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Original poster

How long does this tricky stage last for please? DD 11months

30 replies

Aloha · 16/01/2006 23:53

DD is 11 months and shrieks piteously whenever I am out of sight for a second. She is very physically capable and active, climbs everything she sees and heads for stairs like a guided missile. It is very time consuming and I worry that I don't have enough time for ds sometimes (he is very good about it really). She doesn't nap at ALL during the day unless in the car or buggy. It is a little wearing (esp as she wakes at night - different thread). I wonder, how long before she can be reasonably trusted not to hurl herself to her doom and feed herself reasonably effectively? I give her loads of finger foods as she prefers it, but most ends up on the floor. I am wondering as ds was very different. Much, much less active and had naps and I didn't have another child to look after.

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threelittlebabies · 17/01/2006 00:06

Oh dear Aloha, afraid no advice, as I have all this to come with dd, and can't remember/blanked it out with ds!! But wanted to reply and let you know had read your post. Hope tomorrow is better.

Original poster
Aloha · 17/01/2006 00:07

Thanks! It was very easy having two until dd got so mobile and wakeful and vocal!

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threelittlebabies · 17/01/2006 00:07

Actually, the second I posted I had a flashback to ds2 aged 12 months, exactly as you describe and yes it does pass thankfully! Might be different when have an older child to consider though.

threelittlebabies · 17/01/2006 00:08

Ooh yes, we didn't know what had hit us when dd was born, think we had imagined we knw what to do!! Very difficult when ds wants to play and dd wants to feed

Original poster
Aloha · 17/01/2006 00:10

Quite often I just feel I absolutely need another one of me. One isn't enough!

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Original poster
Aloha · 17/01/2006 00:13

Once got invited to crash someone's wedding once! Was on holiday in cornwall, in a very odd restaurant with an ex boyfriend, next to a sort of village hall. They spotted us - only customers in the restaurant - and invited us to their do! Very informal, half the village there I suspect, good fun. Bought the happy couple a bottle of champagne.

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Original poster
Aloha · 17/01/2006 00:14

Bum! Posted this on the wrong thread!

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threelittlebabies · 17/01/2006 00:16

Yes I often feel that way! Your children sound like mine- very different to one another. dd is good, but doesn't nap well during the day, wakes up the second the car stops or her car seat is picked up. Ds used to have 2 hrs min in the morning, and 3 hrs in the afternoon! Big shock this time, I thought all babies did that!

threelittlebabies · 17/01/2006 00:16

lol what's the other thread??!

Original poster
Aloha · 17/01/2006 00:16

Ds quite often napped three hours in the afternoon too! I didn't know I was born.

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Original poster
Aloha · 17/01/2006 00:17

Childfree weddings thread!

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threelittlebabies · 17/01/2006 00:17

I remember the days when I used to thinK I had a lot on my plate, when ds had those naps and slept through, 12 hrs a night from 8 weeks!! Stupid naive fool that I am.

threelittlebabies · 17/01/2006 00:18

I liked that thread, but haven't yet been brave enough to post on it!

Original poster
Aloha · 17/01/2006 00:21

Ah go on! I MUST go to bed. Sleep patterns all messed up, esp as dd was awake earlier and I lay down next to her to get her off to sleep...and fell asleep for an hour! Whoops.

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threelittlebabies · 17/01/2006 00:22

Actually, when pregnant with dd, people kind of wished a "naughty one" on me... "Oh you won't get another one as good!" One person I think is quite miffed that they have both been so good, because hers weren't

threelittlebabies · 17/01/2006 00:23

I know, I'm off too now, I never learn my lesson and will probably soon be woken for a feed

jabberwocky · 17/01/2006 03:49

Well, I only have ds, so can't say about having two, but it sounds like your dd is my ds's twin! (except he didn't so much shriek as moan...), anyway, what can I say except it does pass. He is a very active child and needed to have lots of stimulation at an early age. Now, at 2.5 he is really good at entertaining himself. I tried very hard to give him things to do, but not spend lots of time one on one IYKWIM because I didn't want him to be too dependent on me for playtime. Is there any way to get your ds more active with her?

Original poster
Aloha · 17/01/2006 11:48

Well, he's still pretty dependent on me as well. Today got back from pre-school (I had to stay to settle him in) and am feeding dd while ds is whinging at me to help him find something. Pick up dd and go over to him, to find him sitting with a colouring book - right next to his box of crayons/pencils! Aaargh!

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Original poster
Aloha · 17/01/2006 11:48

Do I have six more months like this? Less? More?

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jabberwocky · 17/01/2006 19:16

Mmmm, my best guess would be another couple of months? Of course, it's so hard to say as they are all so different!

WideWebWitch · 17/01/2006 21:08

My dd is just 2 and for about the past 6 months (so from 18 months ish I guess) has been pretty good at occupying herself - she'll look at a book/play with her dolls/do some scribbling now for short bursts. Or she wants to be with me but will be v happy sitting on the work surface while I cook but is reasonably low maintenance as long as I talk to her. So I'd say give it six months and it will get easier. Have you tried Baby Einstein/Teletubbies? Dd was mesmerised by both, which often bought me some time too.

WideWebWitch · 17/01/2006 21:12

I don't envy you the not sleeping during the day thing, not at all! If you walk her in the buggy and then come in will she stay asleep? If so, could you try it for a bit? I'm trying to think when dd started using a spoon too and I think it was prob 16mos, something like that. She's been able to do stairs for ages but I've only recently been happy about not watching her on them, now I trust her up and down on her own.

Original poster
Aloha · 17/01/2006 21:14

No, she tends to wake up the minute we cross the threshold. If I'm very lucky she will stay asleep long enough for me to make a cup of tea and drink it.

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fisil · 17/01/2006 21:19

I have no advice as I am 3 months behind you. Ds1 was an absolute dream with his sleeping right through and regular daytime nap routine. Ds2 is a complete law unto himself. He does sleep in the day, but nothing you can particularly rely on. He just does everything so much more than ds1.

So ds1 never had any separation anxiety, if I walk out of the room ds2's world falls apart.

People used to try to get a smile out of ds1, whereas ds2 is a little tart, smiling and chuckling at everyone.

Ds1 worked and worked on sitting up, crawling, walking over a long period of time. Ds2 does everything and goes everywhere constantly.

If you told ds1 "no" he would stop, and not touch the item again. Ds2 sometimes stops, in order to get the praise (and he claps himself). He then goes straight back to whatever he was touching.

Trips to A&E with ds1: 0 in 3 years.
Trips to A&E with ds2: 1 in 8 months.

Ds1 current favourite activity: doing jigsaws and playing boardgames
Ds2 current favourite activity: crawling/ climbing everywhere and chewing jigsaw pieces/ nicking parts of games

And I think it is wonderful that they have such different personalities, but utterly utterly exhausting.

threelittlebabies · 17/01/2006 22:23

Aloha- how was today, any joy with the sleeping?