Clingy

[Pickles77]

Hello,
I'm a seven week old DD and I've decided over the last few days I cannot be put down by my DM. I scream blue murder until she rescues me and attaches me back to her.
She's getting pretty stressed out, she can't even go to the toilet. It's full on screaming I do too, im normally quite content but last week I had a cold and had been rather grizzly but now im all better.
My mummy has tried everything, and I'm not sick or anything, please help mummy.
She has PND and my behaviour really isn't helping.

[Leafmould]

You need to give your mum a chance to relax, but since you are too young to understand this, your mum needs to find a way to do this.

She needs somebody else to give you some cuddles while she has a shower, or a cup of coffee. If she has no family nearby, she needs support from someone else. She might find it tough, but the mother and baby groups are a good place to go for a cup of coffee. Trips out in the pram are also a good idea: fresh air, exercise, and the achievement of having got out of the house will be good for you and your mummy. If she can get you out for a walk at the same time every day, you will get used to it and start enjoying it.

I do hope your mum gets some good advice on here soon. Try to relax, little baby, your mum will get better and better, and you will both get to the point where you can understand each others needs better, and you will both be able to enjoy each other more.

[BananaPie]

Have you got a sling? Wearing it round the house at least frees up your hands ( and it is possible to go to the loo with baby in the sling). I had a baby bjorn one. All the best, she'll move on from this phase quite quickly.

[GailTheGoldfish]

As BananaPie says, sling is the answer. I have a close caboo which really helped when my DD wouldn't be put down. Now at 15 weeks she is happy in her bouncy chair or on the mat.

[MerylStrop]

Tell your mum this is all quite normal, and is in no way related to her abilities as a parent.

Sling

Granny and obliging friends round often to give her a bit of respite

This too will pass

[littleblackno]

Oh I really feel for you mummy. My DS was the same. I decided that I would not feel bad if he cried while i did one thing i.e. have a quick shower, put washing in the machine, eat a sandwich.
You could try a sling/ babycarrier.
When my DS was newborn i didn't have any family or close friends nearby as I'd just moved to the area so i found a local creche who took him for a few hours a couple of times a week. It got him used to being with other people and let me have break (his dad worked away so wasn't around much either) even if all i did was have a shower and a cup of tea in peace in was well worth it.
It will get better and easier. My DS is now almost 7 and can still be clingy he follows me around the house all the time but from a young age i've given him a duster!!!
I still prefer to go to the loo in work now as i know no one will want to sit on my lap when i'm going!
They are only that little for a really short while so don't worry you are doing nothing wrong. The fact that your little one want to be wiht her mum all the time probably means you are doing it all right.

[feralgirl]

Poor Pickles. You both need a sling like now! We all loved the babasling in this house.

Bugger showers for the moment, try bathing together in the evenings as a sort of pre-cursor to a bedtime routine. That whole baby bath temperature thing is bobbins imo, my DD likes her baths at almost adult temperature and always has done.

Have you got a buggy fit class near you? If you're - ahem - healed then they are great to get (a) fresh air and exercise (b) company (c) DD to sleep while the motion of you jogging along rocks the pushchair.

I had PND with both of my DCs. With DS (now nearly 4) I didn't admit it and wasn't pro-active about it. With DD (14 mo) I spotted it early and honestly it was purely and simply down to exercise that it didn't finish me off. I ran every other day and I really cannot understate the way that exercise helps (and I am, by nature, a big fat cake-eating lard-arse).

Dd will get better, honestly she will. Are you on your MN post-natal thread too? Mine is brilliant for support and ensuring that you don't feel alone.

Good luck and enjoy each other as much as you can.

[feralgirl]

Oh yes, and repeat the mantra:

"It's just a phase,
This too shall pass,
It's just a phase,
This too shall pass..."

Honestly, once I have stopped BFing DD, I am going to have the words "this too shall pass" tattooed somewhere on me to get me through the toddler and teenage years

[AnyaKnowIt]

She is 7 weeks its normal, when my dd was that age I lived in my pj's.

Have you got any rl support?

[Rhubarbgarden]

Try getting out for a walk every day with her in the pram. It really helps. Mine were much more settled after getting out of the house for a bit, even if it was only for ten minutes.

[Pickles77]

Thanks everyone! I love the sling!