7 months old moaning ALL DAY!!! driving me and DH mad!! any ideas??

[kandymouse]

Our angelic 7 months old (just turned 7 months) has started to moan and suddenly turned into this moaning monster, but terrible kind of moaning, really demanding and constant. She is sleeping in her cot at least 12 to 13 hours at night, goes down at 6:30pm every night and wakes up around 7am and has one short nap in the morning then about 1 hour and half in the afternoon. She has three meals a day..well prepared for her if she eats it or not, it's really up to her as we are doing BLW and about 5 bottles a day and 1 bottle at 11pm. I don't know if this has to do with her starting to crawl, but crawling backwards at the moment so this is very frustrating for her. But even when we are sitting at the table, she demands that I give everything to her that I'm eating as well, and just drops everything on the floor and won't take anything with spoon...I can't read anything because she wants to tear it all up..and she doesn't like lying on her back anymore (for changing or bath which she used to love..) And she started drinking bathwater on her tummy in the bath and eating baby sponge that I clean her with and sponge that she sits on. Only thing that makes her calm is looking out the window or going outside. And it feels like she's controlling us with her moaning....so tired at the end of the day and not sure if this is normal. She is entertained by me and DH all day as we work from home and we are both spent. I don't know how other moms do it.

[Maveta]

I´m afraid I think it all sounds pretty normal. My ds is almost 9 months and more exhausting everyday! I´m sure someone said it gets easier as they get older, although now all I hear is the opposite I feel duped

[kandymouse]

oh... thanks for that. It feels like nothing I do or DH do makes her happy anymore...well just for 5 min. then it's moan time...

[andiemustlosehalfastonemore]

kandy mine is whinging a lot at the mo as well sometimes I leave him to get on with it as I have to do other things like wee

[PuppyMonkey]

Got a nine month old who's exactly the same.It's so exhausting... is there anyone who could babysit while u and your dh have a break? Even for half an hour!

Me, I took the easy option and went back to work for 3 days a week. What a lovely rest!

[kandymouse]

well I'm glad that this is normal anyway. We are thinking about babysit..but it's hard to trust anybody really. I guess it's our first one so we are bit scared of DD's emotional life so we entertain her a lot. Well I am as I was abused as a child and don't want to pass anything onto her

[ilove8pm]

is it possible she is teething? have to say most of what you describe just seems to fit with my experiences of my dc at that age, so maybe it is just normal developmental stuff. but if she seems really miserable it could be her teeth. has she got worse dribble than usual, sore bottom, chewing? or is she poorly with a bug maybe? I think if you feel she is not able to be settled it wouldnt hurt to make a dr apt. i admit i take mine when i am not sure at all, just for my own piece of mind, and the gp is now used to the fact that i am another slightly anxious mum and is very patient.
try not to let it wear you down too much - i know thats easier said than done, but if you can get a bit of time every day, to have a cuppa, go on mn etc, you should do that. the jobs round the house etc can wait for another day another time. in order to get through challenging weeks with babies you need to be strong and as positive as its possible to be. so be a bit selfsh and make as much time as you can for yourself. will be thinking of you good luck x

[MumtoCharlotteMay]

She's either bored, wanting attention, teething or she's just got to that clingy stage where she refuses to be left alone.

My 8mo dd is like this. I cannot leave the room anymore without getting 'yelled' at to come back! All smiles when I'm back in the room of course.

I have a toybox full of toys to entertain her. Does she have a baby walker or something that she can sit/stand in? She's probably bored and frustrated on the ground. She sounds like she's in that frustrating place where she's trying to move and not making as much progress as she wants. How annoyed would you be if you were first attempting to crawl? It's frustrating for them. This will sound silly but I got down on my hands and knees with my dd when she was trying to crawl and realised how annoying it must be for her. Buy her a toy that moves that can encourage her crawling, my dd loves hers though I can't remember the name of it.

Try giving her things that make noises and things with different textures etc. My dd loves packets of baby wipes and plastic bottles Keeps her amused for a while.

[ilove8pm]

just reread the op. is she trying to feed herself in the high chair? one thing that can work is using two spoons, one that you keep hold of and one she can hold herself. let her try while you keep spooning mouthfuls in at same time. IYSWIM. but if you do this you need to be prpared tha tit will be messy and put a sheet down. also what age are you going to do finger foods? i know things have changed in last 3 yrs. when i started giving my dd finger food she was a lot happier as she was more in control. or is it too early for that yet>?
also re the tearing your paper up, sounds like she wants you to give her your attention - but thats not me saying you are not giving her any, just that she is used to lots of lovely attention and wants it!! maybe give her one page of old paper so she thinks she is reading with you (as long as doesnt chew it!!) or a special toy that is good at distracting her - something that makes lots of noise and beeps and requires concentration from her - maybe toy plastic baby phone or similar - bought one for friends baby last week in asda for apx £2.50 and she wont put thing down she is 10 months. please bear in mind these are just ideas of another mum, not expert! they worked for me, but maybe there is something different that will work with your dd. dont worry by way, she is still your adorable dd, its just a phase (repeat that to yourself like a mantra if necessary!!! )

[Maveta]

I think it´s normal you want to entertain her and keep her happy even given your particular worries but if you are sure she´s feed, watered, not in pain, not tired etc etc it´s probably good for your sanity to try and give her new options to entertain herself. At least for a few mins at a time to let you do something else and have a break.

Ds has just been a bit unwell for a couple of weeks and now that he´s getting better he seems to have become even more demanding. I think it´s a combination of not being 100% yet, frustration at wanting to stand and not being able to (so wants us to sit and hold his hands for hours at a time!!) and also he liked the extra cuddles and attention and extra response he got when he wasn´t well and wanting that to continue.

