I am at a loss as to what to do for my 8.5 month old. She’s always been a very fussy baby, she has mild reflux (controlled with anti reflux milk and much better with age), and had surgery as a newborn but other than that healthy as far as I know. But lately (weeks for sure) it has got out of control. She is CONSTANTLY moaning and whining, constantly wants to be in my arms. When she was a bit younger, like 4-6ish months she would play on her mat by herself (we are independent play advocates) but since then she’ll rarely do that. She has to be sitting on me or next to me. Even when I’m sitting with her on her mat and playing with her she’s constantly moaning. Like nothing makes her happy!!!
Throughout the day just moaning.
She has an abundance of toys that are carefully curated for her (!) and placed strategically not too close not too far, we go for walks with my dog once a day, we go to a couple of classes a week (she doesn’t moan in the classes but she never cracks a smile), and the only time she is not moaning is when we sit outside but we live in a flat so have to go down to the communal gardens which isn’t always convenient or possible but I try.
So other than being outside or on my arms she’s moaning.
She’s now teething and we also recently started the little ones schedule which she’s adapted to well but she’s also rubbing her eyes and nose all the time which aren’t teething symptoms so I wonder what that’s about as well?
She also constantly when sitting on me throws herself back which started when we started doing row your boat and she loves doing it always smiling when she throws herself back but it’s so often and even when she’s eating and it’s hard to stop her and I don’t want to because she enjoys it so much.
She’s sitting up unaided but she was a ‘late starter’ - at 7 months (she had torticollis which meant she was delayed rolling over and therefore everything after is delayed).
What is wrong with her? What am I doing wrong? I am going spare!!!
So many points in my post so I’m sorry i just typed it all out as it is in my head.
Any advice, experience, suggestions on any of the above would be so appreciated!
Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.
Behaviour/development
8 month old weird behaviours and moans all day
Gicoh · 08/08/2019 16:32
Some babies are just like this OP. Mine was the same at that age except worse because she still cried and screamed a lot too, it wasn't just moaning! Was also very clingy at that age but started nursery at 8.5 months and became a lot less clingy gradually since she started there. It might have been coincidence with her age or it may have been nursery helping her be more independent maybe, not sure. Interestingly she is never moany or hardly cries at nursery!!!! 
Your DC will grow out of it, I know it is frustrating. DD is 14 months now and now we have tantrums, and lots of horrendous screaming STILL but that's just the way she is. The in-between times are better as she plays nicely by herself for ages now. I do have to follow her around constantly to make sure she's not getting up to anything dangerous like but it is lovely to see her play or for me to play with her. And I'm glad she doesn't just whine all the time any more and though she is still a screamer and now a tantrummer, it's not as bad as when she just cried and whinged all day long.
Also if she likes being out then get out as much as you can. My DD was/is the same and is usually better out so I just went/go with it.
Rubbing eyes is usually tiredness. Could also explain her whingyness. My DD used to rub her eyes ALL the time because she was permanently exhausted as she hardly napped. She naps much better now which I think is one of the reasons she is much happier! Could also be hayfever, the rubbing the eyes and nose, my DD gets hayfever.
To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.