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Navigating Through The Fussy Hour or HOURS!
Almost all babies between the ages of three weeks and five months have a fussy time of day; typically between 4 and 7pm. Could any timing be worse? It's such a transitional time of day already!
There are several "reasons" why babies have this fussy time, and, understanding these reasons can help you navigate through this time of day.
Over Stimulation
Lactose Intolerance
Other Digestive Irritants
Missing Nap Time/ Out of Rhythm
Ideas for soothing your little one:
Take a bath with your baby:
I have spent many hours in the warm water nursing my babies during fussy time! The warm water soothes them, along with the nursing, and then they tend to relax and fall asleep.
If the weather permits, go outside and take a walk:
I find that walking with the baby in a carrier works better during fussy time then a stroller. Your baby wants the close contact with you!
The sound of running water will help your baby stop fussing:
In essence, the water is "white noise". This is something my husband has been known to do in order to give me a break at fussy time. Stand and rock your baby near a sink with running water - -and the crying will stop almost immediately!
Swing your baby in their car seat:
The car seat gives your baby a nice snug space where they feel safe. Buckle them in, and stand up and swing back and forth. Again, my husband's job in our house!
When all else fails, the sound of a vacuum works:
This is irritating to the rest of the household, yet, the white noise of the vacuum has been known to stop the crying!
Along with these techniques it's important to figure out what is making your baby fuss in the first place.
The first question to ask yourself is " how much did I take my baby out in the world today?" The more you ventured out to do errands, drop off and pick up older children at school, or even meet up with friends, the more stimulation your baby received. I have learned the more a baby goes out, the more they fuss between 4-7pm.
Sometimes we simply have no choice. In that case, attempt to do your errands at a time when your young baby can sleep through them. Or better yet, ask your friends or family to help you pick up the older children and do errands for you, so that you and your baby can stay home! It's better this way for your baby and ultimately you too (later, at the bewitching hour!).
The older your baby becomes the more they can deal internally with the stimulation of being outside of your home environment. Remember, they just recently entered the world from the safety of your womb! So, taking it slow at first and then building up outings over time is best. By the time your baby reaches five months old, you won't have to monitor this as much. In those precious first months of life, they will clearly let you know (during fussy time) if they were out in the world too much that day!
Another reason for fussy time could be that your baby is lactose intolerant. If they are, they will fuss (sometimes inconsolably). I learned the hard way with my oldest child that this was the case. When I finally stopped eating dairy products (as I was nursing), she stopped fussing! With the rest of my children, I didn't even test it out. I simply gave up dairy until they were about six months old! If you are bottle feeding, you may want to talk to your health care provider about switching to a soy based formula.
Also, if you are nursing, watch what you eat even if your baby isn't lactose intolerant. I will never forget the night I ate broccoli (which is known to be difficult to digest) and my oldest daughter cried for 6 hours straight. The same was true the day I ate a tiny piece of chocolate. The good news is that by the time babies reach six months old, their digestive tract is ready for you to eat chocolate and broccoli!
As is true with every stage of parenting a baby, this too shall pass! This stage is not going to last forever.
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