I have a 9 month old son who always wants me holding him which I don't mind but I can't hold him all day and expect to get stuff done plus I also have a 1 and 2 year old that need my attention also. He will not sit on the floor and play and he does have a walker he will go into but if I leave the room he screams. I have been letting him CIO while I do what I need to do then when I am done I will go over and pick him up and he is fine. He is not hungry and his diaper has been changed so I know its only b/c he wants me. The funny thing is though at night when its bedtime he will go in the pack and play and fall asleep on his own but for naps I have to be holding him so he will sleep which means he doesn't get long naps since I usually have to get up and help my other two. When he is crying I talk to him saying that he is ok and that I will be right back but all he does is scream and its a mad scream. I have tried putting a movie in for him and he could care less. I can't wear him either he is just to heavy for me and it kills my shoulder. This has been going on for a good 3 months now. Is there anything else I can do? CIO just doesn't seem to be working with him unless I am not doing it long enough but I have a hard time letting my kids CIO. He cries just long enough for me to do what I am doing then I get him or do I have to let him cry longer. Please help I am really tired of having a very whiney baby unless I am right there holding him.
Your son has an emotional need - to be held. If he had a physical need, like being thirsty, you'd know exactly what to do. Give him a drink. So do the same with the emotional need and meet his need. Eventually it will lessen and go away. In the meantime, find a comfortable baby carrier and enjoy his closeness while he's young. I carried my son around in a backpack and we were all happy then.
He sounds tired, which you know he is because he isn't napping enough. I think you have a couple options - you could get a heavy duty carrier like an ergo and just carry him around more so he could sleep when he wants. Or you could commit to Ferberizing (modified CIO) for naps at least, so that he gets more sleep and you can see if that improves things. Either one would help with the tiredness, you just need to commit to one and stick with it for a little bit.
He could also just be a clingy kid, so unless you can ship your other two off to boarding school (kidding!) he's probably going to be a little bit of a whiner because he's not getting the undivided attention that he craves.
I hope you get more constructive advice than this, but it's all I got : ) Good luck.
My son always wanted to have a visual on me, so I would usually move him according to what I needed to get done. If I was working in the kitchen I would put him in his high chair with some toys, if I needed to work in the living room I would put him in his walker. I would stop holding him for naps and let him cio a little in his own bed, he does need to learn to sleep on his own, and once he does that will give you some much needed free time.
I was going to suggest an Ergo too. My son is 21 lbs and I can wear him comfortably on the front or back. Or put him in a highchair with snacks, a drink and some toys (or an ice cube or wash cloth or something to keep him entertained). I would suggest getting rid of the walker - they do not actually teach kids to walk and instead may make it harder for them to crawl/walk.
My son is this age and also crys whenever I leave the room. But now that he's crawling, he will usually follow me. Sometimes I let him cry if I'm trying to get something done but after a minute or two, I'll pick him up, cuddle and kiss him and then get him interested in a toy - play with him and then leave to finish my task.
If he doesn't want you to leave the room, take him and a basket of toys where ever you go in the house.
He may be clingy because it's just him or because he's at the age where they become clingy/attached due to separation anxiety.
Plan to have him down every 3-4 hours for a nap to see if that helps.
My daughter is 3 and only now is she starting to need me to hold her less. That said, I don't have another child so I am able to hold her. Some people have suggested to me that maybe she might have a sensory issue that might be bothering her when she's not in my arms. Maybe you can ask your pediatrician if that might be something that might be bothering him.
