Was six months a difficult time for you?

[bruceybigtrotter]

My son is 6 months. I am sooooo tired. He acts like he is never happy, constant whining. I honestly feel like going back to work may be a break.

Is he moving about? The point when my Dd was rolling one way but not the other and not yet crawling was quite tough as she was frustrated at not being able to move and would whine if I moved more than a metre away from her. Once she could roll both ways it got a little better and once she could crawl she was much happier as she could get where she wanted and get to the toys she wanted

If it helps I found it started to improve AFTER 6 months. Easier to put down because they can sit up better, as pp said they start to move about better etc.

AWFUL. God it was a pain. Ds was desperate to move and couldn't. He was huge and lugging him around was a nightmare. He could sit up and see what was happening but couldn't join in. At 7 months i stopped sterilising bottles and i remember that was the first tiny sign that the relentless workload would eventually diminish. He was crawling soon after. I was given a mobile walker (not sure if they are still legal??) and omg he loved it so much. Do anything you can involving mobility outside, we used to be in the playground at 8.15am.

This is reassuring! My DS is making all of the signs of trying to crawl (downward dog/lurching up and down). He hasn't done it yet though! Entertaining him is exhausting when he decides on a 5am wake up. I hope it gets easier (for him) once he is more mobile!

@Annandale amazing to be up and out by 08.15!!

Litle choice about it - usually awake by 5.30 ish at that stage, feed, nappy, frantic to be out and about. Tbh in those days i always veered rapidly towards depression if i didn't get out of the house a couple of times a day anyway. Oh the happy day when he walked. [glances at 6 foot ds cycling off to school, so grateful for the passage of time]

I agree completely, I have to get out of the house or I'd meltdown. I really hope it gets easier as sometimes I think going back to work seems an easier option!

Ah love, it is bloody hard work! Just before they crawl / just before they speak / walk whatever they seem to get really frustrated and turn into mini demons. It'll be better in a few weeks once he's crawling

Actually my DS was fine at 6 months, but I remember finding it a difficult time because so much else was changing. Some of the new mums I had been spending my days with were going back to work full time (in which case we basically lost touch), some were going part time, and even those of us who were taking the full year were suddenly talking about nurseries, childminders etc.

It started to feel like baby-time was nearly up. Could that be why you are suddenly thinking of going back?

@Tobuyornot99 thank you 😊.. I hope so.. will have to baby proof the house though!!

@Tawdrylocalbrouhaha absolutely! Recently all chat has been about making the flexi request etc. some people going back. I feel like 6 months has gone so quickly and if I'm honest I haven't ever felt like I have enjoyed my son .. not that I haven't enjoyed him, but that I haven't felt as though I've had time to.. does that make sense??

Totally makes sense. I felt like I was just finding my stride, settling into a nice routine with nice new friends, and suddenly this cold wind of change unsettling everything. I didn't feel ready for it at all!

Yes!! That's exactly it. Did you find anything helped? I think also the changing of the seasons is also making me nostalgic for last year when I was pregnant and making plans. Gosh it's making me emotional now!!

All normal.

What I found helpful was forcing myself to nail down arrangements with work (2 days a week, rising to 3), sorting out childcare to avoid last minute panic, and then settling down to enjoy the remaining months of leave. Everyone else settled back into it too, once the 6 monthers were gone. And whereas at 6 months I just wasn't ready (and half thought I may not go back), by 12 months I actually was.

I know what you mean about the season too - September is very back-to-school/Sunday night/New Years Eve/circle of lifey.

I actually think things got better at six months. Especially with my eldest. He was a nightmare baby at the start with reflux and constant screaming. By six months that was under control and things were much easier. Although I went back to work when he was 7 months!

Youngest was a pretty easy baby, so I don't remember too many problems with him about that age.

Neither of mine crawled/walked until later so I don't think that frustration with either of them came out until later. I always think of approaching the year mark as quite difficult with them both.

I always think of approaching the year mark as quite difficult with them both.

Me too - which could be why I suddenly felt ready to go back to work!

Oh really, that's interesting about the approaching the year mark. We've had our fair share of ups and downs, he's never been a good sleeper but doing better chunks now. May I ask why the year phase was most difficult?

In DS's case he was cross because he couldn't walk, and he had much stronger tastes and preferences than before, and could tell when we were about to do something he didn't want to do (go to Sainsburys, go to any toddler group focused on singing, get on public transport, you name it). Basically he had totally lost his baby doziness and become an opinionated malcontent. (He's much better now).

Can you give him short little activities to do? Like plan an hour out but keep him rotating between things? They have such a short attention span, I remember hanging a washing and getting moaned at halfway through but if you then give him something else to do he might be a bit more amused.

Music on sometimes helps or radio/tv.