Anyone struggle to get out with a high needs baby?

[HowYouDoinnn]

Or is it just me? DS is coming up to a year now and has always been quite tricky. My frustration is that everyone always tells me to get out with him and while I know this is good for us both, I just find it so hard! When he was younger it was because he would just scream and scream wherever we were, and now that he's bigger...it's like he KNOWS it's almost time to leave and will just cling on to me and not let me get dressed or get his stuff ready so we can go. I end up either cancelling last minute or leaving things early because he is just so incredibly fussy. Sometimes it can take us 2 hours to get out because he will refuse breakfast/lunch/whatever and be hangry and clingy. I feel like such a failure. Everyone makes it sound so easy, and I'm sure it should be easier than what it is. I sometimes get very resentful as I know I'm missing out on a lot with my other mum friends because of his temperament. Just want to feel less alone x

Hi @HowYouDoinnn sorry you are feeling so alone. I had a high needs baby, it wasn’t so much getting out of the house but while we were out I would just find it difficult so I limited what I did and preferred to stay at home.
My dd is almost 3 now and I don’t have the same issues, definitely better as they get older and I have forgotten what it was like when she was quite a ‘demanding’ baby.
Definitely give yourself a break and maybe focus on what you enjoy doing at home with your DS and don’t put too much pressure on going out. If you make it out then great, if you don’t, no big deal. You’ve got plenty of time to do Mum stuff outside when he’s a bit bigger

My 17mo has always been high needs and high spirited. It used to take me hours to leave the house. Now I just get on with it, when I need to get ready he goes in his cot with some books and toys. I have one of those kitchen pods he goes into and I give him some stuff to mess about with if we’re downstairs and I need to do something, if we’re going out in the pram I’ll put him in whilst I get stuff together.

I try to be proactive in making sure I shower the night before when possible and sort out my clothes etc then too and changing bag etc so I have as little to do as possible when I’m actually getting ready. He might moan a bit but it’s for the greater good of both us to get out. It’s tough but it’s worth it. Also as they get older they become more able to occupy themselves a little bit.