I hate hate hate being a mum today

[Nononoohnono]

I’m just sounding off but oh god I just want to fast forward time.

My seven month old is literally fighting me. Grabbing chunks of my hair and yanking it, grabbing the skin on my face and neck and twisting it. If I put her down she flings herself around and screams. My poor three year old gets completely ignored because of it all, and understandably it’s affected him and our relationship. I don’t wish I’d not had them but I hate this stage so much.

My first was like this. For a long time, I was determined he would be an only child... (I now have 3 kids - it does get better once they can move and especially when they can talk, in my experience!)

I don't have any real advice - nothing much helped except wearing him in a baby carrier all.the.time - but lots of sympathy. You're not doing anything wrong and you're not alone - I think some babies are harder at different stages than others!

On the not taking Calpol though, will he take baby nurofen? It tastes different and so might be more acceptable... Here they also sell paracetamol suppositories for babies - maybe pharmacies in the UK do too? We found hiding medicine behind yogurt on a spoon to work when he got a bit bigger - he liked yogurt and swallowed it before he noticed the medicine. (I'd forgotten that particularly bleak period until just now. He grew out of it, eventually!)

Good luck, anyway, and I hope this phase passes soon!

My little girl was a violent little beast like this starting around 5 months and it eased off around 9 months. It made me so sad because I started to dread breastfeeding! It used to be this beautiful relaxing time and suddenly it was her trying to gauge my eyeballs out and pull/chew off my nips. I felt overwhelmed and pretty sad. It will get better ❤ you're doing a great job. Mine still fights me sometimes at 10 months now (last night she bit my neck like an actual tiny vampire?!) but now she's crawling and 8 teeth richer, some of that frustration seems to have ebbed. And she definitely understands no now, even if she mostly ignores me 🤣

I'm hoping my high needs baby does the same! She's already much lovelier at 14 months than she was at 7 months.

You need to be sure that she is not in pain. If you feel sure that this is the case, then I would put her down on the floor until she settles a bit.

Are you able to go to baby groups / toddler groups where she'll be put down?

OP, I was there, I remember those awful days, massive massive hugs and I PROMISE you it's not forever! That little baby will one wrap their little arms around your neck and tell you they love you. It;s the best, best thing in the whole world. They just have to grow a bit first, and it takes time, but you WILL be okay xxx

Solidarity. Currently hiding from my 2 & 3 year old. Not feeling very parent-y today. Just want a wine!

It's a tough age. Maybe frustration - how mobile is she? Mine were both very strong too, it used to be funny but quite weird sometimes when you're genuinely fighting to get something away from a baby! Sympathies and I know it's not much comfort but this will pass OP.

OP has she been like this since birth? Does she sleep? My oldest child was like this, turned out he had a severe diary allergy and wasn't diagnosed until he was 9 months old. Any other symptoms? Reflux, eczema, constipation, messy nappies, congestion?

Would she sit in the pram? All wrapped up in the hallway with the door open so she can see what's going on.

She hasn’t been like this since birth, which is why I’m fairly confident it isn’t reflux. She’s OK out and about but I do have to be home sometimes, and it’s difficult to get anything done and my three year old is very much ignored when we are home. It’s a tricky age, but it will get better (despite what someone said!)

God that sounds exhausting.

I found that with mine (especially the high needs one) the really miserable phases were just before a big development like walking or producing lots of words. With luck she's just about to crawl and will be busy pulling apart the rest of the world soon and not you.

(The high needs one is almost grown up and has been utterly lovely since he turned 18 months but I still enjoy watching him be intense at the rest of the world instead of just me)

But I do wonder if there's something with weaning. I've known babies who didn't take to food and seemed in pain to turn out to have allergies. Keep an eye on that, see if anything she's eating is making it worse?

I don’t know. I’m half tempted to stick her in a bouncy chair in the shed to be honest.

This made me cry! ❤