Very fussy 5 month old DD

[lenalove]

Just looking for some advice or support really!

I have a 5 month old DD who I absolutely adore but she is very very fussy a lot of the time. Poor little thing was a bit colicky as a newborn and is much better on that front (she eats and sleeps decently, doesn't seem to be in any physical discomfort as far as I can tell) but is just grumpy a lot of the time! She doesn't like to be put down in any kind of receptacle (playmat, bouncer etc) and starts to fuss after 5-10 mins of any activity. She is extremely alert and has been since birth, and seems frustrated at her inability to move around. The funny thing is, when she IS happy she is absolute sunshine - beaming, chuckling, super expressive! But when she isn't, it's incredibly tough. She seems to experience emotions intensely. I just feel awful thinking that she's not content and when I see other mums I know with their little ones happily chilling I get so upset.

Has anyone experienced something similar? I am hoping she will settle once she gains the ability to get about and communicate more clearly!

I am going through the exact same thing right now. My daughter has just turned 5 months old and is so difficult. She almost seems like she’s constantly complaining no matter what I do. She’s extremely loud as well and sometimes I just feel I cannot think.

She gets so bored so easily and just starts whining and complains and I find entertaining her so difficult. She fights sleep no matter what I do she cries and screams and won’t be put down. When she does sleep she only sleeps for like 30 mins before waking. She’s so active and can never sit still..

did it get any easier for you? As I can see your daughter must be around 9 months now?

I remember this stage. 5.5 to 6.5 was peak crap naps for my LO. It got better at 6.5 months (the morning nap reliably extended to over an hour, and so I could bin the third nap which LO hated and fought). Some babies have serious FOMO. I tried everything the online sleep guides suggest, and LO just needed to grow into better naps.

Some things that helped:

I got a cheap IKEA high chair and put LO in it in the kitchen while I did chores. LO seemed to want to be sitting up but couldn't quite sit unaided for any period at that point.

Big box of second hand Duplo to play with.

Getting an extra nap in in the pram if I was desperate for LO to have more daytime sleep to get us through to bedtime (often...).

Calpol if you think it's teething!

Baby Jake on iPlayer for over-tired/hysterical pre-bedtime distraction.