Going nuts...10 wk old wants to be held all the time

[rosalina72]

Hi, hope someone could offer some advice on this. My 10 week old son wants to be carried all the time. We've bought him a bouncy chair, swing and baby gym but he refuses to spend any significant time there. He'll cry until I pick him up. As he doesn't take many naps, I'm really getting down about this as it doesn't allow me any time to myself. I barely have time to eat on some days. I've left him to cry for a bit as I've heard they will eventually stop and comfort themselves but after 15 mins he doesn't seem to let up and the crying intensifies. If anyone has any suggestions I would love to hear them as I'm at my wits end!!

have you thought about trying cranial osteopathy? The constant crying might be to do with trapped wind or a sore head or any other birth related problem that a cranial osteopath might be able to help with.

Just wondering whether anyone has any suggestions other than a sling? I've tried a couple of slings but really don't get on with them. Is it a question of just suffering til DD finally decides to tolerate being put down? (She is 21 weeks already!)

Mine was like this. He hated being put down and cried all the time unless I walked aroung with him, I couldn't even sit down, had to be on the move.

It was hell. My main advice would be to not listen to anyone who says it will improve at 3 months or 6 months or whatever time.

It will get better but not on a certain date. It broke me everytime the date he would supposidly improve came and went with no change.

For me it only got better at 9 months when ds got crawling. He was just desperate to be on the move. He still isn't keen on the buggy or carseat but will tolerate it now.

I agree with babyisaac, william sears was a lifesaver. Altough I don't practice all of his methods, it did reassure me that I wasn't alone.

It will get better.

Mine was like this. He hated being put down and cried all the time unless I walked aroung with him, I couldn't even sit down, had to be on the move.

It was hell. My main advice would be to not listen to anyone who says it will improve at 3 months or 6 months or whatever time.

It will get better but not on a certain date. It broke me everytime the date he would supposidly improve came and went with no change.

For me it only got better at 9 months when ds got crawling. He was just desperate to be on the move. He still isn't keen on the buggy or carseat but will tolerate it now.

I agree with babyisaac, william sears was a lifesaver. Altough I don't practice all of his methods, it did reassure me that I wasn't alone.

It will get better.

I do agree with those posters recommending Dr Sears. On a particularly bad day, I borrowed his "fussy baby" book from our local library and - while I'm not sure that it made DD any easier to deal with - it did help convince me that she doesn't behave that way because I'm a bad mother!

what is making my alarm bells ring in your OP is the 'doesn't take any naps' bit - my DD was like this until 12 weeks when my MIL arrived and said 'that baby is crying because she is exhausted'. She would cry 12 hours a day with no naps and be awake every 45 minutes in the night. You have to get the baby to sleep. Thats your main job here. I know that sounds ridiculous because thats probably all you want and are trying to do but the first step is to recognise that while you dont want to be rigid you are AIMING at a routine. You wont get there quickly but if you know that the baby 'should' be asleep around a certain time you wont be waving rattles and singing jolly songs at the wrong time. A reasonable routine at this age would be to get up about 7, go back to bed at 9, get up about 11, go back to bed about 3, get up again in the afternoon, in bed at 7. I realise this looks impossible but aiming at it (not necessarily getting there) will help your baby find his own routine. Quiet time in darkened rooms with soft music and snuggling contrasted with bright time in sunny rooms with singing etc for a few days might might well make all the difference your baby needs. An exhausted baby cries. An exhausted baby wakes up almost as soon as they fall asleep because they are so stressed.

Haven't read all the thread but my DD was like this too. It is really hard work! Especially on your back! I used a sling all the time, going out helps too. Will DS sleep on the move in the pram? My DD would as long as you keep moving but it is nice to get some fresh air.

It wont last forever, my DD is 8mo and she will sleep in her cot now and I rarely have to carry her as she is happy crawling about. Just ignore the comments of spoiling him and letting him cry it out, some babies are just like this and thats OK, just hard work. He'll grow into a very happy and contented little boy

My DC4 was like this.

um, so I held her all the time. Or carried her in a sling.

I read in a Sunday mag article "tv remote in one hand, baby in the other". Good advice IMHO.

Of course, the time you do actually get up you really have to make it count and run around like a loon getting showered, putting a load of washing on, but really, he is only 10 weeks old.

Carry him, cuddle him, snooze with him, just for a couple more weeks. Don't fight it, go with it. He'll be asking for the car keys before you know it. These are precious days.

Oh I know I sound idealistic BTW!