My Baby Daughter Is Driving Me Nuts!

[spud912]

She is at that stage where she wants to be held all the time! She is 5 months old now and is very clingy. I have been just changing her spots every time she starts fussing (it has been about every 20 minutes, but it's becoming more and more frequent). I alternate her from the floor, the Bumbo chair, one of my 2 bouncy seats, the jump-a-roo, and the Exersaucer.

Not only does she want to be held, but it has to be me and me only. My husband can't even touch her before she starts crying, let alone if he tries to hold her. She also screams if she sees me when she is not being held. If I walk in the room and she's playing nicely on the floor, she will see or hear me and start screaming bloody murder as if she just got hurt.

At this point, I feel like I just hear her crying all day while she is awake because I really can't be carrying her around all day. I can't do baby wearing because I have found it is uncomfortable for both me and her. Any suggestions.

[daycare]

how long have you had your DC?

[cheerfuldom]

I just posted my own kid problem. The whole "pick me up now" thing is super common for the age. In your case, you really can't accommodate it because you have other kids to care for and there just no two ways about it. You're just going to have to hang in there until she gets used to the idea that you aren't going to hold her all the time. I wouldn't pick her up and change her activity so often though because she is getting used to you coming when she is upset. You decide what her schedule is and don't give attention to the screaming. Try and pick her up when she is not crying if that makes sense. Make her and daddy spend time together whether they like it or not. She has to accept that daddy can take care of her too. The most important thing is that you both stay calm and don't show that the screaming is getting anything in particular.

[spud912]

I have been doing the daycare for 3 months. She is used to having other children around because she has her older (more annoying ) sister, who is 2 now. I know my older daughter went through the same phase, but I was working when she was this age so she did get time away from me. This daughter sees me all day and I do everything for her (change diapers, bathe, breastfeed).

It would be beneficial for my dh to spend more forced time with her. With my older daughter, he had every Friday off with her and it was just the two of them. However, he really doesn't spend much time with this one and I think that is exasperating the problem. I know he has a difficult time handling her because when she gets upset, she does an ear splitting scream that can and will last for hours on end. It literally will hurt your ears and drive you mad! The one time he had with her one-on-one was when I finally went to get my hair done a couple of weeks ago and she screamed bloody murder the entire time. My mom had to put her to bed a couple of weeks ago because we took my older daughter to the doctor and she did the same thing with her.

When she is with me she is a super easy and very happy baby but if I'm not at her beckon call she becomes a crazy girl.

[youretooloud]

Five months is so boring. They've already done everything, seen everything, and nothing amuses them anymore. Except having mommy drag them all over the place all day and night.

It gets better when they are mobile.

Until then, you are lucky to get ten minutes out of them in one spot.

Can I suggest a Babyhawk? http://nickisdiapers.com/catalog.php?category=1356 It's expensive, but totally worth it to me. <---ignorant hippie site.

[daycare]

I have been doing the daycare for 3 months. She is used to having other children around because she has her older (more annoying ) sister, who is 2 now. I know my older daughter went through the same phase, but I was working when she was this age so she did get time away from me. This daughter sees me all day and I do everything for her (change diapers, bathe, breastfeed).

It would be beneficial for my dh to spend more forced time with her. With my older daughter, he had every Friday off with her and it was just the two of them. However, he really doesn't spend much time with this one and I think that is exasperating the problem. I know he has a difficult time handling her because when she gets upset, she does an ear splitting scream that can and will last for hours on end. It literally will hurt your ears and drive you mad! The one time he had with her one-on-one was when I finally went to get my hair done a couple of weeks ago and she screamed bloody murder the entire time. My mom had to put her to bed a couple of weeks ago because we took my older daughter to the doctor and she did the same thing with her.

