Afternoon activity aggravation

[EMC2]

As my topic suggest, our afternoon (meaning the time around 4:00 pm)  seems to come with such aggravation. 
~My daughter is 8 1/2 months old
~naps well around 9 am, and 1 pm for about 1-2 hours
~ wakes up happy after each nap
~goes to bed most nights at 7:30, or should I say is asleep by 7:30
 *** our problem lies at around 4 pm when she starts to get cranky. Whines and whines and whines
~our daily routine is pretty standard
~we have introduced nothing new
~she is crusin' all over but she does this all day
-I have tried to minimize her play at this time but it does not seem to change things.
- I will change her setting, her toys as well
- At times, we take a nap around 4:30pm or 5 pm for about 40 minutes and this does not change the situation
- we have even put her to bed earlier but this seems to make her wake up during the night for about 1-2 hours playing in her crib (we usually don't intervene during this time unless she cries uncontrollably.  Then we go in and soothe back to sleep. 
*** she also tends to wake up at around 5:30 am to 6:00 am.  YUCK!!! and still keeps the same nap routine.  Asleep by 9am

SO IM NOT REALLY SURE WHAT TO DO OR IF ANY ONE ELSE HAS OR IS EXPERIENCING THIS.  IT REALLY DRAINS US. ANY SUGGESTION???

[GabrielleD]

Hi,

I am not sure this will be helpful, but DS starts getting cranky around 4 also. We have started to give him his evening meal around 4:15 (he gets a bottle right before bed), then go out for a walk (outside or inside at the mall if the weather is bad). This seems to calm him down. Then we give him a bath at around 6:45, then bottle, then bed. So far this seems to minimize his crankiness.

[Helena]

Hi,

My LO also gets cranky, but I've discovered that it is hunger!
She now gets a snack and a BF (at 11months) around 4-5pm and her dinner at 5:30.

Snack is raisins, cheese, bread, biscuits or a banana.  Amazingly it doe snot seem to affect her appetite for dinner and without this snack she eats hardly anything at dinner time - making her hungry inthe night...

Good luck in solving the problem!

Regards
Helena

[sophiems]

my first thought was hunger as well.  Does your lo get a snack after the afternoon nap?  Give snack and liquids and maybe push dinner up a bit?  I too usually try to get outside with my kids before starting on dinner.  Seems to help them play better while I'm getting dinner on the table because they got their grumpiness out in the backyard!  Walk or just let him play in the grass for a while (if that's available to you).  Fresh air can chase away the grumpies.   

[EMC2]

Ladies thank you very much.
I was afraid that the snack would interfere with her meal which is usually around 4:30-5 and then her bottle at 7 pm.  But since your childrens dinner does not seem to be affected by this, we shall give it a try. 

 
 

[EMC2]

 Afternoon grumpiness
« Sent to: GabrielleD on: Today at 03:10:14 PM »     

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I took your advice on the meals.  However, that really does not seem to help.

For example yesterday she had great naps. 
She took her afternoon nap at 2:40 because we were stuck out in the car in a rain storm.  No problem. Once we got inside, she went right to sleep.  Thunder and lightning through out her nap.  She did not budge.  Once she woke up and hour later, she was as always happy and playing in her crib.  She ate her bottle and within the hour, started to yawn and yawn and yawn.

After the 7-ish and 11-ish bottle she does not start yawing with in the hour.  She plays most times without whinning and on her own. 

A nap at around 4 ish really does not seem to help matters.  She is still fussy.  The other day, I had to put her in the Bjorn and walk around the house.  Would have gone outside, but TOOOOO HOOOOOOT.

She goes to sleep fairly easy and without much help.  Just 5 or so minutes of holding, humming and patting.  (WE HAVE TO STAND DOING THIS, BECAUSE SHE WONT LET US SIT AND DO IT.   
                             WHATS UP WITH THAT)

So I guess I m at a breaking point not knowing what to do.
I have read the message board for similar things but really can't find help. So since you responded to my post, I thought I would seek more advice from you.

[PeepersMom]

I really don't think this is too unusual at all.  If it isn't hunger then it is boredom or something we will never know, but the parents center I go to has one play date from 3-5 pm for this exact reason.  This is just a grumpy time.  I started going for walks or run errands in the afternoon to get over this hump.  Or a snack will help, also.  DS is 13 months and this has been his way for quite some time.  I think they just start to slow down for the day at that time.  She sounds really active and maybe her mind wants to continue and her body is tired and she finds it frustrating. 

Good luck!

[GabrielleD]

Hi,

I am sorry that the situation is so frustrating. The only other thing I was going to suggest would be to take your LO for a little walk outside to calm her down. If the weather is too hot to go outside, you might want to try to take her to the mall or some store where she can look at new things, and possibly calm down a little.

Re: the need to stand while holding and patting...I had to laugh...my DS won't let me "cheat" and sit down either. I also have to be standing for it to work. 

Please let us know how you're doing.

[EMC2]

I guess I feel very defeated.  I hate the fact that we need to be running around in and out of the car at this time.  Especially with gas prices being so high and this is also rush hour.  But that is what we have resorted to. 

I really appreciate your comments.  If anymore thoughts come to mind, pleas feel free to post.