1yo clinging like a limpet!!

[ellabella2]

My DS is coming up for 13mo and over the last few weeks he has become increasingly clingy. This has been compounded by him being ill for the last week. When we are at home he will barely let me move away from him to do anything. He follows me around pulling at my legs, asking to be picked up and whingeing/crying. If I sit down with him to play he just wants to clamber all over me constantly.

I am finding this really draining, day after day of hardly getting a moments space. Physically knackering too. I have carried him around at home more in the last few weeks than in the rest of his little life!!

I do have a sling which I resort to sometimes to get a few jobs done. He is heavy though and also gets restless/fights to get out. He is a bit better if we are out and have company but because of being ill this has been limited. I know this is pretty normal for his age but just wondered what strategies others have used to manage this. Especially any tips for when it is just me and him at home.

Thank you

You have my sympathy we've just gone through this compounded by three back to back colds. DS seems to be back to his usual independent self now though (15 mo) so hopefully it'll be short lived.

Tips: I started putting him in the highchair in the kitchen with me whilst I made dinner/ did laundry and gave him little bits of food, sweetcorn, tomatoes, broccoli etc. so long as I didn't leave the room he was happy.

Also introduce some new things if you can, like a shelf in the living room for his books. Put out a couple of toys on low surfaces he can reach spread out around the room and rotate them so there's something different to catch his attention. Then sit down on the couch and stay there for a bit. When he knows that mummy will stay where he put her he'll start to explore more the clingyness seems to dissipate(works best with copious amounts of tea).

Playing in the washing up bowl with some unbreakable stuff while you stand next to them making dinner. Worked with 15 month ds when he was teething / ill the other week.

I find it easier to do the carrying than listen to the crying but you do need a break, I know what you mean about it being draining. Get away for a few hours if someone else can take him out and keep him distracted. It will recharge you.

Thank you both for your ideas. I will definitely give them a try. It gives me some 'light at the end of the tunnel' that he will grow through this phase and I will get my happy, independent little man back again.

He might still be feeling ill. Def happens with DS - he seems better but has actually lost a bit of sleep so stil out of sorts.