If you had a fussy/high-needs/high-crying baby...

[usydb]

... when did they/it get easier?

When he was no longer a baby. It just did not suit him at all! Good news is he was an easy toddler and a dream of a child so there's hope!

Following with interest, mine is 13 months and I’m beyond exhausted

Around 5 years old, when he FINALLY started to sleep better and eat a bit better. But fuck me sideways, those were some depressing years. He's 10 now and still hard work and always, always high energy but he's a polite, wonderful little guy with a kind heart and very empathetic.

I feel this isn't what you want to hear but mine turned out to be autistic. Nearly 7 and still high need

Mine were exhausting until they started school.

My hardest one evened out around 6-7 years old and started sleeping through and now is an absolute delight.

Have you tried wearing them in a sling? I know that wasn't the question but it might help. Helps with digestion too and gravity pulls the food through! 🐕can,t get rid of this dog emoji

Three was a big turning point. Before that it was fairly relentless. He obviously cried less as he stopped being a baby, but he was clingy and wanted my full attention ALL THE TIME. Three was when he started to play alone or with other kids.

He is now 8, very easy, sweet, polite, well-behaved, and a big bookworm. No SEN, he's just... sensitive.

When he was 5. He went from fussy high needs baby to terrible 2s on steroids and it just got worse at 3 and 4. I honestly thought there was something wrong at 4, he was the worst he had ever been - tantrums that were extreme in terms of length and dramatics, constant meltdowns, no reasoning with him whatsoever. At 5 he became a lot more reasonable, able to compromise a little without losing it.

If I'm honest, mine didn't start sleeping through properly until he was at least 8 years old. But he did stop screaming all night long once he was toddling and on solids. He had complex needs, mainly from autism with all its related physical issues of severe gastric issues and lack of melatonin or whatever it is that helps us naturally fall asleep - autistic children often don't produce this. He also had two other pronounced physical issues that made sleep and movement difficult. So he was starving and exhausted which made him understandably very ratty indeed.

Gorgeous, chilled teenager and now happily finishing uni. Things work out in the end.

About 2 when he first slept through the night and could start talking. Bliss.

Oh blymie, I was hoping for people to say '4 months' or similar 😂 but I did ask so thanks for taking the time to share and sorry so many have had it tough x

As soon as they could move around

Maybe 20 months - as soon as she could talk and understand enough words she became much much happier / easier

About 3.5. Until then unless part of her was touching part of me, she cried or whined. She wasn't a great sleeper either.

5 was the real turning point.

I might add, signs of depression and anxiety emerged at 15 and looking back, she was always anxious. 25 now and manages it well.

Mine was around 9 months. He’s 16 now and has been laid back and easy going ever since then tbh.

About 15 months although it gradually started getting better after 6 months

When he was up and walking. He was the easiest little chap from that moment on, and hasn't given me a bit of bother since (he's 25 now!)

When mine started to crawl at about 8 months it started getting easier. He still wasn't an easy baby but better compared to what I was used to. Id also say that whilst it might be the case that it can take years for high needs babies to 'even out' you also adapt and get used to it to some degree so you won't feel like you do now forever. Also as other stuff gets easier like less nappy changes, feeds, you stop needing to wind after a feed it gets a bit easier anyway even if baby is still actually crying alot. I have a high needs baby and despite what people love to say... The newborn stage was the worst for me. I hated it. I hated it up to about 6-7 months tbh.

2 for me. She was clingy, grumpy baby and a nightmare 1 year old, she was never ever happy, always crying and screaming. Wouldn't let me leave her alone for a minute. Hated being in the pushchair or car, would scream and fight to get out. Dreadful sleeper. Communication wasn't a problem, she had a far above average vocab and was very easy to communicate with. Then just as she turned 2 she suddenly became lovely and sleep started to improve.

Around 10 months I'd say he started to turn a corner.

He's still a sensitive soul, but he's an absolute delight

2 for my colicky baby to sleep through the night without me next to her. But she's been a dream since. Now she's a young adult and great human all around. My MIL tried to bully me to put her in her crib and cry it out like she did to DH. I'm glad I kept DD close to me as she slept best by my side. Today, DH is a shit sleeper but DD sleeps very well. Glad I didn't give in to the sleep training.

Things got easier around the time we weaned and then easier again when we sleep trained at 13 months but he was fairly glued to us for the first year of his life. He's still a bit High needs, requires a lot of attention but it's getting better all the time

Same, sorry!

Agreed. Mines 14 and still would stay up all night if not monitored. Still high needs too.