Why does my 6mo still cry all the time and when will it stop???

[LadyShakespeare]

I feel like crying (well, OK, maybe I am actually crying a bit). My 6mo still cries and whinges so much. He's happy for about an hour after he wakes in the morning, and after he takes a long nap, but that's it. Think it might be related to being tired but I just cannot get him to sleep more (and it's not that he's not a bad napper... Seems to have dropped his last nap tho, so the run up to bedtime is loooong now.) please don't say it's teething or a leap - he's been like this ever since he was born! (Tho to be fair he is better than he was as a six week old...) When he's happy he's very happy and smiles and giggles, but so much of the time is just spent whining. Everyone said it would get better at 8 weeks, 3 months, 6 months, and I'm still waiting! Feeling quite despondent... Don't know what I'm hoping for really, because I know no one can really answer this question... But hoping someone has a tale of a similar baby who turned into a happy little thing overnight!

Have you investigated physical causes? If he's grizzling constantly it does suggest a possible physical problem. Things like food intolerances, reflux etc.

I noticed my Ds really started wanting to get out and do stuff from about 6mo - things like a city farm or playgroups can help.

Also don't discount teething - ours started about eight weeks old and it just dragged on and on - then he sprouted an alarming number of teeth all at once! Mind you there's not much you can go if it is teeth ...

to you. We have a terrible sleeper who is chronically tired and whiny. It's very very hard. You have my sympathy

You're not wrong about the chronic over tiredness. Weirdly the last two days he's had an uncharacteristic lie in and three good naps a day and he's been like a different baby. We've even negotiated bath time with only minor grizzling rather than nuclear meltdown. If I only knew what the secret recipe was so I could keep him sleeping well and in good spirits. So frustrating when you know they're tired but won't do the one thing that would make them feel better and get some goddamn sleep! Still, I shall enjoy it while it lasts and before the grumpies reappear! At least I know it's sleep related and not temperamental, which is some consolation.

Have you tried white noise? You have to give a go a good few times and once baby is use to they go into a deeper sleep and sleep longer. Never thought it worked until I was desperate a tried it and it is amazing. The best one is on you tube type in baby colic white noise and it's the baby on the half moon clip 10hours! You need it up fairly loud but not facing babies ears obviously. Worth a try! X