Extremely Needy 10 Month Old

[maelb05]

I have a 10 month old in care who has been with me since 3 months old. Last week he became very needy. He cries/screams unless I hold him or he is sleeping. If I try to have him play on the floor, he will cry while crawling towards me and pulls himself up on me wanting me to pick him up. If I am sitting on the floor, he crawls up into my lap and cries until I hold him. He is not happy doing anything, but being held.
Mom and dad co sleep and mom solely breasfeeds at home, but that is what they have done from birth.
Any suggestions on what to try? Hoping it is just a phase!

[Ariana]

He is likely not getting enough sleep now that he is older. His sleep patterns are changing and he is probably getting woken up by his parents. Cosleepers are some of the most miserable kids I have ever seen in daycare. They are exhausted, cranky and very needy.

I just had a needy 12 month old cosleeper start and she is now completely different since the parents sleep trained her. She was waking to breastfeed 4-5x at night! It was either they straightened out her sleep or I was going to term them. I had another cosleeper who would sleep at my house 6 hours a day. Unreal!

[Mom2Two]

Could it have to do with the milestone of being aware of object permanence? That's an 8-10 mth milestone, and kids can get separation anxiety then.

[LostMyMarbles]

I have a 10 month old in care who has been with me since 3 months old. Last week he became very needy. He cries/screams unless I hold him or he is sleeping. If I try to have him play on the floor, he will cry while crawling towards me and pulls himself up on me wanting me to pick him up. If I am sitting on the floor, he crawls up into my lap and cries until I hold him. He is not happy doing anything, but being held.
Mom and dad co sleep and mom solely breasfeeds at home, but that is what they have done from birth.
Any suggestions on what to try? Hoping it is just a phase!

Sorry you are going through this phase with him . We have all been there. Hang in there. I am sure it will pass and you will do your best to help him through this tough time. Try distracting with different toys. Or even, have the other kids talk to him for distraction.

[Blackcat31]

Could it have to do with the milestone of being aware of object permanence? That's an 8-10 mth milestone, and kids can get separation anxiety then.

This is along the lines of what I was thinking as well.

8-12 months seems to be when all my "good" babes turn into some form of cling ons and act as if their oxygen is cut off every time they aren't being held or touched.

I think the best thing you can do is speak soothingly to him. Reassure him you are right there and he's fine.

I wouldn't give in and hold him other than when you normally do hold him or he'll learn his crying etc nets the results he wants (be picked up) so just keep talking to and reassuring him you are there and he's fine.

It'll be a tough few weeks but more than likely he'll grow out of it and become the happy babe he was before.