High needs baby!

Does anyone else feel like they have a high needs baby? My little boy is 6 months and although he sleeps through the night and can self soothe etc the day times are a struggle. He is constantly fussing, wriggling, wanting to stand. He can sit up independently but hates it and just whinges or fusses when he can’t get something. Yesterday I went out with my friend after a baby class and we had a coffee and she left her little boy in the pram and he was so content just chilling playing with his toy. I could never do this as my little boy is just so whiney and would start fussing and wriggling and then crying. I feel like he’s been like this since birth too, never really been a ‘cuddly’ baby just wants to be on the go or entertained ALL the time. I know this is normal for all babies but we are around others his age a lot who seem so much more chilled and content. He is a happy and smiley little boy but it’s like he’s constantly frustrated and has ZERO chill. I’m writing this as I’ve been up with him only an hour and he’s whinged about 8 times 🥴🥴 I love him to bits it’s just very mentally draining listening to him whinging all day. I’m always out of the house with him and we do multiple baby classes a week and he has every toy in the world he just whines after 10 seconds of playing with them. I think he will be a different baby when he’s older and can crawl/walk as he just seems so independent but just wondering if anyone has experienced the same and can offer any advice or reassurance that it gets better? 🤣

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Mines is 19 months and this was my experience from about 6 weeks old! It was AWFUL and I genuinely don't know how I survived. He can walk now which took away some of the frustration but he can't talk so now we have that battle where he is frustrated as he can't communicate properly yet. Interestingly he is an angel with everyone else but I've read so much about this and it's common as we are where they feel safe to let their worries out if that makes sense? Ours was and has always been a terrible sleeper too and it was just generally pretty miserable. Inbox me if you like as I felt so lonely and isolated as I had all these friends with doll like little babies x

Mine is now 27 months. As a baby she was very happy but absolutely required constant entertainment. Absolutely couldn’t leave her awake in a pram with a toy, (or awake in a pram full stop). Now she is a delight. It gets easier when then can crawl, then walk, then talk, as they slowly become slightly more independent.

Have you tried a walker my baby is 6 months and exactly the same loves to stand and it's a god send

Maybe reduce the number of toys so he can focus on one, get bored and be creative. At this time they do need all of your attention. My son wanted us to watch him play. The whining is mentally draining. It gets better but mostly when they start talking. I try to make myself feel better by saying a high needs baby will translate into a brilliant independent and emotionally regulated child in the future.

My 9.5 month old is the same, plus he will still only contact nap, have to co sleep as he won't settle unless you're next to him and wakes multiple times in the night still. He is super clingy too and doesn't settle very well with other people. I've had many a breakdown recently as it's SO HARD and mentally draining as you just don't get a break from it. I just keep telling myself it's only temporary and he will grow out of it eventually

This was my experience too! I would see all these happy content kids in their prams just chilling. My daughter always hated her pram, i could never just go out to lunch or go shopping with her, because she would whinge/fuss constantly. It was very isolating… but it does get better, she’s 20months now and she’s starting to talk which takes some of the whiney frustrations away. Still very high needs though

Hi lovely, yes my little girl is the same. Very high needs and has been since birth. Same as you, when she is happy she is funny and gorgeous and lovely but you have to work so hard for it. I feel like I give her 110% of me all the time and it’s still never enough. She needs constant stimulation and attention. She hates being contained in a pram or car seat. Her reactions to things are very intense, cries very easily which escalates to screaming and is very hard to soothe. Message me if you would like to, we have to support each other xx

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