Miserable 6 month old, don't feel like I can cope

[user1496231209]

I honestly feel like I'm failing as a mum and I have nowhere else to speak about this. I have a 6 month old and a 7 year old.

My little girl is 6 months old and she is the most miserable baby I've ever known. This isn't a new thing, it's been ongoing since she was about 3 months old. She spends every minuet of every day crying, screaming, moaning or whinging. She is weaned onto 3 meals a day and thankfully sleeping through the night but from the minuet I wake up I am counting down the hours till bedtime.

Whether she's in her highchair, on the floor, bouncer wherever she is not happy and it's making me feel so so upset. I don't know what else I can do with her. She's gaining weight wonderfully so the HV doesn't think its reflux and says "she's just being a baby". It's almost like I'm wishing the time away until she's a toddler and then a child and I can have another baby and start again and do it right as I've obviously done something wrong.

It doesn't help that my 7 year old is being horrific lately, has so much attitude, doesn't listen and is again making me feel like a failure as a mum.

I can't find anyone else whose been through this and just looking for some support I guess.

Oh poor you, have you got any support in real life? So you can spend time away from the crying to get your head together?

Does the baby have normal nappies? If not she could have stomach ache- milk allergy ? Lactose intolerant?
Does she seem in any pain to you?

Regarding the 7 year old is there anyway you could spend one on one time with him? He may be feeling a bit displaced /jealous ?

You're not on your own! I've been through this.

My DS who is now almost 10 months old, was so miserable from around 4 months old until around a month ago. I'd weaned him early and he still doesn't sleep through the night but the days aren't horrific now.

I don't dread waking up because he's become so much more content and happy now. He started crawling properly when he was around 8 months old and that made a huge difference. I have a toddler as well and he can keep up with her too.

Is she on the cusp of a milestone? Is she teething?

Thank you lovelies; she has normal nappies so don't think its her tummy as that was my initial thought process. She has just cut her first tooth as again I was putting her miserableness down to teething. She honestly has a constant stream of dribble from her mouth, its a nightmare!

My mum can be helpful but she's just as worn down with it as I am as we live her at the minuet so the whole house is pretty tense. I have had to cry and beg her to take DD sometimes when she's had a meltdown for hours at a time.
xx

Change of vantage point? Baby walker? Jumparoo?

Those days were the worst, when he would cry and whinge from the minute he woke up.

I'm so sorry I have no real advice other than that she will eventually grow out of it.

Just wanted to let you know that you're not alone! I remember my DS making me feel very isolated. Feel free to PM me if you ever want to just talk.x

Urgh. I hated six months. He moaned and whinged constantly, and I felt like there was nothing I could do right. Having said that, he didn't sleep at night either, so count your blessings on that scrore! Honestly OP, it will get better. My little horror is two now and an absolute delight. It's probably teething. It can make them properly miserable, must be horrible for them really. Hang in there

Thank you everyone, I think this is just three months of upset coming to a head for me now. Every month I hope it will be the month that it stops and that she turns into the happy baby that everyone else seems to have. I prayed that weaning would do the trick as everyone else suggested to me

This is me with my 9 month old all day long I too count the hours until evening but my DS is up at least 3 times a night too so I don’t even get a break then :(

Yes to the telly, and a jumperoo.
No wonder you feel so fed up if you are at your mums too. This will all pass, it may feel as if you are stuck in a nightmare but time is passing g and it WILL improve

Handsoffmysweets - I hate to admit but she spends a lot of time infront of the TV whether that's on the floor, highchair or bouncer as she likes the Teletubbies so it can keep her settled for a few minuets. I have it on loop via youtube.

StayingWithAuntieSue - thank you lovely; that's just what I need to hear today just that it will eventually pass and she will be happy one day.

It will pass OP! But reflux doesn’t mean your baby won’t put on weight. My daughter has it and has done a jolly good job of maintaining her percentile line. Definitely definitely silent reflux though. She’s an actual nightmare when her meds wear off. Our paed told me that they only worry about the ‘scrawny screamers’ who aren’t putting on weight. But it’s ceetsinly possible to have reflux and eat. Perhaps go to the GP and see what they say. Are there any other symptoms? My LO as well as being whiny and whingy hiccups, burps, used to sound like she was choking on her back. She HATES sitting and is only happy stood up even now. Good luck!

Out of interest is anyone’s experience like a moaning whine? Not crying and if distracted all okay but just like a constant drone of noise?

Once the dc is more mobile, she'll be happier. When she's crawling, toddling, getting into mischief, life will be much easier for everyone. Not long now!

I've been there, it doesn't last forever .
My DS was miserable from about 2mo to 8mo. He cheered up when he started crawling, like a switch was flicked literally overnight. Apart from early waking he's been a happy soul ever since (he's 12yrs now and active).
Those months were grim though. I couldn't enjoy his babyhood much. He was only ok when we were out and about seeing adults, Mr Showbiz . He even grizzled through baby groups and soft play, I took him anyway as the other kids drowned him out. mean mummy.

OP sorry I wasn’t hijacking your thread it’s just I’m trying to see if mine is the same thing.... like a errrrrrrrr errrrrrrr over and over. It seemed to me when my lo did it before was that he was getting frustrated at something and then when he went through a growth spurt and could move about etc it calmed down. I’m thinking this could be the same for yours and mine, as mine is also 6 months and doing this. It goes right through you doesn’t it?

Have you tried massaging her with some baby oil OP?

I was exactly where you are when my now 2 year old was 6 months. I dread to think how many posts I put on here about it.
I just want you to know, it absolutely does pass!
I spent the majority of my maternity leave fretting and wondering why I struggles with my baby that cried/whined all the time.
Now I have a lovely bond with my son and he is the happiest little boy around. World's apart from the constantly crying, seemingly miserable child I spent my mat leave with.
As many a wise poster on here has said, this too shall pass.
It is bloody hard work but all will be ok. You have got this! X

Could you afford to put her in nursery one morning or afternoon a week? My little boy went in for 1 morning a week at 5/6 months old and he was really happy there and came on a lot. Gives you some time to yourself as well as you deserve a little break.
Also, attend any baby soft play sessions/play groups if you don't already. And make a point of going every week if you can, I found that really helped too! It will get better xx

I'd like to be able to give practical advice and I can't, all I can say is yes I've been through it. My second was exactly like this. Slept brilliantly, but the whole time awake was spent crying or just low level whinging. I went to the doctor who just said "babies do cry" but having had one before I knew this wasn't normal. It improved a great deal once he was upright and walking and he actually turned into the most lovely toddler, so there was light at the end of the tunnel for me. One thing I will say is that he has always had mild digestive issues, he used to get tummy ache a lot as a child, picked up bugs regularly and was diagnosed with IBS at 16, so I do wonder if it was always his stomach playing up from day one.