When she is with me she is a super easy and very happy baby but if I'm not at her beckon call she becomes a crazy girl.

ok sit down.... and don't judge me. my son is 3.5. He and I are attached at the hip. We co-sleep. I put him to sleep at night by rocking him and holding him. He falls asleep and I tend to my other duties, He will still wake up 3-4 times a night. He does not nap and he wakes up at the same time every day regardless of what time he went to bed. I still help him with every aspect of his life. Eating, potty, clothes, and the list goes on. I used to love it, until I realized that I had NO life. I moved to No california 3 years ago and have yet to make a single friend. I cant go to the rec gym with other people I know, because my son won't stay in the childcare room there. He has never been left with anyone other than my in-laws and that is not very often. My husband is never home and is never able to help out. He is home maybe once a month a full day. ****S.

After reading your post, that is exactly how my son was as a baby and I gave into it, unlike you. SO, I really hope that you find a solution for your little one and don't end up like me...

As much as I love how close that I am to my son, I am really starting to get tired of it and need a break. Beofre I break,,,,,,ugh

[cheerfuldom]

daycare, my sister is like that only she has two kids. Co-sleeps with them both, just weaned the 3 year old from extended breastfeeding, still breastfeeding the the almost 2 year old, babywearing constantly. I know her and her kids are very close and I know she has made a big sacrifice for this type of parenting but I see where you are coming from. They came to visit and we had no kid free time period. The kids could not be put in nursery so they didn't go to church, she had to go to sleep when they did (including naps) and even bathe with them. She used to work, go to school, have tons of friends and now it is all about the kids all the time. She couldn't even make any extra money babysitting because she could not do attachment parenting and care for another child. I get it, I really do. We co-sleep for awhile, breastfeed and babywear but I think that when you make the decision to extend all these parenting options, it does start taking away from other parts of your life. For me, we cut if off at certain ages in effort to have a balanced life for both us and them. They need other people in their lives (like their wonderful grandparents) and other activities (like Sunday School). I don't believe that they can get everything they need from mom. "It takes a village".

[daycare]

daycare, my sister is like that only she has two kids. Co-sleeps with them both, just weaned the 3 year old from extended breastfeeding, still breastfeeding the the almost 2 year old, babywearing constantly. I know her and her kids are very close and I know she has made a big sacrifice for this type of parenting but I see where you are coming from. They came to visit and we had no kid free time period. The kids could not be put in nursery so they didn't go to church, she had to go to sleep when they did (including naps) and even bathe with them. She used to work, go to school, have tons of friends and now it is all about the kids all the time. She couldn't even make any extra money babysitting because she could not do attachment parenting and care for another child. I get it, I really do. We co-sleep for awhile, breastfeed and babywear but I think that when you make the decision to extend all these parenting options, it does start taking away from other parts of your life. For me, we cut if off at certain ages in effort to have a balanced life for both us and them. They need other people in their lives (like their wonderful grandparents) and other activities (like Sunday School). I don't believe that they can get everything they need from mom. "It takes a village".

oh yeas cheerfuldom you are so right... I know he cant get it all from mom and I was too silly to realize that (even though I have olders 12-15) until I enrolled him into his all time favorite sport baseball.
He was so attached to mommy that when it was his turn to go up to bat he scream and cried and ran back to me. I was dumb and went up to bat with him while he was nearly holding on to my leg and then let go long enough to hit the ball. As soon as he was told to run to first base he turned around and ran to me to pick him up. I instead ran to first base and had him follow me... Didn't realize any of this being so bad and how stupid I must have looked until I saw the video my older son took.

One of the best things that could have happened to us is DC. he has gotten so much better, but I still live my life for him.. Nothing crazy like your sister and the late age nursing. But I have to go to bed when he goes to bed, I don't plan it that way, but it is really had to put him to sleep laying next to him and not fall asleep as well....

My older son gets mad at me and says I am making him a sissy... But then my older son turns around and babies him too.....

I am really going to start working on him becoming more independent when we return from our trip over seas in a few weeks. When we get back, he will have to start doing things on his own. I am also hoping that he will get into a preschool by our house at the end of the year. He really does need to learn that he has to do things without mommy....