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I'm on my last nerve with almost seven month old dcb. He is seriously crying or whining anytime he is awake and not eating, he used to be a pretty easy going baby, but in the last few weeks he is unhappy. He wants me to hold him. Gets louder if I walk away. I cannot hold this guy all day. I have three toddlers and another infant. I just gave up after the first hour and a half of the day and rocked him to sleep, only to have him start screaming again when I put him down. He doesn't settle down in the crib anymore. So unless I want to just hold him all the time, I'm afraid this is our current reality. I hope that he is sprouting new teeth or something. He has grown one during these last few weeks. Yesterday was especially bad, I suppose because it was Monday and he had his mom all weekend. And advice would be greatly appreciated. His cuteness isn't helping him here.
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I would definitely see if his routine has changed at home. Maybe tell dcm you noticed he has been more fussy lately and ask what she has been doing to soothe him when he gets fussy at home.
It could be because he is being held a lot.
It could be because he is teething.
It could be a separation anxiety stage.
It could be lack of sleep.
It could be he is extra hungry.
Maybe go through the above list and see what works.
Worst case scenario is you give him 2 weeks to a month to improve and decide then what you'd like to do (i.e. term).
Personally, my almost 7 month old dd is going through a fussy stage and I know for a fact she isn't held or rocked to sleep. She also used to be super easy going and now is fussy often. What works for her is to switch up her play area toys as well as periodically rub her back and talk to her then walk away. I also tell her she's ok while I do my thing. She doesn't stop fussing but she likes to hear my voice. The other kids have also started following my lead and like to talk to her about random things. She loves the attention and they love having an audience.
Hope your little guy is just being fussy and goes back to his happy self soon! -
In my experience, almost all babies go through a stage of this around this age, even the most mild-mannered ones. IMO, I think it's just a normal developmental thing, and they seem to gain more independence when they are just beginning to attempt to master crawling (start getting their knees under them and rocking). It seems to me they are almost as though they are getting bored with the way things are...rolling is old news and they want to play, but are still pretty much stuck wherever they are set down. I think they are just a little frustrated and/or bored.
Anyway, that's what I tell myself and first time dc parents, if only to pacify that this, too, shall pass!Comment
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Yes, I think this could be in part a frustration with his lack of mobility. This guy can't even sit up independently yet. It's so nice for them once they can! And kabob, yes. Maybe all of those things!Comment
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Try swaddling. I know they are older, bigger and more mobile at this age but it helps with separation anxiety. You can swaddle and lay on a blanket close to where the others are playing.Comment
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I feel your pain. I have a 8 month old dcb that has done this from day 1 and it's pushing me over the edge. Unless I"m holding him, he's pissy. He makes no attempt to crawl, scooch, roll nothing. Yesterday he wanted his bottle and I was really in the middle of something with the kids on the floor, so I laid him by me and molded his hands around the bottle for him to hold it himself. He held it up to his mouth, but screamed. I picked him up after a minute and started feeding him and he stopped instantly. So, he just didn't want to give it to himself. I put him right back down on teh floor and he did feed it to himself as I sat there with 5 others. This is no stage with this boy.Comment
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Saw on Facebook his mom talking to someone saying she had been laying down with him to get him to sleep lately.....so that would be why he won't go to sleep in the crib anymore here....Comment
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Ugh! She is only applying a short term fix that will cause a long term issue....for you.
I'd think about having a sit down discussion with mom about sleep and the right way to soothe her child to sleep. She doesn't have to resort to any type of CIO but she can certainly adapt some techniques that help support the child to learn to be self-soothing. Also things that YOU can replicate at daycare.
Since you can't very well lie down with him to help him get to sleep, I'd tell her that if that is the route she is choosing to take, you might have to let him go.
NOT fair if he gets used to being put to sleep a particular way and not have that happen at daycare and you and the other kids have to deal with his screaming. Not fair to you, the other kids or this little babe.
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He hasn't been too difficult today. Which is funny because my husband is home sick upstairs, and I had been complaining about the baby yesterday. Not making this up Dh! I'll be interested to see how the rest of the week goes. I wonder if it just took til Wednesday to figure out the routine again after the weekend or if we are just having a random good day.
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Fussy, crying baby
My daughter's 5 month old girl was always a very fussy, crying baby and wouldn't let anyone but mom and dad hold her. I found a new mobile app on Google Play called RelaxaBaby. It is free for Christmas. It uses pulsing vibes applied to the lower back. Laid the baby down with the phone positioned under her low back. She was asleep in a minute! We both stood amazed with our mouths open. After a week or so of using this app for everything, my granddaughter is no longer fussy. It is supposed to work on worse cases. I'd say she was a worse case. And best of all she lets others carry her now and she has more bright smiles than ever. Not sure how these vibes can work only on the low back, but they definitely do something good. Hardly need to use it anymore. She gets all the sleep a baby needs now.Comment
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LOL!! :
: This might be a great "fix" for some fussy babies, but I gotta say no way am I putting my expensive smart phone under a baby's lower back area...(too close to the bottom area 
) with the hopes that the child settles in.
What if someone texts or calls? What if I need the phone and can't take it then because it will disrupt the baby's sleep?
I doubt the parent is going to leave their phone for that purpose either....plus I won't be able to reach them if their phone is tucked under their baby all day here instead of at work with them.
I wonder what my licensor would say about this...
NOT making light of it, as it might very well work wonders....it just doesn't seem like something doable at daycare....kwim?Last edited by Blackcat31; 12-18-2014, 07:13 AM.Comment
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I was actually thinking of this for my foster son. He's very prone to rages and unable to soothe himself at all sometimes (15 months-drug exposed, slightly delayed). NO WAY would I leave MY beloved smart phone with a baby, but I do have a couple of old ones that I could use. I could see my 3 year old enjoying it, too when falling asleep at night-he has a hard time winding down. Honestly, I think I'd use it myself for relaxation, too, when I do self-hypnosis for pain control (dang fibromyalgia).LOL!! :: This might be a great "fix" for some fussy babies, but I gotta say no way am I putting my expensive smart phone under a baby's lower back area...(too close to the bottom area ) with the hopes that the child settles in.
What if someone texts or calls? What if I need the phone and can't take it then because it will disrupt the baby's sleep?
I doubt the parent is going to leave their phone for that purpose either....plus I won't be able to reach them if their phone is tucked under their baby all day here instead of at work with them.
I wonder what my licensor would say about this...
NOT making light of it, as it might very well work wonders....it just doesn't seem like something doable at daycare....kwim?
I couldn't imagine what I'd do if I put that under a baby and found it covered in a poopy surprise later! ICK.Comment
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I've found that this age almost always produces a fussy baby. Is he crawling? Usually, once they become mobile, they are much more content.Comment
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Nope. Not crawling or even sitting up yet, though he is a good roller.Comment
I just installed it and I can totally see how it could "relaxababy", because I found it very soothing, myself! Thanks for sharing with us!:hug:
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