It´s hard but don´t forget to save your sanity too!

[mrsruffallo]

Sound like she is just developing an interest in the world to me. She wants to taste the food you have and lay different ways than she used to..is all really a problem? Maybe if you just let her do things the way she wants to instead of making her do things the way you want to she will be a bit more chilled.
I mean, dropping food on the floor is par for the course, especially if you immediately pick it up ifyswim

[mrsruffallo]

Also, spoons can be quite hard at this age. I suggest letting her use her fingers to get a feel of the food and a have a quick route to the mouth

[Daffodilly]

I recall DD being exactly like this at 9 months and just before she started crawling. Whinging all the time, wanting attention and nothing seemed to be good enough. It was like a switch had flipped once she figured out how to crawl. She was a new baby - excited, on the go, exploring, going to find the toy that she wanted to play with and then nicely exhausted for good long restorative naps (for all of us).

I hope it is this for you too. Course movement brings some new challenges - but she's just got more and more fun since.

Hang in there....

[kandymouse]

thanks everybody. I'm completely knackered today. We give her attention 200% of the time ALL DAY. Either me or DH or together, and DH has been brillant this morning as I only got 4 hours sleep and had to take piriton for allergy, and now I look and feel like someone on heroine (that's what DH commented)...so I'm leaning on desk and on MN. She has a walker that she goes into, she has about 100 toys around her with which we play with her and she plays with (both colourful, lots of sounds, biscuit tins, wooden spoons, pan lids, singing ones, blocks, ALLLLLLLLLLLLL kinds), she gets LOADS of cuddles and kisses and singsongs and active dancing, read her books, and we offer her everything we eat..(except for of course sugary stuff or chocolates, so she gets rusks instead). Two spoons trick used to work, and now she has figured out and purses her mouth firmly if I put anything near her mouth either with spoon or my finger. She will only feed herself....stubborn I guess it's our fault as both of us are extremely stubborn.

I will hang on and hope that this clinginess gets a bit easier in a week or two.. or months....

[EffiePerine]

It's a tough age, they seem really grumpy when they're learning to do stuff. Breathe and remember that It Will Pass

Good that you're getting a break at night - can you make sure you and DH have some wind-down time after she's in bed?

[kandymouse]

We might have some wind down time...maybe it's because I started working at night time when she's asleep. 8pm to maybe midnight. That's why I'm dead....Thank you so much for the support.

[woodstock3]

your dd sounds lovely and normal and just like she's ) usually buy mexploring the world - and you sound like you are doing everything possible to help her so dont fret!
my ds is 8mo and the same. sanity has been helped by discovering that anything that is sloppy enough to be spoonfed can be smeared on toast and given as finger food (he is also spoon resistant).
tearing paper is also wildly popular but giving ds something of his own to tear up (pizza flyers and rubbish catalogues) often buys me enough time to read something of my own without it being destroyed. drinking bathwater /sucking flannel we have just learned to live with (seems to be thriving on soapy water....). i know it's high maintenance but tell yourself thru gritted teeth that she is this way cos she's curious and clever and interested in the world around her and that you'll reap the rewards of that when she's older and can entertain herself unlike a more passive child. good luck!

[twelveyeargap]

My 8mth old gets whiny and clingy and well, annoying (if we're being honest here) for about a week or before a tooth arrives.

She also does seem to get very, very frustrated with her body and not being able to do certain things. She drags her little self around the floor, exhausting herself and pulling herself up on things and getting annoyed that she can't go anywhere.

I try, but it's hard, to realise that they must find being a baby quite difficult sometimes. And sometimes I just feel wrecked and wish she'd pipe down.

Her new thing is screeching. Screeching, screeching, screeching all day. Nnngggh. I think it's frustration at not being able to communicate. She responds very well at our baby signing classes though and I'm hoping we can keep it up at home and help her.

If your baby calms down looking out the window or going out, then she's is very likely to be bored.

Try putting some of her toys away so she "forgets" them and rotate with other toys so she can rediscover them.

Bring out the wooden spoons, plastic spatulas, any little plastic pots from the kitchen or any household item which is safe. My baby seems to get far more out of exploring adult things than toys and you can see a difference in her when I produce either a new toy, or one she hasn't seen in a few weeks.

HTH.

[KinkySpider]

well, i can see im not alone...many excusted mums here!!
my sons just turned seven months and is so agrevated latly. he does not sleep through the nights but has got better in that department.
its everything else thats the problem, i think hes frustrated with not being able to crawl,sit up etc...we just bought him a pricy walker thinking it would be the anwser to all our prayers but hes not interested in that either.
as awful as this sounds im finding it very hard to find the pleasure these days in bringing up a child, i love him to bits and i feel awful even thinking it but its sooooo hard to even get a smile out of him these days! he used to be much fun, maybe im doing something wrong, this makes me think hes unhappy!!

were having trouble getting him into a routine that he will stick too!!
I saw one person wrote that her babies in bed before seven!!!!!omy god, my 7month old wont go any earlier then half nine at which point me and my partner are knackered and off to be very shortly after so no time for us!

Any advise would be so grateful, mainly on good toys and help on routine pattens.

thanks sam X

[Tea71]

oh dear. my dd was a bit 'difficult' before she crawled - now the house is a big playground. In retrospect, I think it was in part frustration at not being able to crawl, lack of eating was due to teething - leading to a vicious circle of being hungry because she found it difficult to eat and not eating because of teething, also boredom at being at home - she would never be content to play on her own at home, but take her out to a playgroup or anywhere where there were other children and she quickly forgot about me and played contentedly amongst her peers.
Maybe try taking her out to playgroups as opposed to surrounding her with toys and adult company at home??
hth