Did your baby have the "evening fussies"? Is there even such thing as a happy baby in the evenings?We are on baby #2 who vacillates between grumpy and all out wailing every night from 5-8 or so (he's 3 weeks). I'm am scared it will escalate into colic. it's one of my worst fears bc I have to work hard to battle PPD and SAD and the crying is so hard to deal w. My first son did this for months and I am really not looking forward to every dinner and bedtime being super stressful.
Any tips? Commiseration?! 
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It’s so hard!! Is babywearing an option? That’s all that’s ever worked for us. That and time but I know that’s hard. I don’t think it will necessarily get worse but could take a while to get better.
ETA I also have the travel size white noise machine and have been known to wear it with the baby
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We had this with DD2. Nothing helped much, but it didn't escalate into colic which, like you, I was scared was going to happen. The only thing that helped a little tiny bit was vacuuming while she was in the wrap, or aggressively walking back and forth in a very dark room with her in the wrap or in our arms (the things we do!). I also typically pumped and bottle fed during the witching hour because it was so stressful to try to nurse a screaming baby that I wouldn't get a great let down. I would actually feed her while walking. For us she improved around 7-8 weeks old.
Just a "bright" note: with my first daughter, I was basically the sole soother. I knew exactly what to do to make her happy and exclusively breastfed. With DD2 I had no idea how to make her happy so it was much easier to hand her over to my husband (or a family member) and let them try to soothe her. In other words, I had a little more freedom.
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First of all, I totally get it. I never had that elusive easy-going-I-forgot-I-had-a-baby baby. You could set a clock to DS: 5-9 every fricking day. DD was less predictable, but still same issue. This article says it's mostly due to overstimulation and being overtired. I hope this passes really soon.
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@bhbee: I often babywear and it definitely helps! @Becky: my husband goes into our dark powder room with the fan on high. It works but doesn't make for a nice dinner situation.
@crazydoglady: ha I cant believe he's overtired, he sleeps all day (and is up from like 1-4 am intermittently)but I have heard that before
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Commiseration. DD1 was like this. She ending up a very colicky baby for awhile, with reflux and all. sometimes going outside helped, if your weather would permit. I felt like once we found one thing to help it would only work for a few days and then we would have to try and figure out something else. The swing helped too for like a week or 2. It was the only way we could eat dinner. But it does end
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@pachamama: Sorry, this is a super tough phase to get through. Your description reminds me of my own DS and I pretty much sat on the couch and held him and let him nurse repeatedly during those hours. We didn't worry too much about keeping strict dinner routines in those few weeks.
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I baby wore E in the k'tan many nights when she was just unhappy. It was the only thing that got us through. She was a November baby so close enough to winter that it was dark and sad at night.
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My twins did this from about 8wo til around 14wo. It sucked. I also have a 4yo. I hired help. I could not deal with two fussy babies and a 4yo by myself every day.
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@pachamama: Do you breastfeed? I've heard this is a time when your body isn't making as much milk so baby has to work harder for it. It's a hard winter to have a newborn in - good luck, mama! It will get better.
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Our older son did not have this but our 5 month old did! I too was worried it would turn into colic but it didn’t. From weeks 4-8 it was the worrrrrst. One of us would wear him all evening and even eat dinner standing up in the kitchen while he napped and settled. It worked itself out, nothing we did helped really. Sorry, it sucks! Just get through it any way you can.
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@Autumnmama79: he "hate feeds" screaming at the boob sometimes but usually nursing gives my husband and son a few minutes of peace
@Clementine12: I EBF... I read that too but I have a good letdown and oversupply so 🤷...
@ElbieKay: yeah j feel so bad for my 3 year old. Luckily he seems to be very unfazed by all the crying in general.
@pinkb: going outside instantly quelled my first son! But it's cold here in northern NY til like April. But it will help. And yes my 1st son liked the swing for a week -
@pachamama:
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L was like that for six weeks or so, about 8-11 PM, right around K’s age. The only thing that *usually* worked for him was bouncing on an exercise ball while sitting in the bathroom with the vent fan on. I’m really hoping E doesn’t do the same. I read someplace that the witching hour is what happens when they realize they’re not in the womb anymore and they get pissed
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@mediagirl: ackkk . our guy too sleeps pretty you decently. And he'll cry for an hour then be peaceful so it's not terrible I guess, most nights. Just makes for shitty dinners. And I like cooking.
@cyntist: sooo weird you said that bc the dark bathroom with the vent always soothes him! Did I say that already?! My husband can't hear in there so he's like HUH? WHATD YA SAY? all night 🤣 -
@cyntist: so it's like groundhog day every night?! 🤣
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@pachamama: At least it is during dinner time? My youngest decided he wanted to scream and fuss from midnight to 4am every day for 3 weeks straight. And DH was out of town during the week for that entire month. Thank goodness my older son was in preschool, the only sleep I got was during the day!
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@KT326: oh girl. That is rough. Esp with husband gone. Quite a few times if he won't stop fussing at bedtime, I have burrowed under the blanket and said to my husband "I've tried everything. Your turn." (we just got baby on a bottle!) He doesn't normally wait overnight. Woof that's hard.
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#nighttime
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@pachamama: our old place had a really loud bathroom vent fan and my dh spent a ton of time in there too! Maybe one of you could babywear and get some vacuuming done also
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