5.5 month old being impossible

[overanalyser1]

My baby is 5.5 months old and for the last week has NOT stopped whinging and I mean constantly. We cannot leave him alone for a minute before the whinging starts. Before he was more than happy to play on his mat, chatting away and such a smiley, happy boy. My partner and I are having to take it in turns to entertain him for 30 mins at a time as it’s just exhausting. Nothing satisfies him for than 5 minutes at a time. He is also quite clingy and cries every time we put him down.

I know there is a wonder weeks leap at the moment (leap 5) but none of the other leaps have been close to this.

Is he bored? Could he be teething (no red gums yet)? I’m starting to feel like he is just a miserable baby and it’s starting to get to me as I’m blaming myself. Anyone else been through anything similar?

I can’t offer any advice but I sympathise because my almost 8 month old DD is exactly the same and she’s been like it since about 5.5 months.

I think a lot of it is frustration - I’m hoping the whinging calms down once she’s crawling!

Have you tried him with a dose of paracetamol to see if his mood improves?

Its very normal for babies to want interaction, thats how their brain develops, your face is super interesting to a baby, also babies are very social little people, i have a 5 month old girl and the best advice i got given was to just surrender to your baby, go with their flow. Also babies can get over stimulated easily, imagine coming into the world having to learn all these new sights and sounds it can be overwhelming, try putting the tv off, and creating a calm environment, and see if that can work.

For a start, there is no such thing as a 'miserable' baby and a 'happy' baby. They are just babies, all with different temperaments and some communicate their needs in a much more relaxed manor than others.

Hows it going now? 4 and 5 month olds are notoriously fussy. They suddenly are so much more alert and understanding of the world but their bodies are pretty much useless. They crave stimulation and get bored easily - its so hard in covid times but i'm not surprised your LO is bored after 5 minutes of the same activity. It gets easier as they hit developmental milestones and can do more for themselves. I get by with my 5.5 month old by wearing him forward facing in the sling and getting about my day. As long as I don't spend too long doing one activity he is pretty content by this. He is prone to being very fussy - he's certainly not a relaxed baby.

This article is more about sleep, but has a great general overview about why this age is so tricky: sarahockwell-smith.com/2013/08/29/help-my-4-5-month-old-is-sleeping-like-a-newborn-again-aka-as-the-4-5-month-old-babies-from-hell/

Good luck.

I don't know what wonder weeks are but your baby sounds quite normal, they just need their familiar surroundings. It sounds like you are having a small taste of the toddler and early childhood years.

Looking back on my toddlers early months I feel like there were windows where she was content and happy but most of the first year or so was really intense and similar to what you describe. Days that were hard and demanding, interspersed with bits of happiness and contentment. Best thing I found to do was make sure my own needs were met as far as they could be so that I felt calm and with enough energy to deal with whatever she threw at me. E.g you and your partner each getting out for a short solo walk each day if possible to clear your head, early nights so you are rested, making sure you’re eating enough etc. Just have to ride the wave and know that things do improve eventually. She’s a delight now she’s two!