any solid routine in place, and won't until DS2 is a few months older. I think that under the age of 6-7 months, you do whatever you need to do to get bub to sleep. You know what's best for you bub and what feels right.

My opinion only, but I think that at four months of age, they need their mummy and daddy cuddles and reassurance, and if this means cuddling to sleep or whatever, then so be it. Plenty of time down the track to work on self-settling.

One thing I do know, is that babies likes/dislikes, happiness/unhappiness goes in fits and starts. What works one week, may not necessarily work the next. DS1 was an easy baby but some weeks he needed cuddling and rocking to sleep, then for a few weeks he'd self settle with minimum reassurance. The suddenly he'd need help again. I found with DS1 that he led his routine, but by around 8-9 months we'd developed a fairly set routine which ultimately led to food, bath and bed by 7pm, with at least a couple of sleeps during the day totalling 2-3 hours. Even now he has times where he needs a little help going to sleep, but usually he nods off easily on his own.

Babies are interesting little critters ... just when you think you get to understand their habits and routines, they chuck you a curve ball. All you can do is roll with the punches.

And I guess that's the point of my post. While it's sometimes confusing and upsetting to see your bubba so unhappy, it will get easier, so just try and keep your spirit positive and trust yourself and your instincts about how to best get your DD to sleep.

Good luck :)!

Back again! I hope I didn't sound too breezy about it in previous post... I have found that when DS woke at the 30 or 45 min mark to pick him up (wouldn't self settle and didn't expect him to) and walk him back to sleep so he got in another 30 or 45 mins which would help for the next sleep. I think what helped me most was my mum's advice to feed, sleep, play rather than sleep, feed, play as my DS settles much more easily when he has just been fed rather than an hour earlier. He doesn't feed to sleep as such (sometimes he does!!) but has a full tummy and been winded when he goes down.

remedys, we have found have helped. We have rescue remedy in several forms we have liquid drops that can be added to a drink, pastilles that are great for toddlers etc and a spray with white chesnut in it, this is a nice natural sleep aid that really helps to calm, takes afew minutes but like I said, its helped us ALOT

Thanks everyone for all your ideas and advice. I've tried out almost all of them and with a bit of trial and error, I've found a method that eventually puts DD to sleep. About 1.5 hours after she wakes up, I look out for her sleepy signs. If I see any, I take her to our room, close the curtains, say night-night to the world outside (lol), put her in her sleeping bag and then walk around while singing "In the jungle, the quiet jungle, the lion sleeps tonight...". She eventually falls asleep with some grizzling but without the full blown scream/wailing for hours that she was doing. As long as my back holds out, I'm happy to have a method that puts her to sleep.

If I try to shh instead of singing, she screams. So I finally have an audience for my out of tune singing! So I came upon that by trial and error, cos I don't tend to sing a lot, being totally tone deaf!

I also have the radio on during the day, and will work on putting her down drowsy instead of fully asleep. But first, I'm going to work on extending her naps. I always run around during her naps, and am never in the room when she is about to wake so that I can pat her back to sleep. But I will try.

This isn't exactly self-settling, or even low effort, but I don't mind (at the moment). I'm just glad that she isn't screaming herself hoarse. ALthouhg, it's really only been one day and I don't want to jinx myself. Oh, and the last couple of nights she's been waking up every hour or 2 which is just exhausting, but I'm hoping that once the naps are sorted, this will sort itself out. If not... I'll be back with another thread!

Thank you everyone for making me feel liek there's light at the end of the tunnel.

PS I don't know who said this, but I read No Cry Sleep Solution, Baby WHisperer, Baby Love, Sleeping Like a Baby, The 90 Minute Baby Sleep Program... I think that is all! And I found the No Cry Sleep Solution had lots of ideas that didn't seem cruel and the 90 minute sleep program gave me permission to stop trying to settle DD after 15 mins and try again after 90 mins!

PPS KatieRabbit Its good to know that someone out there does feed-sleep-play. That makes so much more sense to me. I'm sort of feeding her every 3 or 4 hours, whenever it seems to fit in around her sleeps.

if DD is teething, maybe offer her some panadol before u try and get her to sleep or give her a nice bath and massage at the end of the day and see if that works

I can't believe it's been 2 months since I posted an SOS call with DD's sleep! LAst night, DH finally figured out what she needed.... to be put on her front to sleep. ANd then, only at night. On her back during the day. It is SOOOOO wonderful to have our evenings back! Thank you everyone for all your suggestions and support. x x x