Help with fussy baby before naps, please.

[Spectra]

Thought I would make this into a new topic. 
My daughter is 3.5 months, almost 4 months and ever since I switched to the 4 hour routine, though feedings are much nicer and she sleeps for a full 2 hours at each nap, I am finding 30min to 45min before her nap time she becomes super fussy and showing signs of tiredness with the rubbing of the eyes over and over again.  If I hold her in my arms she screams, cries, punches, arches her back.  But since I don't want her to go to sleep that soon I keep her awake by doing anything even though she will be continuing to cry.  Thinking she just doesn't want to be held I'll put her down 5min to her nap time and then she does the super sad cry really loud.  Eventually she'll fall asleep, like within 10min, but I think it is because she wore herself out with all the crying.  Could it be the long activity time? Feeding-wise she is definately great with the 4 hour routine....but I don't know how to solve this problem.  I try and wind her down 15min before her nap with a rock and I try reading to her but by then she is so mad she will get fussy while I try reading to her.  Here is my routine::

8am wake up and feed 7oz
8:30  A
10am  S
12pm  E 7oz
12:30pm  A
2pm  S
4pm  E 7oz
4:30pm  A
5:30pm  S
6:30pm  A
in bed, fed 5oz, bathed by 8:30
dreamfeed at 11pm 6oz

[owelley]

Whaddaya do for her wind down routine??  I like to use music and my dd just melts into my arms after a few relaxing songs.  After the first yawn, I put her down.

[Spectra]

Well, I take her into her dimly lit room and read her her book.  Then I will sit with her in my arms so she is facing out, sitting on my lap.  I'll hum a little, but sometimes I don't make it this far because she shows signs of tiredness up to 45min before she is suppose to go down for a nap.  So I will hold her up on my lap because she is less fussy if she is standing then when she sits or lays down.  Then she'll get to a point where no matter what I do, except walk around, she'll just fuss...Then it is 15min until her nap time so I try the whole wind down thing and usually while trying to read her her book she'll start arching her back and grunting like she is annoyed...after a bit of that i will lay her down and she cries and cries like it's death.  I'll shush her and she will eventually fall asleep. 

[owelley]

Hmmmm, she sounds kinda overtired.  Maybe you could try the wind down routine sooner.  HTH.

[Spectra]

Thanks for your reply.  I took your advice of listening to music 45min prior to her nap time with her lying on the couch beside me instead of me constantly holding her in a standing position on my lap, which I thought she liked but I think was in reality tiring her out faster.  Today seemed to go a whole lot better.  Thanks for your help!   

[owelley]

God Bless you and yours Spectra!!  Hope everything is ok!