16 week old baby, why does she always want to be held? Crying a lot? Teething advice?

[alesha123445]

At the start things were hard but overtime we started getting in to a routine. She would wake up the same time each morning, have nap during the day and go to sleep at 7-8pm. Shes always loved being held and has cried alot to be picked back up, it was annoying at times but never to this extent.

She no longer naps in the day, it's harder to put her down to sleep and will last sometimes up to midnight, she cries if I leave her, cries if i put her down, cries if i sit down whilst holding her. She pretty much demands to be held and walked about which is exhausting and even with a carrier it hurts the back after a while. I change her nappy, feed her, give her toys, play and talk to her, rock her, bath her, and yet she is still niggly. She does seem to be teething but is this a cause for a change in routine and being unable to leave her.

Is there any teething suggestions? She doesnt really understand the fact shes supposed to chew teathers yet, shell suck them and then cry? I give up :( I'm so stressed out

Just to add she stops crying and seems content when I'm walking around holding her

Honestly my baby was EXACTLY like this at that age. Screamed unless I was walking her around. The moment I sat down she would cry. Couldn't put her in her bouncer, cot, moses basket, anywhere.

I was convinced it was digestive so tried infacol etc, but looking back she was overtired and over stimulated. It all changed when we started taking her into a dark quiet room several times a day as DP read somewhere it sort of resets their brain.

She would scream for 5 or 10 minutes, then eventually drift off. Over time, she dropped off more and more quickly until it was within seconds of us taking her into the room.

Is there somewhere you can try this? Preferably with blackout blinds and a comfy armchair/bed where you can sit with her until she drops off?

She's overtired. At 16 weeks she needs to nap at least twice a day, probably 3 times. DD would only nap if bounced on the yoga ball and then held for the whole time. But if she didn't nap she wouldn't sleep at night.

Thank you, I'll make a room dark for her and try my best to put her for a nap xx

I also did the 'yoga ball in a darkened room trick' at that age. Do whatever you have to - it won't last forever.

No naps at all at 16 weeks? Definitely sounds like over tiredness and overstimulation.
The dark, silent room worked well for calming and soothing my dd when she used to get like this.

I agree with previous posters, so won't repeat what they've already said. I did want to add two things though:

1. You're probably hitting the 4 month sleep regression, you might find it helpful to do a bit of reading about it - even if you can't actually help the sleeping, I found it lead frustrating to at least understand what was going on.

1. You say about the carrier making your back hurt after a while, if it fits properly and you're wearing it correctly it shouldn't hurry your back or shoulders. What type are you using?

Arrrgh, this is why we need an edit function!

Less, not lead

Hurt not hurry

4 naps a day really until 5 months. Max time awake 2 hours between naps...max

Download the huckleberry app - godsend for timings for naps. Dark room, white npise on, and follow the app's 'sweet spot' nap times

Sounds really tough i hope this helps xx

Agree with the darkened room advice, I find it an absolute lifesaver when my DD is overstimulated and overtired. She was exactly the same at 16 weeks and the lack of naps was part of her sleep regression phase. Remember that this is just a short phase and it does get better, hang in there!