20 Week Old Is Super Fussy at Bedtime

While it probably is just teething or something innocuous like that, I would mention it to the doctor b/c it could be an ear infection (which would make her ears hurt when she is lying down). Also (and I'm sure this is not the case), BUT, it could be a heart problem or lung problem. When my son was 4 months old, he suddenly started screaming when we gave him his last bottle and would freak when we put him in his bed. He only stopped crying if we held him upright. Turns out he had an atrial flutter and was in heart failure... his lungs were filling with fluid so it made it hard to breathe when he was lying down, which is why he screamed when we put him in his crib.

Obviously, my situation was extreme and I don't want to freak you out, but just giving you an example of things that could be wrong. So, call your pediatrician just to make sure....

Is she teething? My mother told me from about this age till 2 yrs - you could blame just about everything on it! But - maybe that's what it is. Generally they don't feel the pressure during the day when there are things stimulating them - but at quite time for nap/night it could be bothering her. Run your finger along her gums and see if you feel anything poking through or a raised bump. There are teething tablets that I see many moms' talk about - I don't know what they are called, but apparently work and are natural. I used the oragel - but don't know that it really helped - especially considering most of it landed on her tongue!

Can she roll yet? Would she prefer to sleep on her stomach? Check with your Ped, but most say if the child can roll - they can sleep on their bellies.

Is she starting on solids? She may be hungry too and growing a little more. Maybe trying some cereal or something like that for dinner.

My dgtr never went to sleep on her own until 8/9 mos - she needed to be rocked to sleep. It would seem strange if yours needed that starting at 5 mos - but maybe she needs a little rocking or cuddling. Does she stop crying when she's picked up? She also may be telling you that she needs a routine change and maybe go to bed a little later. At 5 mos my dgtr went to sleep at 8:30 (slept for 12 hours - but I think that was just her and NOT the norm!!) - but was just not ready before that. What is her sleep schedule during the day and is there anything that seems to calm her - even if it doesn't put her to sleep? Good luck - it's awful when they scream (whimpering/whining or even a general calm cry a whole other story - but screaming I was always a sucker for and could never listen to it for very long!)

Swaddling and maybe a bath before bed? The bath was always a signal that bedtime was near. Hope it gets better.

It's always possible that an ear infection or some other medical issue is changing a baby's sleep patterns.

But it sounds to me like your little girl is going through some major milestones! She's starting to really enjoy your company, and understands that going to bed means missing out. That's a compliment to you! :) She could also be teething (even those buds hurt when they form, and that can mean fussiness), or learning to do something exciting, like roll over!

My advice is to keep doing what you're doing. Your instincts sound great to me- learning to self soothe is so important! (Though if she's still hollering after a long time, I think it's ok to give her some comfort. And my doc told me to hold my baby, rather than let him cry it out, if he is teething or sick.)

One thing that might help: put her to bed earlier. I know that's going to seem very early, and it sounds so weird! But I started putting my son to bed at 6, and he now sleeps through the night from 6:00 or 6:30 all the way to 7:00 AM. And that's been the norm, with occasional problems from teething or illness, from 3 months on. He's 8 months old now, and a great sleeper/napper!

Good luck!