Screaming with BT routine

[MarciaMSPT]

I know it may be a sleep prop but the swaddle is a must at least one arm for our little 15 week old to fall asleep.  The problem is that he screams bloody murder during the process...  Tracy always says to listen to your LO, they are trying to tell you something...I think he HATES the swaddle but I'm also working on breaking other accidental parenting routines like bouncing etc. 

I usually swaddle him loose enough to wiggle out during the night and he sleeps fine with out it, it's just BT is a constant ordeal... so much screaming etc.  We do feeding and then a bath and then after he comes out of the bath into the towel and to go get clothed and diapered it's all downhill from there.

Any suggestions?  Thought about changing bath time to a different time during the day to see if that helps, but thought I would get others opinions first.

[mommybear!]

My little one liked the swaddle with arms out however the fabric she was laying on made a difference.  I used flannel sheets.  Also she screamed during the changing until sleep too.  Turned out I had to towel dry her hair when she was still in the tub.  Her cold/wet head was upsetting her.  So maybe reevaluate temperature and textures...just a thought.

[Nuggie]

Could it be that he is overtired at this point? How long is your by routine? How long awake before bed?

[MarciaMSPT]

Thanks Mommie Bear - we'll try some different approaches such as putting drying head while in the tub and putting a little hat on... he has no hair yet

Nuggie... I agree... his wake time may be too long, however, his last feeding would be about 2.5-3 hours after the previous if we fed him earlier and moved everything up.  We do a dream feed.  He's EBF but on donor milk so the DF is not an issue of my milk supply but his calories. 

Open for other/more suggestions/input...

[brummum]

Do you know what temperament he his? Some babies do better with bathing at other times as they find it stimulating at bed time, some need a long wind down, some get aggravated by it.. any thoughts? Do you want to post a couple of days routine to see if there is anything we can suggest that might be causing/adding to the bedtime resistance? Im guessing he has a long stretch before bed by your post above, I wouldn't worry about bringing everything forward if all that's stopping you is the feed times. Alot of babies are still on 3hourly feeds at this age so I'm guessing that wouldn't be much before he was due a feed anyway right? If he sleeps well at night unswaddled I'm not sure he really needs it at bedtime, is he swaddled for naps? Also where are you based? In the UK advice is nothing loose in the cot before their 1st birthday because of SIDS risk so that's something to consider. We had to swaddle our little one til around 5 months otherwise he would disturb himself but if it was even a tiny bit loose he would fight it like anything, it had to be super tight.. do you think that could be an issue for him?

[MarciaMSPT]

This reply is way overdue...but yes, we did change bath time and that seemed to do the "trick."  I also just started calming him for about 20 minutes or more while humming some songs... watching for the third yawn and then I pray a short prayer with him, tell him that mommy, daddy and Jesus loves him and that mommy and daddy will be here when he wakes up.  Then I put him in his crib.  He's stirred for about 60 sec at the most... tonight, he laid there and sung himself to sleep!  This has been going on for 5 days now!  So relieved!  I know he can put himself to sleep!  If I put him down before I see that third yawn, it's a disaster... thanks for all your help!

[brummum]

Great update! Fingers crossed it continues.