Clingy baby - any advice?

[jinglesticks]

My 4 month old has become REALLY clingy. If anyone else is holding her she screams and screams - even if its her dad. It's getting quite frustrating because as it means I can't get much done. Any advice about how we can encourage her to feel just as comforted by her dad? Is this just a normal phase I have to put up with?

A normal phase that the more you resist, the longer it will last. She's needs to feel she can trust that you'll always be there and will test it periodically and the more reason you give her to feel that you won't always be there, the more she'll have to test it IYSWIM.

Some babies need to test it more than others.

Put her in a sling and get on with things with her strapped to you and soon you'll find she's happy to go to other people again.

My dd was just like this from 4 months or so for quite some time. Get a sling, preferably one that can go on your back, and just go with it. She has gradually become attached to others; always better when I wasn't around.

It passes, my son was the same at that age.

Sling, sling, sling. If you can't beat them, join them!

Also, I am almost certain that the more they feel pressurised to go to others, the more insecure and clingy they get. If you can reassure them that you're there, close to them, and ride it out it does fade over time.

She's still really tiny, don't forget

Thanks a lot for the advice, I'm just feeling a bit sorry for DH too because he gets uppset that he can't comfort her or give me a break. Good to know that its normal behaviouur anyway.
Thanks

Your poor DH ... DP went through this too, I think he felt like DS would never settle for him. Nowadays they're a bloody double act, they gang up on me and mock me and it's rotten! It will get better, honestly. If you get him used to a sling your DH will be able to take him out for walks in it, that really helped us lots

It is hard for the dad, but he needs to know that it's psychologically normal and healthy for a baby to start out very close to her mum (she was inside you only a few weeks ago!) and then to detach slowly and gradually and become closer to other adults - dad first usually. He has a very important role to play.

It'll be two steps forward one step back as she gains independence. You are the nurturer, dad is the adventurer. You keep her safe, dad helps her test her boundaries and take risks. Just tell him to be patient, and trust that there will be times in her life when she wants him more than you. Just not yet, not while she's still so tiny.

If they're clingy, let them cling! You can't dissuade them, you just make their life and yours harder!