To be frustrated at my whingy baby?

[MissTwister]

Just that really. She is 4 months old and every afternoon she whinges for hours and hours. I manage to get her to sleep and she wakes up whinging, I play and she's interested for 5 mins before whinging. She doesn't need her nappy changing or feeding. She just sits and shouts and shouts until something is done to entertain her - for 5 minutes before she is bored again and shouts. It's exhausting!!

Any tips!

My DD was exactly like this. It got a lot better when she started crawling and she has actually become a very independent and relatively "easy" toddler, who is now much less demanding than many of her peers. Keep going, it will get better!

A nice long walk might distract her. When DS was that age 4-6pm was the witching hour. We walked lots.

She doesn't love the sling and I have back problems too so not really an option.

I do go out and do lots of stuff - usually at least one thing a day. You can't really usually avoid being at home by late afternoon though - especially as it's dark now.

whispers that was it. They wanted to be independent from about a month old.

I think I did once rant I'd shove a wooden spoon up the backside of any one else who suggested a sodding treasure basket would keep him amused.

Earplugs help bring the whinging down to a volume that doesn't get me all irritable. A brand called Hush Plugz are the best I've found, cheap from eBay - Google how to put foam earplugs in properly as it makes a big difference.

Ugh. That phase is so annoying. Mine got better when she could hold toys and interact for herself. Before that I spent all day shaking things in front of her and speaking in a silly voice. Dreadful.

DS1 was like this, I think he was just bored and frustrated, (because he was so bright obvs). Once he could crawl about he was lovely.

Not long til you can start weaning-I found that popping them in a highchair with some rice cakes or fruit held off the whinging for a while.
Otherwise try to get out and about as much as you can in the morning and hope for a decent nap in the afternoon.

I spent 20 mins repeatedly singing 'end of the road' to her which she quite enjoyed....

That's what I was going to suggest- sing along to the whingeing.
We rigged up a climbing rope over a beam and a carabiner to hang a baby car seat at eye height in the kitchen. DD sat and swung (strapped in) while we talked/ sung to her but had our hands free for cooking, cleaning etc.

My DS was a whingey baby from 5-10 months when he started crawling. Nothing I did made any difference most of the time, he was grumpy and frustrated. He did love going out for a walk and sitting watching people in cafes but you can't spend all day every day doing that.

I'd like to say he grew into an easy toddler but he was a stroppy nightmare and is still on the 'glass half empty' side at nearly 6.

Just realised I didn't say when it might get better which bus the important bit! Just to counter some of the gloom, she perked up around 5 months, was much happier once she could crawl and pretty much ecstatic all the time now she's walking. It should pass. In the meantime go out and share the misery! You'll go insane at home.

Mine got a bit less whingy when she started to sit. Have you tried him in a highchair or bumbo? (although in our case it was mainly over tiredness. She was/is an expert nap refuser).