Witching Hour of newborn and having a toddler

My newborn has a witching hour every night, of course right around bedtime for Xavier. He just wants to be held from 6-8. It isn't that he just wants to be held, he goes back and forth between a bottle and paci, while I'm trying to burp him and walk around the house holding him.

If anyone else has gone through this and you were alone, how did you handle this? I don't mind at all that he does this, but Xavier doesn't enjoy it and regresses to babyish ways. I can control him with the help with DH but DH is about to start working nights which means I will be handling dinner and bedtime on my own which is freaking me out.

Re: Witching Hour of newborn and having a toddler

This happened with my two and I was alone for bedtime also. My older DD's schedule got a little messed up for a few weeks, she went in a little later.

Re: Witching Hour of newborn and having a toddler

Often times, I would give my son a snack (goldfish or something) and put Sesame Street on That usually bought me some time to deal with the newborn!

Re: Witching Hour of newborn and having a toddler

The twins (4 months old) still have a witching hour usually between 4 and 6. They take baths at 6:30 and are in their cribs by 7.

For the witching hour I hold them as much as I can. But honestly, if I am busy with DS (3) and I can't, they just kind of have to deal with it. I will typically rotate them from bouncer to swing to holding to laying on the activity mat. If I know they aren't hungry and don't need a diaper, they just have to deal.

Maybe its a little different for me because I have twins and only 2 hands. So I do the best I can with what I've got

DS has also been known to eat his dinner with Nick Jr. on to buy me some time with the girls.

Re: Witching Hour of newborn and having a toddler

with dh working doubles and not getting home until 12 - 1 am i had both kids alone at bedtime.. witching hr started for ds2 at about 6pm.

i was desperate and seriously took them both in the car and drove endless miles. ds1 would fall asleep and it soothed my newborn,. it was my saving grace..

now that ds2 is 5 months he has a routine and ds1 has adapted to it..

Re: Witching Hour of newborn and having a toddler

Thanks for the ideas. I do have the moby wrap to use but the last two days he has been going back and forth on what he wants and the position that he wants to be in that the wrap doesn't help. And of course each night it has been something different that has soothed him. And as my DH tells me often you want to have three kids?!

Re: Witching Hour of newborn and having a toddler

Can you get your infant in bed before the witching hour starts? I know as an infant DD was in bed between 6 and 630, so she never really had a witching hour.

Good luck. I don't look forward to these situations when I have and a 3yr old DD

Re: Witching Hour of newborn and having a toddler

I went through this too. What helped soothe my newborn was taking a bath, and he needed to go down early (7ish). I bathed him in a baby tub at the kitchen sink, while my 2.5 year old played in the den. Then, I had him watch TV for about 15 minutes when I brought the baby upstairs to feed him and put him to bed.

Then, I did the nighttime routine for the older one, bath, books, then bed. My DH worked long hours, so he usually got home right when I was putting the toddler to bed.

I feel your pain, but this stage will pass. But I remember it well!!