4 Month Old Cranky In The Evenings

4 Month Old Cranky In The Evenings

by Tracey
(Colorado)

My 4 month old daughter sleeps 11 hours every night without waking and takes a few naps during the day but for some reason after 5pm she starts crying and the only thing that makes her stop is a walk in her stroller. Sometimes she will fall asleep part way through our walk.

The problem is we live in Colorado and the season is about to change. I can't figure out how to make her stop crying for the 2 hours before she goes to bed. Once it starts snowing here I am afraid she is just going to cry non-stop for that 2 hour period in the evening and its so hard to hear. What can I do?

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4 Month Old Cranky In The Evenings

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Sep 29, 2009

Cranky Times
by: Baby Help Line: Annie

Hi Tracey,

This is SOOO common! The evening cranky times! Firstly remind yourself everything is a stage and they do grow out of it! There is nothing like a crying baby to raise our stress levels. You are very lucky she is sleeping so long at night, it is so much easier when you have had a good night's sleep!

The main reason babies get cranky at this time of night is you! It is usually at this time that we are getting tired, that our attention is shifting to getting a meal ready, maybe looking after other children, doing a quick tidy up before Daddy gets home, bringing the washing in ........

So baby picks up on all this and can't cope. The younger the baby, the more tuned in and sensitive they are to everything that is going on in you, so when your attention shifts they become fearful, and the more frustrated you get with them crying, the more anxious and upset they get. A vicious circle!

I would highly recommend you try a baby sling. Many babies settle much quicker in a sling, they can hear your heart beat, smell you, you can be talking and moving about doing things around the house. Don't just use it at night, or she may well associate it with the busy time, try during the day when you are both more relaxed so it is a happy comfortable place to be.

Also try organizing your day so there is not such a busy time in the evening. Prepare dinner in the morning, leave the tidy up until she in bed, try to focus on keeping yourself really chilled out at that time. Maybe you have some soothing music you love, it will help you to relax and her too. Take a bath together, change the routine so it is a fun peaceful time, rather than an endurance. Water is often very soothing, so a long play in a warm bath might do the trick.

The evening walk is a great way to settle a baby (and get some exercise!) but as you say it will become harder as it gets colder. Unless the weather is really bad, you can still rug up well and head off for a walk, and maybe by the time you can't she will have grown out of it!

Wishing you JOY,

Annie Desantis

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Sep 29, 2009
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Submitted by: Baby Help Line: Annie

Title

Comment
Hi Tracey, This is SOOO common! The evening cranky times! Firstly remind yourself everything is a stage and they do grow out of it! There is nothing like a crying baby to raise our stress levels. You are very lucky she is sleeping so long at night, it is so much easier when you have had a good night's sleep! The main reason babies get cranky at this time of night is you! It is usually at this time that we are getting tired, that our attention is shifting to getting a meal ready, maybe looking after other children, doing a quick tidy up before Daddy gets home, bringing the washing in ........ So baby picks up on all this and can't cope. The younger the baby, the more tuned in and sensitive they are to everything that is going on in you, so when your attention shifts they become fearful, and the more frustrated you get with them crying, the more anxious and upset they get. A vicious circle! I would highly recommend you try a baby sling. Many babies settle much quicker in a sling, they can hear your heart beat, smell you, you can be talking and moving about doing things around the house. Don't just use it at night, or she may well associate it with the busy time, try during the day when you are both more relaxed so it is a happy comfortable place to be. Also try organizing your day so there is not such a busy time in the evening. Prepare dinner in the morning, leave the tidy up until she in bed, try to focus on keeping yourself really chilled out at that time. Maybe you have some soothing music you love, it will help you to relax and her too. Take a bath together, change the routine so it is a fun peaceful time, rather than an endurance. Water is often very soothing, so a long play in a warm bath might do the trick. The evening walk is a great way to settle a baby (and get some exercise!) but as you say it will become harder as it gets colder. Unless the weather is really bad, you can still rug up well and head off for a walk, and maybe by the time you can't she will have grown out of it! Wishing you JOY, <a href="http://www.easybabylife.com/annie-desantis.html">Annie Desantis</a>

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Nov 28, 2009

my baby is almost 4 months and still cranky
by: Anonymous

my baby girl is going to turn 4 months in 2 weeks and she is still cranky she did suffer of colics when she turned 4weeks old and till this day she is fine with me giving her gripe water for her colics i had her on enfamil gentlese but wen she turn 3 months i put her on regular enfamil lipil because i saw that with enfamil gentlese she was not gaing weight as she was suppose to i really dont know what to do because there is a certain time that she gets cranky and it is starting at 5pm (mostly everyday)

Feb 02, 2010

4 month Baby evening cranky.
by: Baby Help Line - Annie

Hi,

Your baby is still very young, and by the end of the day will be getting tired. Plus you will be too! And your little one will be picking up on you wanted to get on with chores, feeling a bit cranky yourself and because your little one is so tuned into you, it all contributes to a crying time.

Baby wearing is often then best thing for a grumpy baby, if you can get a sling or front-pack. Hearing your heart beat, smelling you, being warm and safe often helps a cranky baby settle. Plus you can get on and do a few chores or get dinner ready.

Some babies also love being in water, and a warm bath can settle and relax them and changes the dynamic.

Just be as calm and soothing as you can, and remember, it is all just a stage and the older they get the more they can settle without you all the time.

All the best,
Annie Desantis

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