my baby is suddenly a stage -five clinger
Today I am writing to you for some advice! I have entered the phase of “my baby wont stop wailing unless I am holding him every second of the day” with my 13 month old. I am at a loss for what to do, so I’d love any advice or experience you all have. Moms are a wealth of knowledge and the most precious thing they could give to other moms is their wisdom and their experiences. I am sure many babies go through this and it is nice to not feel alone.
About a week ago, Baylor just plain stopped letting me put him down during the day unless he is super distracted by a show, a snack, or a very enticing toy.
Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE a good snuggle from my baby during the day - I crave it in fact. There’s nothing better than cuddling up with your baby on the couch and soaking in every sweet second. However, when I am trying to get simple or necessary task done, it can be a lot. Not to mention he weighs 24 lbs now and my left bicep is going to explode by bedtime.
I have even gone to the bathroom several times with him sitting on my lap this week (TMI) because he just starts screaming!! It has been so sudden and he has developed a very strong, new cry he uses when he wants me. Only me. We are most definitely out of the subtle, soft newborn cries. it can be taxing. My body has sensory overload and feels touched out after a long day.
Baylor has always been a pretty easy baby with some bouts of colic in the beginning. Overall he is a pretty happy guy! Lately he has become extra sensitive (he probably gets that from me). We jump on Baylor’s roller coaster of emotions day in and day out.
He has become very aware if I leave the room or if I look like I am getting ready to leave without him. He still doesn’t love being held by others, even family members, especially when I am in the room. Some days he even clings to me when Matt tries to hold him after work - this is getting much better now though.
I follow some accounts on instagram I love for parenting and navigating toddler emotions. I guess I need to be more consistent, but I feel like it is hard to communicate with him at this point since he only says like three words. I try not to “sneak out” when leaving and I tell him I love him and grown ups come back (Thanks Daniel Tiger). I also try to voice the emotions he might be feeling and name them. “RIght now Baylor is feeling sad that I can’t hold him while I am loading the dishwasher”, I might say to my husband. I love following gentle parenting pages and accounts like @biglittlefeelings. I just feel at this time he is still more of a baby rather than showing toddler behaviors and communication skills.
Again, I know this is probably very normal! I just love hearing about other parents experiences and am open for any suggestions you have! It is so good to recognize that everything we see on social media is just the highlight reel, especially with parenting. No one likes to show their baby’s meltdowns or hard days, but they happen to everyone.
Head over to my instagram @motherhoodbymalorie and comment on my post or DM me with ALL the advice!
Happy Friday and keep mommin’ on! :)