Will I ever get my happy baby back?

[ToDamp0rNotToDamp]

I’ve always been told how lucky I am that my (now 11 month) baby is so ‘easy’. He’s my only child and I can’t say I find parenting him easy, but I can see that compared to a lot of other babies, he is low maintenance. And even when it’s been tough and I’ve been tired, I’ve loved how happy and smiley he is.

But, over the last month, he just seems to have changed. He’s cried more in the last month alone than he has the entire 10 months prior. Every nappy change, getting him into the pram, changing him into pyjamas, bathtime etc is hysterical tears. He used to love bathtime so much he’d kick his little legs in excitement, now he gets into the water and sobs.

It just seems like he isn’t happy anymore and I don’t know why. It’s breaking me - I’m coming to the end of my maternity leave and I feel so sad that our last bit of time together before my return is being spent constantly fretting over what is going to set him off next.

Is this normal at 11 months? I thought maybe a regression but his sleep is unchanged. Will this get better? What can I do to get my happy baby back?

Completely normal for me. I had exactly the same. Now have a happy smiley 2yr old, except for the tantrums!!

Thanks for your response 😊 did you just have to wait it out? Is there anything I can / should be doing to help him out of the rut?

Completely normal, you baby is becoming a toddler and it's only going to get worse (sorry!). Think: epic tantrums and being really unhappy because you gave them a blue cup and not the green one 🙄 Apparently it should get better at the 4 year mark but we're not there yet so can't confirm 🙈

What you could do is to start reading up on ways of managing toddler tantrums. There are so many schools of thought on this and you'll need to choose one that "feels right" to you.

I have exactly the same at the minute, my happy-go-lucky baby is starting to become very opinionated 😂 it's just part and parcel of their development. And practice for the incoming toddler!!

Mines the same! We used to be able to go a whole week without a single tear falling from her eyes and now she's a miserable sod! Ever since she started nursery 6 weeks ago.

For my daughter that was a period where she seemed to be aware of what she knows she could do but that she also couldn't. It can make them quite frustrated. Me and my daughter were in hospital at the time and she found being pended in quite challenging.
Try finding opportunities for them to stretch their abilities with movement and speech. See if any of them brings back your little ones spark

Yep sometimes when they go through a grumpy patch it's a sign a big milestone is coming.

Thanks for all your replies. It is really appreciated!

@BananaPalm I will definitely start looking up different coping mechanisms. Because we’ve not really had to deal with any tears before, our coping mechanisms have not been great for this ‘new’ period. Getting ahead of what’s to come seems sensible!

@shakeitoffsis my little one has just started at a childminders as well! He seems to love
going there, he kicks his little legs and beams with excitement when he sees the childminder at the door. But I’m sure all the change is playing into this!

@Superscientist@MsBattenburg I was wondering if it was milestone / development linked. He went through a short period of upset when he was learning to crawl but couldn’t keep his body up. And he is now pulling himself to stand, so I wonder if he is frustrated that he cannot yet walk but really wants to.

@Superscientist we are encouraging moving and standing as much as possible and letting him free reign to explore. What kind of things could be good for speech?

Oh gosh my dd is a right grump these days!! She is 13 months and is just such a screamer, she's only happy when toddling/crawling and touching things like the oven, the bin etc all things she isn't allowed to touch ! Kicks off massively if you dare to move her or put her in her high chair, change her nappy etc. it's all fun and games isn't it 😫😮‍💨😂

Another post I feel like I could’ve written myself. My baby turned 1 a couple of weeks ago and has completely done a U-turn. She used to be such a happy baby, had such a funny little personality coming out. Since she turned one, she’s become sooooo unsettled. Crying all the time. 99.9% sure hers is down to teething but it’s depressed the f outta me. Feel like I can’t cope much longer :(

Our baby (11m) has been the same but its turned out she had a UTI. No symptoms other than her being sad and grumpy. Just to say, if you feel she's changed don't totally dismiss it and do check for any red flags :)

@crankit he is obsessed with the bin and the oven!!!! I could put every single toy we own in a line for him and he’d crash right through to try and bite the bin pedal 🥲 we try not to make
a big show and dance out of saying no / stopping him playing with those things but it hasn’t made a difference.

@AmyAW he has actually been quite ill for the past few weeks but has finished his antibiotics. Since then he’s definitely been happier, but still not 100% happy. If you don’t mind me asking, if the only symptoms were the grumps, what made you go for the checkup / how was she diagnosed?

@3lele I’m so sorry you’re struggling. Hopefully this post shows you’re not alone! Do you have a partner or family who could give you a weekend off? Or any friends who could help? When my sister was struggling I took her babies for the afternoon so she could rest and get a mani pedi. It didn’t suddenly fix the issue for her but it helped for that day.

I second getting a check up if it's a sudden change and it's constant. Could be an underlying physical issue.

Totally unrelated, we took her to hospital after a nasty bump and then vomitting, and the amazing doctor there wanted to give her a full check up including urine sample. But my instinct before that was that something was wrong and I wish I'd pursued it.