Baby insists on being attachment-parented!

[delilah88]

My DD (5 months) has become more and more clingy. At the start she was very happy to nap in her basket/crib and play alone, but now screams unless she is in our arms or the baby carrier (doesn't really like the pram any more). She won't nap in her cot and increasingly cries out in the night so much we've ended up having her in our bed where she instantly calms down. So she is now carried all day and co-sleeps, eats with us etc. but these are not things we decided! She is EBF but with some small bits of food now.

Is there any way I can get her back to being more independent? I love carrying her but do need her to nap and sleep in cot.

Babies go through phases of being super clingy. It can be a pita but if you ride it out this to shall pass :)

Best thing to do is go with it. Trying to ignore it or force them to do without the physical closeness they want generally strings things out longer or - worse - can result in longer-term anxiety.

"...but these are not things we decided!..."

Yep, thus is the way motherhood goes. Lots and lots of things will happen that weren't what you envisioned prior to baby being born.

You're doing a good job following your baby's lead, hard as it might be. They're still very very tiny and need you all the time for everything, it's totally natural.

Ach it's hard work, but babies are not designed to be independent.
Enjoy the cuddles, rest as much as poss.
You're being a great mum giving her what she needs (and it is a 'need', not a 'want').

My 23 month old is still clingy and was like it as a baby, I used to put her in the cot with something that smelt like me or Dh, eventually that worked. Sorry cant be more of help! X

LOL I thought that said 23 year old for a moment....! Thanks everyone.

I hope she's grown out of it by 23! Haha.