5.5month old clingy and crying - I’m exhausted and want to cry

[needabreakk]

My DD in the last week has become extreme clingy, she’s not unwell but she just needs constant interaction. She screams if I leave the room so I can’t even go to the toilet. I bring her in the bathroom with me and she cries when I’m in the shower! Looks terrified!
my DH is doing long nightshifts all week so he’s not been able to help this week which has probably made this feel worse. Because she’s barely seen him when he does have 5 mins with her this week she screams until she’s back with me again.

shes feeding a lot more than usual but she’s not poorly.

Is this normal?

I’m exhausted and I’m on the verge of tears, I’m feeling very touched out and just want an hour alone. I have no one else who can take her for an hour

Omg like I am writting this post. My DS is 5.5 months old, husband is working night shifts plus I have 2 DD who are 2.5 and 7. I feel I want to cry too. 😪 Its normal around that age as I remember with my girls was same thing. They are teething around 6 months old and that age is very difficult. I really dont know what to tell you or to myself exept to be strong ❤

I'm sorry, you must be at your wits end. These stages do pass. Could she be teething? One of mine got 2 teeth at 4 months and another 2 a week later. At the risk of seeming crass, someone bought us this Baby Einstein DVD and despite my reservations the babies loved it. You'd perhaps get 15 minutes to trance out if baby is in a bouncer goggling at the colours. Baby Beethoven - Symphony of Fun [DVD] amzn.eu/d/gWBfIy1

I hope it gets better for you too!! It’s hard when they’re working nights isn’t it :(

She could be as she’s constantly dribbling and has been for over a month but can’t see any teeth coming through??

thanks I’ll try anything at this point

Yes, totally normal. It's grim, but it is, like everything, a phase. It does sound like teething - is she tugging her ears/scratching her neck/chewing her fingers? Will she nap in the buggy so someone else could push her for a bit?

She’s chewing fingers and she’s also chewing generally like it looks like she’s eating something sometimes but she isn’t?

That sounds like teething. Worth trying the following:

• a teething toy she can chew on. I swear by Matchstick Monkey, others by Sophie the Giraffe, or those Nuby ones you can put in the freezer.
• teething granules like Assheton and Parsons (just tip them straight into her mouth)
• frozen breast milk lollies
• teething gel like Anbesol
• teething liquid by Anbesol (stronger than the gel and possibly for slightly older babies than yours, I can't remember)
• Calpol

See which works. It's grim and makes them so very very sad.

It's awful when you can't get a break. I used to sing from the shower, probably in a kind of desperate manic tone but it seemed to help a bit.