What's going on with the night time routine???

Hi all,

Wondering if anyone has come across something similar to this...

DD is 12 weeks old. Woot, cannot believe it has gone so quickly!

For the last, say, 2 weeks, DD has finally begun to understand what night time means and we've been successfully getting her to bed around 7pm. Yeah! :clap:

We start our bedtime routine around 6pm - some nappy off time while Daddy gets the bath ready, bath with Daddy, dressed and cuddles with Daddy, off to Mummy for feed and cuddles. If she feeds to sleep, straight down, otherwise more cuddles and a book or a song with Mummy before going down.

She's usually pretty good, can sometimes get a bit worked up when DH is dressing her, I think because she knows the boob is coming and wants it wants it! Hasn't presented a problem with feeding though.

However - the last two nights she has gotten REALLY worked up while DH is dressing her. Last night I thought it was because we started the routine too late and she was a bit overtired by the time it was time for a feed, but tonight we started at the normal time, if not a bit earlier, and she was still extremely worked up.

So worked up that for the first time EVER, she refused the boob when she was finally dressed and ready for feeding. I offered it a few times, expressed a little so she could smell it, put her on my shoulder and calmed her down and offered it again and she just started screaming again.

Last night DH took her off me, calmed her down and I offered her the other side, which she took no worries.

Tonight, when she refused the first side, I basically swapped her straight to the other side and she took it.

It is the same side she has refused two nights in a row.

Its horrible, she gets so worked up, she has real tears streaming down her face and she's all red and stressed out. Poor poppet. What am I doing wrong??

DD gets worked up too after bath whilst getting dresses, but has never refused boob :think: not sure why she would refuse one side, but i know DD often cry's during our last feed as she is usually tired even if shes only beed awake for 45 mins, i think the whole routine makes her drowsy which equal tears/crying

Have you tried feeding her in a different position on that side (ie football hold)? Just thinking it might not be the routine at all, but something which is causing her to be uncomfortable feeding on that side :dunno:

Hmmm...just re-read your post and realised she's getting worked up before her feed, not at the start of it.

All babies generally have one side they prefer, usually where the flow is better/faster/easier - perhaps she's that worked up that she just wants her 'easy' side asap??

hmm maybe getting water in her ears?????
just an idea
hang in there hun!!
you know sooner work em out and they always chuck a spanner in the works!!
mwah

Hi Ocean Princess, your routine sounds exactly the same as ours! My DD also hates being dressed (and will squirm and fuss etc).

I found if I split the last feed she seems to be calmer, so I give one side before the bath and then one side after the bath. That way she isn't ravenous while we're dressing her.
I also dress her on my lap (with the telly on to distract her), so she doesn't notice all the "fiddling".

As for refusing one side. Perhaps she is just keen for a fast letdown so goes for the preferred boobie? Perhaps splitting the feed might help?

At my early childhood centre the other day, someone came to speak to us and was saying that when they don't want one side it's because it's not fast enough, so swap to the other side. Then when that slows, swap back. Mabye the second side is fuller and bub just wants more NOW!! Good luck xo

I was going to suggest ears. Maybe it hurts to lie on that side or something? Does she feed off that side through the day/night?

They go through growth & development spurts at this age, so I wouldn't be expecting her to necessarily stick to the same old routine. There could be changes on the horizon :)

Hey OP. The exact same thing happens here every night. I think it's just getting dressed and being tired gets her too worked up. Every night we have to do the same thing. I try feed her, she cries and keeps coming off. So DH has to rock her and put her to sleep, then he hands her to me and she wakes up a bit and has a sleepy feed :)

She feeds fine off the "bad" side during the day and overnight, its just the after the bath feed!

I hadn't thought about one boob being slower than the other... Interesting!

Thanks Anna for the suggestion of splitting the feed, hadn't thought of that either! Might give it a try. That could also keep her a bit fuller... she might sleep longer...

Is she cold after the bath?? You know like its a shock getting out of a nice warm bath and that??? I know DD hates the drying and getting dressed thing after a bath and cries and i think its because she's cold. If she gets too worked up at this time it can distract her from feeding properly. Just a thought...