My daughter turns 6mo on Tue. She's usually really good and loves crawling around on the floor with her toys, but the last week or so she has become very clingy. If I leave the room or out of her site, she screams like crazy! She would also fall asleep on her own (durimg the day) but now I have to hold her until she falls asleep. Even then, when I go to put her in bed, she wakes up screaming. My DH is deployed right now, so I'm on my own! I am going crazy! I don't know what to do! Any suggestions?
Hi J.,
I'm new to this too. Have you thought that she may be teething. My son is the same age and is going though the same thing. He is teething. If it is teething, then may I recommend the teething tablets. They work great, as does the Baby Orajel.
I hope this helps.
S.
Well, my husband will be deployed soon also and it will be his longest tour ever. Maybe we can get together. I think that your baby feels that daddy is not home and she cannot talk to you about it so she acts clingy as a way of showing you that she knows daddy is gone and she is afraid that you will leave also. My best advice is to hold her for 30 minutes and start reducing the time that you hold her every night until she can fall asleep on her own and you can just rub her back. Also, when she can go to sleep on her own, start reading bedtime stories to her to show her that if you are holding her, you won't be able to read to her as well as if she laid on her own so you and her can hold the book. That will make her feel like a "big girl". How cute! Hope you are doing fine and e-mail me if you want to get together. I will be living in Tucson, Arizona in April.
Hi J.,
Babies do reach a stage where they are clingy. I know when our son was at that age, I would have him in his playpen while I do housework, and if I stepped out of sight, he'd start crying. It's normal for your daughter to do this. This is a security thing. We ended up having to hold our son until he fell asleep and even then he would cry when he woke up realizing we weren't there. Just keep going back into the room where she's sleeping, or wherever she's at reassuring her of your love and that you're there. That's all she's wanting to know. :-) And go ahead and pick her up and hold her if that's what she needs. Babies tend to need a lot of reassurance of parents love, and to secure them of our love, we have to do this. Over and over. :-) If you do have to leave the room, and out of her sight, just make sure she's in her playpen, or crib so that she doesn't get into any dangerous things. Just know you're doing great and just keep up what you're doing ok. I know what you mean about wanting to go bonkers at times. I'm a SAHM too and most of the day I'm here by myself. Hang in there girl ok. If you find yourself tired and worn out, try taking a nap with her. She'll love it and both of you will get some good rest. :-) That's helped me a great deal! Best wishes, G.
It sounds like she is having anxiety since Dad left. Could she perhaps be missing him and scared you'll leave too? Since babies have no way of really communicating, they do it by being clingy or some of the things you describe.
I went through the same thing and at times this is tapering off. It's separation anxiety because your smart 6 month baby is crawling and suddenly she realizes she can move away from mommy and all the growing up is scaring her a bit. Just keep giving love to her and let her cling and her confidence will build and she will slowly let you be and your freedom will return. Just remember it's temporary. If you kinda force independence on her it may make her even more clingy and insecure. Just keep being the good mommy you are! My daughter went through a lot of moves in her early months and it even added to her clinginess. but slowly I can now even go to the bathroom by myself (sometimes:) )
It will pass like all things it's a phase... My daughter did the same thing around the same age.
J.-
from everything I've read, Dr's response to this question and from personal experience They DO go through this around 6-8 months. If dad left that may have escalated things a bit too.
I have heard the 'peek a boo' game does help with this...teaches them to realize even though they can't SEE you , you are still there.
For me, I play music (a cd) when I put them down for naps or night time. Soothing music helps them fall back asleep if they wake up also. This also has been helpful since we moved from a house to an apartment. It has taken awhile for my boys to realize we have closer neighbors than before and the music helps them not hear the banging as people march up and down the stairs outside.
Another suggestion would be a 'lovey', blankie, etc. It only took me about 2 weeks of feeding my son (7 months) and holding this blankie up to his cheek or placing it in his hand. Now if I hand it to him in the car when he is fussy, or at night time he pulls it right up next to him and goes quickly back to sleep. Its almost as if he thinks its me!
Hope this helps!!
Hi J.,
My son is 7 months old, and is going through the same thing, I can't even walk out of the room. It's a stage, (I know that doesn't help), and they will grow out of it in a couple of months. The thing I learned with my daughter and and doing with my son right now (hopefully this helps with yours daughter) is playing peek a boo. I walk backwards and play peek a boo with him till I get to the bathroom (or kitchen or wherever you need to go), so he thinks I'm gonna pop back in...and sits there and waits... He sits there and laughs whenever I come back, and I extend the time frame each time so that he knows I'll come back eventually, and not just disappear.
My son was around the same age when my husband deployed and he was the same way. Do you have family nearby or is it possible to go visit them? My son was really clingy when daddy left too but having extra attention from Grandma and Grandpa helped tremendously! Good luck!
E.
