Really struggling with 7 month old

[Rosiebun]

I have no idea if this is normal, but I feel like my 7 month old daughter is just constantly grumpy. She makes this high pitched whinging noise (I joked to my partner that she sounds like an angry fly) pretty much all day every day. She does it so much I worried she was in pain so I took her to the doctors who kind of brushed it off and said it ‘could’ be reflux but also she doesn’t have any other symptoms so they said they weren’t sure. I don’t think she’s in pain (although she sometimes sounds it) it sounds more like she’s frustrated at something. Shes dribbling loads so it could potentially be teething but it’s just alllllll day every day and I feel guilty to say it’s really grating on me and I’m finding it tough. She also screams like a banshee and her sleep has gone to pot which is making me think it probably is teething.

On top of that I’m really struggling of things to do all day and feel mum guilt that I’m not doing enough with her. From January we will be going to a sensory class once a week, I also try and go out on a daily walk with the pram but the weather has been awful recently. I’m just struggling with being in the same four walls all day with a really grumpy baby. She isn’t crawling yet which I think is adding to her frustrations.

Grumpy babies are difficult! Mine went through a fussy stage at a similar age. Do you have any churches or libraries or health centres (etc. etc.) that do drop in playgroup sessions? I find classes a bit of a pain personally just because of having to commit to a specific time and day. If you can research and find any drop in groups so you know what times and days they are, then having something you know you can go to if you feel up to it is good! If you have a leisure centre near you, swimming could be an option. Getting out the house each day was important to me, so going to the park or even to the shops to buy some milk is a purposeful journey out! At various baby fussy points, I made a little schedule for our day to stop me going crazy, e.g., breakfast, then play (and you can do it in chunks if you're struggling with what to do, e.g., put some music and do nursery rhymes for 10 mins, then some bubbles, etc. etc.). Did you do NCT and can you do any baby playdates? More just an opportunity to speak to another adult to help stop you going crazy. If not, you could try an app like Peanut to make some local mum friends. This too shall pass :)

If you think it might be teething discomfort, I'd get some anbesol (gel or liquid, liquid is easier to apply, gel is harder to spill) and rub some of that on her gums. It's really fast acting, so if she's happier 15 minutes later, then it was her teeth.

Definitely get out if you can at all. It's tricky just now because a lot of groups will be stopping for the holidays, but a mooch around the shops, baby cinema, meet a friend, swimming, anything to break up the day and give both of you a bit of distraction. Are there any cafés with play areas near you? Even doing the grocery shopping can be a distraction – lots to see, and you can let them hold a packet of something so they have a temporary 'new toy'.

Anbesol, calpol and nurofen + the outdoors are your friend.

My DS was very active and needy at this stage. We couldn't stay in the house all day, no way. I took him on a long walk, stop at a cafe, go to the park. We had 2 classes a week (one baby yoga, and one music class, very much for MY benefit).
The weather was really shit here too so I took him to places indoors a lot too. Even soft play, he enjoyed watching other kids while I had a coffee. I also found a mum group and we would meet at a cafe that had lots of space (and no customers at 10am), put a blanket down and let our babies roll around while we would chat and have coffee.

I highly recommend you go to groups and classes ASAP.

It's hard work but it's even worse staying inside. I was out of the house every single morning Monday - Friday. Home for lunch nap. Afternoons I'd take it easy, a short walk to the park only.

7-9 months is a very tough age. They want to do more but still aren't that mobile, and can't communicate so spend a lot of time frustrated. Get out the house as much as you can - as a PP says above, do an activity in the morning (e.g. a library rhymetime) and a park walk in the afternoon. My DD loved being in the sling at that age, it was one of the few things that didn't make her grumpy. By 12 months things do start to improve to coincide with better mobility and expression!

Yep mine was walking a few steps and cruising at 11 months and he was instantly such a happy baby. By 12 months he was running everywhere and squealing with happiness every time we went outside.

He's 16 months now and an absolute delight.

Hang in there OP! And go out!

Definitely get out at least once a day, preferably twice. She may just be a bit bored! It doesn't need to be child specific things (although these are good sometimes), but get a change of scenery and some new faces for her to look at.

It may also be partly that she's just finding her voice. To encourage some different sounds do lots of babbling at her, lots of talking to her, lots of singing and music. Read books with repetitive actions/sounds on repeat.

Does she have a dummy? It's also fine to use this now and again to get a bit of peace! Not all day, every day, but on a bad day when you need some quiet, use it!

@Rosiebun Definitely it could be teething, but just wanted to say my son was a very challenging baby. Never seemed happy. Things improved markedly when he started crawling, and even more so when he became able to communicate. It could be frustration at not being able to do these things.
You will get through it! Make sure you get out and meet up with other mums as much as you possibly can, and get help and support wherever you can. You are doing a great job, I know it doesn’t always feel like it, but YOU ARE ❤️

I second this - my DD is 20 months now and also a delight! She was a veryyyy whiny baby but is now an incredibly happy toddler. Some little ones just crave independence, their bodies need to catch up to their minds. The first year is basically brutal but it's all uphill from here OP!

5-10 months is a hideous time, they’re too big to sleep all day but too small and underdeveloped to do anything to entertain themselves or communicate.

At 7 months I was heavily reliant on pram/sling walks, those mats with hanging toys over the top, bouncers which followed me round the house (DS used to sit in one on our kitchen counter and watch me chop veg).

Ultimately though there will be a lot of crying, fussiness and discontent. Good news is milestones will happen rapidly from 10 months so things do change fast at that stage.

My 7 month old is SO WHINGEY in the house. It's so tough. Feel like I'm being a crap mum to my 4 year old because I don't know how to keep the baby happy so I'm constantly frazzled.

During the day I get out as much as possible to be honest. She's happiest in a trolley going round Tesco/M&S, we get countless comments on how smiley she is! Like two different babies 😅