Clingy 4 month old - is this normal

[PanT]

My 18 week old DS is becoming very clingy and at regular points in the day is not happy unless he his being held by me or DH. He used to love lying on his playgym mat but has started to refuse in the last few days. We have just been through a major growth spurt so not sure if it linked to that. Could it be that we are his favourite "toys" at the moment? It isn't a huge concern but I don't want to create a bad habit.
Has anyone been through anything similar and did your lo grow out of it of their own accord.

Oh, please don't worry about habits! He's so young - he just needs you and wants to be cuddled. It will do him no harm - loads of babies get carried round in slings all the time, and are still happy independent children as the grow up. If you cuddle him when he needs it, he'll get the reassurance he's looking for, and will settle again.

Agree, all tiny babies are "clingy", that's their nature. Their world is centred around mummy and daddy. The only 'bad habit' is ignoring your child's needs which you don't want to start doing - pick him up and cuddle him!

he's conducting one of his first experiments - if I call for mummy will she come? Responding when he calls for you builds up in his trust in you and therefore in the world. It's a good sign because it shows he's formed a strong attachnet to you and his daddy.

I sympathise, my DD is currently going through her second bout of clinginess at 8 1/2 months and it's driving me bonkers. I'm dealing with it like I did last time round, by responding to her cries unless it's impossible, like when I'm getting her tea out of the oven.

Hard isn't it? I really believe that NOT responding to a baby's cries is likely to make them more clingy. I still want to cry/run off/drink large G&Ts several times a day though.

Would never dream of leaving him to cry and I definately believe that responding to him when he needs it is making him the contented baby he is. He is definately showing that he knows who me and DH are which is lovely.
Thanks for your reassurance that I am doing the right thing - can you tell I am a first time Mum!!

Oh my god I'm having exactly the same problem. DD is now 5 months but has been like it since 4 months. She used to be pretty easy going and let anyone hold her and would smile at anyone but now she bursts in to tears if anyone (my mum, in laws, friends) try to hold her

SIL keeps on giving me a hard time and implying that I'm encouraging this clinginess. She seems to think I should leave her to cry with someone and then she'll get over it. This goes against my instincts though. I can't bear to see her cry. It's so hard isn't it.