Please come and tell me what your high-need baby is like as an older child (especially if you can give me hope!)

[diyqueen]

DD (10 months) is - and has been from the start - what's often described as a 'high-need' baby. She doesn't sleep as much/well as most other babies, has boundless energy, is addicted to breastfeeding and loves being carried, cries at the smallest thing, is easily bored or frustrated, has to grab everything in sight and bash/chew it...

We love her to bits and she's the cutest, loveliest little thing (most of the time!) but I'm exhausted and in bleaker moments have visions of her growing up to be the sort of 6-year-old you see on Supernanny. We are making sure we're giving her boundaries and not giving in when she howls the place down at not being allowed to chew her dad's phone etc etc and are just hoping that with good discipline and lots of love her more endearing character traits will win out as she grows up.

So, out of interest, I was just wondering if anyone who had a similar baby could tell me what they're like as an older child?

Ah yes, he is very laid back. We've had no teenage-type trouble with him whatsoever. In fact he's almost too laid back.

This is a pretty old thread but I want to restart it! Any more positive stories out there for me?!

My almost 8mo is a Velcro baby. Never really liked being put down, we bedshare etc. She has always fed between every 45 mins to 2 hours, she does space some feeds out now if we're very busy in the daytime but not otherwise. I have lost count of how many times I feed her in the night. I am so tired all the time I barely have energy to do anything with her in the day.

Also, she's a bottle refuser so I have never ever left her (well I did once at 6 months when I did a 'hope for the best' trial and left her with my mum in the evening. Cue me running home an hour in to a sobbing baby and then a sobbing me). I am starting to really struggle, I feel I have no freedom - I do understand this is motherhood but I am surrounded by mum's who don't understand the big deal and have been going out for evenings since their baby's were small. I hate to say it but I am jealous. And hubby goes to gigs and things all the time which I used to love doing. I feel like I will never do anything again which I know is ridiculous.

I'm obviously biased but she is such a wonderful little person, so funny and alert. Unlike some high needs baby's she's not really shy but when she has had enough, she makes it known only me or daddy will do.

I used to want two very close together but now I think I'll need a couple of years off!

Sorry this is long!

I feel I have no freedom - I do understand this is motherhood but I am surrounded by mum's who don't understand the big deal and have been going out for evenings since their baby's were small. I hate to say it but I am jealous. And hubby goes to gigs and things all the time which I used to love doing. I can tell I'm gonna get stick for this I really don't mean I want to go out once a week, I just want a break here and there.

Hugs My DD2 was the same, first time I ever left her was when I started back to work 5 mornings a week. Didn't have a night out until she was 11 months and then didn't enjoy it cus I knew she wouldn't settle properly (bottle refuser).

She's 19 months now and a hell of a lot better. She lightened up a bit when she started walking, and she's talking now which makes things a lot easier. Has little tantrums but nothing worse than others her age.

It will get better gradually. Some babies are just trickier than others.

@MessyBun247 thanks so much messy bun. How did it go when you left her at 11 months?! Thing is, I do enjoy her so much so I guess I'm lucky on that front - she is a really happy baby. Most of my pals still invite me for evenings out and don't seem to understand I can't do it yet, so loneliness is kicking in a bit - I was always a very social person so I guess the transition has been tough.

I know she needs me now so I'll wait it out! Xx