My six month old is miserable!

[Meandmyjoe]

Hi, my six month old boy has always been what Dr Sears would call a 'high needs' baby. From being about a week old, he has been very hard to settle in any other way other than walking around with him. He sleeps very well at night (for twelve hours straight) but the days are still very hard as my husband works very long shifts and often comes home just in time to but our boy to bed. I am really starting to wonder if things will ever improve. Today (like most days) has been an endles struggle trying to keep our DS happy. He went through a stage about a month and a half ago of lovin being on the floor as he had learned to roll and loved playing with his toys. Sadly this only lasted a few weeks and now I'm back to pacing around the kitchen with him in my arms. My main problem is that he seems unable to be happy whilst still, I have hardly ever been able to just sit with him and cuddle him. He gets frustrated and arches his back until we stand with him. He's not even keen on his pushchair or pram either so nine times out of ten when I'm out and about I end up carying him anyway. I used to think that he would just grow out of this and that all babies are unsetled in the first few weeks. I now see that my little boy is not like others babies who will sit happily in his pushchair whilst mum eats a meal out or goes for a coffee. I can't do this as he wants to be up and walking about. Is there something medically/ developmentally wrong with my boy? I feel so alone as none of my friends babies are anything like mine and I'm sure I must be doing something wrong. Any tips or similar stories are really needed!!! Sorry for moaning but I really feel like crying, we planned out son for so long and I'm ashamed to say that this is not what we imagined. I feel so sorry for our baby as he can't help the way he is. Every little thing bothers him and makes him moan or cry. Just laying him down to undress him can seriously upset him. He must be so sad and I don't know why. Help!!!Thanks

Wise words from helenelizabeth about naps and sleep pattern. DD was so much easier from 6wks in that respect from intriducing set nap times.

My ds3 hardly ever smiled for a whole year. He was awful. I thought there was something wrong with him, but then he suddenly turned into a smiley, funny, charming, sociable, adorable 1 yo. Still don't understand. Not sure I would have 3 kids if he'd been the first. I regret not seeing a counsellor - I was in a state all that time and I'm sure it didn't help anybody. DH and I are still just slowly getting over that whole time.

Thanks bigshopper, your ds sounds similar to mine. Ds does smile but immediately (sometimes at the same time) can be crying and whinging aswell???!). I appear to be in the same situation as you were, regards to being in a state all the time! I think dh gets fed up with me moaning, he seems so much more calm about it all but then I guess he escapes to work and his life continues the way it did before we had ds. Mine has come to a stand still at the minute. Just on a countdown to the day he crawls and his 1st birthday.

My 7 month old is exacly the same. Running out of steam and feeling so alone. Sorry you're feelin the same. My dd2 does nothing but whinge and whimper unless she's asleep which isn't often! Unfortunately she doesn't sleep thru either so I have it all night aswell . I've tried bouncers, walkers, slings- nothing seems to cheer her up but being carried outside. My dp works long hours too so I totally sympathise with you meandmyjoe. Hopefully we'll both see some improvement soon. Let us know how you get on at the osteopath.

Oh God, I'm so glad I found mumsnet. Having an awful day with dd. She seems knackered but won't bloody sleep. How do you get your son to nap? DD even screams in the car. Just really loosing patience and just told dd to stop f*ing whinging. I'm a crap mum.

Bloody hell, sounds like you're having a crappy time of it too. We'll be miserable beggars together! DS has actually not been too bad today and I've been on my own in the house with him for 12 hours and not once felt like crying. A major breakthrough! However, I've got it all to do again tomorrow and babies like our are so damn unpredictable that God only knows what tomorrow will bring. DS goes to sleep during a feed in the day usually, either that or we have a five to ten minute screaming fit with him in my arms. Just remember, each day that goes by, we are nearer to the day they move out crawl/ walk! Try to stay positive, this thread has proved one thing- we are not alone!

Well, took him to the cranial osteopath today. The bloke seemed to think ds had a twisted and strained nerve in his neck and a strain in his back due to him being born with his arm up at the side of his head. He let me feel the muscles and I must admit there did seem to be a lump and a tighness which he has freed off. Sadly, ds is just as high maintenance as before so whilst I'm sure it wasn't a complete waste of money, it wasn't s msgic bullet!

Kind of just confirms what most of you said though that it is just frustration making him so irritable and grumpy. On a plus note, he seems to be very close to crawling and is deffinitely pushing up and off with his legs. Just needs to get his arms up to speed and he'll be off! Hope you are having a better day thisisthelast!