11 month old - I WANT MUM NOT DAD

[sarathewife]

HI there,

I hope someone out there can help me out. My husband and I have a healthy 11 month old baby. She has been combination fed since birth with success. She has taken to solid food like a fish to water, all the normal developmental things. She is walking now and I get the feeling she wants to talk already.
However very recently in the last few nights she has screamed the house down when my husband tries to feed her the night time bottle. She will play with him when he gets back from work. He feeds her dinner, play in her room, gives her a bath etc. with no issues whatsoever. You can hear them laughing together. So she is not worried to be around him but when the bottle comes out for the last fed of the day she starts up. He tries to calm her but I then have to take over the feed because the screaming gets to a point that he can 't handle it and she gets in such a state, it is really unsetting me. He has alway given her the night time feed since she was new born so whatever is going on is very new. I don't want it to continue so I'm reaching out to the world....

Thanks in advance

Maybe your baby is just going through a stage where only Mummy will do...

Hi JaynieB,
She is our first child and we are not sure about things like this. We thought/hope it might just be a phase and wanted some other mums advice.
Thanks for getting back to me

I've just the one too - also a girl and have found bedtime to be the time when she most wants/needs Mummy. Dad gets involved too and we put her to bed together, but it's usually me that does the final tuck in/story etc. Saying that, if I'm not around she is fine with Dad/Granny instead.
I've found when DD is tired, she can be a bit emotional and cranky.

It could just be a phase with yours though, given it sounds like Dad has usually done this bit.

Tis normal. She just wants one particular person before bed. You are comfort and cuddles before bed. Daddy is fun and playing and lots of fun.

If it's any comfort my DD3 (13 months)prefers her father to me in the oddest situations.

In fact we were in a restaurant on Sunday and he took the eldest two to the toilet while she screamed for him in my arms. I think the other diners thought I was his bit on the side out with his kids.

I know she loves me though - kids are just funny sometimes

Yeah, it may be just that - Too tired, emotional and just wants comfort and cuddles before going to bed. After all she picks right up when my husband gets home from work. Like she gets a second wind, all happy to see him, smiles & everything.

Also, sometimes it just a welcome break when he takes over at night.

I'm happy to know that its not just me and this is normal... .

I hope this is a phase as my friend's Hen night is approaching and I would like to let my hair down just a bit and not have to worry about home. Although she will understand, I don't want to tell her I can't go!

My hubby thinks it could be a type separation anxiety? I'm not convinced though as she is fine during the day its just at night

She's just asserting herself.
She is ruler of the world, she controls everything and, as far as she is concerned, you two are her servants. She is coming out of babyhood and into toddlerdom.

By the way, go out and let your hair down. If she screams for a wee bit on one night it won't hurt and you need a social life. It will give her chance to spend quality time with daddy!

I am going to go on the night out (scared) and will have fun.
I think it is a phase and we will just have to ride it out,I just miss my half an hour of me time when he used to be able to give her the bottle lol

I have 11 month old myself and I can say a similar thing is happening to us at bedtime. I am sure it's a phase and she will naturally grow out of it. I'd let her do it for a while and see what happens it may just dissapear without your "intervention"

We are still trying each night with my husband starting the feed but I still have to take over but I am sure it is just a phase.

Welcome to the wonderful world of the toddler