Finding it a bit tough with large baby.

[Quodlibet]

I don't know if this is a behaviour/development thread, a Feeding one or what really so bare with me.

DS2 is 22wks. He is a large baby, particularly in comparison to his sister who is/was diddy (he is wearing clothes now that she outgrew in her 2nd year). He's a lovely little thing, smiley and easy to make laugh.
However I am finding it tough at the moment. He is very strong and very heavy, and I am completely exhausted by carrying him about. He often is only happy when held in a particular position (e.g standing on my lap) and only naps in the sling. It also feels at the moment that he is struggling a lot which is really hard to contain - he's a bit grumpy from (I think) teething and flails/arches/thrashes around particularly when tired and often while BF. I am feeling w bit brutalised at times and it is making me sad that I'm not enjoying him as much as I should be.
Doesn't help that sleep is shit too so he is on and off boob all night/ends up in our bed so I am not getting much space/rest.
Sometimes when he is crying and thrashing about I am at a loss to what is wrong and feel very out of step with him - I don't remember feeling like this with my daughter.
He is showing some signs of being ready for solids (great head control, sits with support, good hand/mouth coordination, lunges at my food and gets v cross when I don't allow him any) but he can't be underfed if he's putting on weight the way he is (exclusively BF) and I don't wSnt to start too early.

I just feel generally a bit down and like it is hard to meet all his needs and oddly a lot of it seems to stem from his size and how much work it is to carry/lift/hold him.

Hopelessly yes I think back carrying is a big part of the solution. I got very adept at back wrapping my toddler, but I never wrapped her as a baby so it's like starting from scratch learning to do it all over again. But I just managed my first successful back carry and it was lovely for both of us so I will start practicing.

Clarr good point about the iron. V likely I am anaemic again.

Oh wow-how did I forget to mention that the dreaded jumperoo was the single best thing for my ds at around this age (I can't remember when we put him in it exactly but it was because I was fed up of him standing on my thighs and wanting constant jiggling).

Have you got one?

We got an exer-saucer for our giant child (now 25lbs and just 8 mo). He loved it and quickly learned to stand and cruise. Two days ago he took his first unaided steps (none since, thank heavens!)

Our DS is a big guy and has always been grumpy and slept poorly, but gaining mobility seems to have helped his disposition (baby signs seem to have helped too). We also had to wean him off the sling as my knees are bad and DH has a bad back and he was just too big. That stunk, frankly, but I'm glad we did it before we injured ourselves.

Incidentally, we introduced solids early, and slowly (a taste here, a mouthful there) with limited effect on sleep, but it helped me a lot. All that feeding had really depleted my iron, even with supplements. And the little guy is a trencherman. I have no idea where he puts it all.