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Behaviour/development

Dry eyed screaming - 15 weeks

7 replies

ThinkPinkStink · 08/02/2017 09:52

My lovely little DD is 15 weeks old. She is pretty easy going and sleeps reasonably well at the moment . Until a few weeks ago she'd sit happily in her bouncing chair while I pottered around her (showing her things, giving her things to hold, explaining what I'm doing).

Three weeks ago she learned a new high pitched scream. Now she employs this if I break eye contact.

First I hear a sharp intake of breath, then her brow furrows, then her mouth opens and her tongue goes all hard like a parrot's tongue, then she wails.... aagghhweeeeeeeaaaagh like she's being murdered. No tears.

If I give her my full attention immediately she smiles and is jolly and delightful, as if the scream hasn't happened.

This is making me feel like a terrible parent, I play with her (we have a couple of on the floor sessions each day, amongst the other 'just getting shit done together' activities) I sing and talk non stop tiring as all living hell, I'm not a chatter by nature we go to classes and meet friends and go for a walk every day... but still the screaming.

Is this a problem, is she deeply unhappy? She doesn't seem to be in pain. And why does everyone else's similar aged child seem to be so un-screamy?

Is she overly attached or am I neglecting her? Or is this just what some babies do?

aagghhweeeeeeeaaaagh

OP posts:
ThinkPinkStink · 08/02/2017 12:15

It might just me us then :-/ at least no one has commented that it's the sign of a terrible disease I've yet to Google and would worry about for weeks.

OP posts:
JiltedJohnsJulie · 08/02/2017 17:23

Clever girl. You break eye contact, she screams, she gets your full attention. Sounds perfectly normal to me. Have you tried her in a sling so that she's got more to look at.

Have you tried her in something like a jumperoo? Or just putting her in front of a mirror or the washing machine?

EleanorofCastile · 08/02/2017 21:40

Mine has just started this at 15 weeks. It's exhausting. She only does this at home so far though, so you may think she's a quiet baby if you see us out... Have you got a playmat/activity gym thing? This keeps her occupied for a time but sometimes she just shrieks at her "friends" who are suspended around her.

ThinkPinkStink · 09/02/2017 06:05

Thanks JJJ I've been trying to see it as her being hugely emotionally intelligent... but wow, it's wearing! She has a Jumperoo (her feet only just touch the floor so she's just getting into it) but putting her in front of the washing machine is an excellent idea because it's in its own room she is calm when she watches me shower from her chair, so maybe the motion and water will be soothing! She can sometimes be distracted by a light show, but that means faffing around in the dark trying to get shit done!

Eleanor - I'm so glad I'm not alone! And now you come to mention it, she is much less screetchy when we're out and about (she's just migrated to a pushchair rather than bassinet as she was getting so bored lying down and she likes to glare accusingly at passers-by and hedges) maybe other people think she's the lovely, calm baby... 😊 to add insult to injury, her reasonable sleeping has been totally unreasonable tonight and I've been bouncing the shouty one on and off since 4:30.

OP posts:
JiltedJohnsJulie · 09/02/2017 08:31

Sounds like she may be gearing up for the 4 month sleep regression, just to add to your enjoyment Smile

ThinkPinkStink · 09/02/2017 09:17

I should never have let her read the Wonder Weeks book Blush

OP posts:
JiltedJohnsJulie · 09/02/2017 17:50

I should never have let her read the Wonder Weeks book blush schoolboy error that I'm afraid Grin

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