how to stop 5mth old from shrieking

[joaninha103]

DS is 5 months and has just found his voice - loudly! He shouts/squeals/shrieks at the top of his voice, constantly. He's not tired/hungry/needs nappy/windy, just likes the sound of his own voice! Trouble is, it's such an ear-splitting shriek it's giving me a thumping headache :( He doesn't understand 'no' or a tap on the cheek, or anything. He has a dummy and shouts out the side of it! At my wits end what to do. Any suggestions?

Oh dear. Your baby will make so much noise, with joy, laughing etc. I hate to say this, but why did you have a baby if you expect quiet time to stop you having a headache? It's a little wearing after a few hours I agree, but when my 6 month old screams with joy it's lovely really. And God no, what the hell will a tap on the cheek do to a 5 month old?!

Tapping his cheek?!

Eh?

OP I think you need to speak to you GP/ health visitor. Try and treat your headaches and talk about your feelings towards your little baby. Parenthood for me has been completely exhausting but even sleep deprived, anxious or on one occasion suffering from a nasty virus, I still found my son's shrieks a beautiful and uplifting sound that reassured me he has a strong little set of lungs and is learning about communicating.

Hope you find the help you need.

You tap his cheek?!

And if you wanted to have a little shout and someone tapped your cheek? It wouldn't be acceptable for someone to do that to an adult. In the workplace you'd be in HR for that.

If he's not ill, not distressed, not dirty or hungry... think you've just got to sit it out but if you're worried about him being in pain maybe speak to your GP.

No sign of the OP...

Of course he doesn't understand 'no', he's 5 months old!

He's just finding his voice by discovering different sounds, it's normal.

And for goodness sake please do not tap him on the cheek!! He is not being naughty! (Even if he was you shouldn't do it).

My six month old had a phase of this! She now does a cute little squeal when she's excited and babbles away the rest of the time. Don't worry, it is normal, and don't be embarrassed, her baby friends do the same thing, and people just laugh. In fact she and her baby friends seem to imitate each other. All part of the learning process but I know at times it can be painful on your eardrums!

Not only the tap on the cheek but the constant use of dummy when your baby is not sleepy, doesn't need comforting but is trying to communicate .

I really hope that this is a wind up. Poor baby

OP, please please speak to your doctor about your headaches and how you are feeling. I have a 5 month old too and I have pnd and anxiety, thankfully, with a combination of meds and CBT I am almost through it now but in the depths of it, even when DS was doing lovely baby things (like cooing) I could not enjoy them and even at times found it annoying.

As pp have (quite rightly but maybe a bit harsly) said, your baby is just learning to communicate and should be encouraged, they are also too young at this age to be chastised. I dont understand why anyone would ever tap on the cheek but you have obviously got the idea from somewhere, I'd forget about that.

No one else will find the noise as loud either, so don't be put off going out. The last few times we've been in cafés etc DS has been super chatty (by this I mean squealing). But instead of people getting annoyed, we've had people coming over to say hello and chat back, you will be surprised how much a cute baby can seemingly be annoying in public and ellicit nothing but smiles from the people around.

Get some help from your GP and HV and look after yourself so that you are able to enjoy your baby 'chatting' to you

My dd has always been a shrieker. She's loud. Really really loud. When she was young it was cute. Now she's 18months not so much. We distract her by asking her to make animal noises instead. She still screeches a lot. She finds it funny. I don't really think there is anything you can do. Just get used to it.
And I Don't think tapping is appropriate