8 month DD constant whinging getting very tiring

[SheWillBeLoved]

She is currently plonked in front of the TV watching In The Night Garden, occasionally letting out a whingy cry. Lately, it is just all the time. She has always been such an easy, laid back baby, so it's quite the shock to now have a clingy, whinging monster permanently stuck to my hip.

Is it a phase and normal at this age? Please tell me it is I feel so guilty leaving her sat there surrounded by toys and the TV, but I feel like if I don't do it now and again - I'll go insane. Even when I indulge her and play with her, take her out, into a different room, the whingy cry returns after 5 minutes. I'm by myself with her too, so I can't just hand her to my partner for a break when it's getting to me.

My DD was exactly the same at this age. Peope kept telling me she'd get better once she was moving around and they were right.

She didn't crawl til nearly 12 months though so it went on for a looooong time. She's fab now though.

Can your DD crawl at all? You have my deepest sympathy btw!

She isn't crawling yet, no. Tossing herself onto her front when sitting, but no attempts to crawl. She whizzes about in her walker, following me from room to room, that's about as mobile as she is when I'm not carrying her.

Just feels like I'm walking on egg shells with her all day, desperate for her to not cry, but the minute she can't see me or is put down - she screams.

Sounds like seperation anxiety kicking. She's realised that mummy can leave her! Also the fact that she can't reach parts of the world without your help.

It will pass, or so I am told

separation!

Argh, thought it was that. Although her reasons for crying when I'm with her still baffle me! I'm back to work next week too, feeling dreadful about leaving her in case she screams the whole time! It's just a phase, it's just a phase, it's just a phase

SheWillBeLoved don't despair, it will get better. My DD, now 12m, had a couple of phases like this. In retrospect there was usually a reason for the very grumpy days like a tooth coming through or a cold developing. She also got very frustrated about not being able to move - she only started crawling a couple of weeks ago as her development was delayed by a hip problem - and has been much much happier since. On the grumpy days I found that frequent changes of scene helped a bit - we often moved from room to room every few minutes. And getting out helped most of all - even if just for a walk around the streets (which annoyingly DD finds far more interesting than the lovely park we have on our doorstep). Do you have a treasure box? That helped to entertain her at that age too. I had one in every room filled with random household objects like old TV remotes, empty shampoo bottles, spoons and bottles filled with dried beans. Hang on in there. It is a phase. And you will survive going back to work, however hard it seems at the moment.

We had phases like that too, I second getting out every day made a big difference to my 9 mo.
Fresh air and new things to look at helped mske her "healthily" tired, iykwim.

My DS started being like this at about the same age, and I too posted on here about it in despair. It went on for about a month or so where it was nearly every day but slowly got better, and now at 11 months I would say we have more good days than bad. He too was a really easy baby to begin with and it was a real shock to the system.

I totally understand what you mean about the whinging for your attention then pushing you away and moaning some more, then wanting you again, very when it goes on all day and you can't seem to do anything right by them.

On bad days getting out really does help if only to make the day a bit shorter, and also making sure they are having enough sleep in the day really seemed to help with my ds. It is a nightmare at the time but it does get better.

Thanks for the advice/sympathy everyone

DrCosyTiger - Don't have a treasure box as such, but she grabs onto random bits in each room we go to, and I usually give her bits she hasn't seen before to play with as I'm concious of her being bored of the same things. Mirrors really amuse her, kissing her reflection is the highlight of her days lately

PirateJelly - Tis bloody hard isn't it? It's like she has been swapped with Damien another child overnight, hard to adjust to. Although I'm sure it's no fun for her either. Thank god it's getting warmer, more trips out are definitely needed!

She does sleep well during the day. She has 30 minutes to an hour mid morning, between 1.30-2 hours after lunch, and 30 minutes at around 5.30pm. Then she goes to bed at around 8pm.

I think a tooth is due to come through to be honest. Recently started waking more during the night too which hasn't been an issue since 3 months. Her gums look and feel no different though

With the teething my experience has been that DD is most unhappy a few days before they appear - the movement before they break through seems to bother her most. So there might be a bit of light at the end of your tunnel soon! I do totally sympathise, it's no fun at all when they are grumpy. But when it happens I think you just have to get through the days in the knowledge that it will get better - and it really really will. It's such good fun when they start crawling and exploring the world - hard work to keep an eye on them but hard work in a nice way - and you have that to look forward to

Thanks Dr she had a good night last night compared to the last few which have resulted in me bringing her into my bed, so I feel a bit more able to cope with any episodes today! Off for a nice long walk to the shops later on with a stop off at the park to play on the swings, always goes down well!

my little girl has just turned 6 months and is just the same, some days are better/worse than oterhs. She has always been very clingy but the whining is new...and she can't be left for more than a few minutes on her own.

I looked it up in the book 'the wonder weeks' and it is totally normal for her age so not worried at all.

I try not to let it annoy me and just spend a lot of time getting out and about doing stuff. We go to the supermarket every day at the moment just to have something to do!!!

DS was the same as that. He was always a very crying baby, had to be held but wouldn't let you sit down, things like that, but the few months before he learned to crawl (at 11.5 months) were a nightmare, he was just so grouchy.

Once he learned to crawl he was like a different baby, instantly so much happier. He started walking a few weeks later which made him even better. We're just starting to go through it again though, as he's trying to talk but can't say much, so he's going through that 'frustration' thing again as we don't understand him. Hopefully he'll get it soon and be happy again :-)

DS2 was the same - angel baby, slept through at 11 weeks, only ever cried when due for a feed. then at six months he turned into a whinging horror!

it went on until about a month ago when he was 11 months. he still has bad days but that's generally when he's coming down with something.

he still doesn't crawl but he has so much more interest in things now so he seems less bored and frustrated.