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Parenting

4 month old screams when put down - she can easily go on for 30 mins

12 replies

bgt · 08/03/2011 09:38

Recently my 4 month old dd wants to be picked up all the time, the moment we put her down she screams. We have tried talking to her, giving her toys...but no she just wants to scream. I cant take it but my dh is adamant we shouldn't get into bad habits and pick her up all the time. I also think she is teething which probably doesn't help matters.
Will control crying work, when all they want is to be picked up. I am also thinking that it just could be her personality, I keep comparing her to my ds who is now 3 who was such an easy going baby.

OP posts:
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TheMaleyDale · 08/03/2011 09:39

Don't put her down then!

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LadyBiscuit · 08/03/2011 09:40

She is too young for controlled crying. You can't get a 4 month old into bad habits, pick her up, carry her about. Get a sling if you don't have one

And all babies are different

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Cosmosis · 08/03/2011 11:10

Just pick her up, she's so little. She's only just been born and wants some security.

Get a sling if you need to get on with other things and still have to hold her.

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therealmrsbeckham · 08/03/2011 11:16

She's far too young for CC. Cuddle her, cuddle her then cuddle her some more!

My 4 month DS is also going through a phase like this and my mother has told us it's because he's spolied Angry. IMO you can't spoil a child with love.

I'm just cuddling DS and mumsnetting at the mo - bliss Grin

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NinkyNonker · 08/03/2011 14:32

Cuddle her. Dd is 7 months and when asked the only advice I give new parents is just cuddle them. Luckily DH agrees. I can't listen to dd cry, no way, imagine how she is feeling.

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petisa · 08/03/2011 15:28

Just put her in a sling and get on with what you need to do. The manduca is really good, you can put the baby on your back at that age (you can check in the mirror to see if they are ok) and you can hardly feel them at all, it's such a good baby carrier, like wearing a light rucksack.

You'll not get your baby into bad habits.

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ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 08/03/2011 15:30

what everyone else has already said!

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MagnumIcecreamAddict · 08/03/2011 20:51

I totally agree - cuddle her!

Mine was the same at 4 months and I was given lots of advice about not picking him up/leaving him to cry to stop him becoming a clingy child forever!
Fortunately I couldn't manage and just cuddled him and thanked my lucky stars for a comfy sling. He's now 8.5 months, crawling, very sociable and not even slightly clingy (unless poorly).

So cuddle, cuddle, cuddle and enjoy it!

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Roscat · 08/03/2011 20:52

This sounds very like my ds2. For the first 6 months or so he would cry when put down. It was incredibly wearing! I couldn't hold him all the time as I had a toddler to look after. Sometimes I used a sling, sometimes I had him in the buggy indoors. Sometimes we just all went insane when I really couldnt hold him. It got a lot easier when he started to be able to roll around the place. I think he was frustrated a lot of the time and wanted to be doing more than he was able to. Music, and the sound of running water helped. Also being outside.
Lots of people told me he was spoiled and 'petted on me' but he was like that from the minute he came out of the womb. My heart goes out to you. But just to encourage you, he has grown into a cute little poppet who charms everyone!

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AngelDog · 08/03/2011 21:45

Get a sling / co-sleep. She'll be working on the 19 week developmental spurt I'd guess. When they're working on spurts, babies often become 'clingy, cranky and crying'. Things should calm down a bit when she's past the spurt, which is at around 19 weeks from her due date (so adjust if she was born late/early).

You can read all about it in The Wonder Weeks

CC isn't suitable for babies under 6 months.

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HeathcliffMoorland · 08/03/2011 22:05

I agree. Cuddle her. Won't do her any harm.

However, if there ever is a situation where you genuinely can't hold her, don't be too hard on yourself.

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Cosmosis · 09/03/2011 10:53

good point from Heathcliff, when you go to the loo, answer the door etc etc, she'll be fine for 5 mins, it won't do any harm.

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