Crying/whining

[Kafri]

8.5m DS cries a lot!

Is it usual for some babies to cry all the time?
DS was very unhappy as a tiny (plenty of posts about wind, colic,reflux etc)
Now at 8.5m he just seems unhappy!!
He cries or whines far far more than he's happy. Nappy change, getting dressed or undressed. Try to sit him on my knee, in his high chair, carseat, pram. You name it and he'll cry about it. When he's playing on the floor he'll crawl away a few feet and then turn and cry or whine.
Half of the time he doesn't do the whole build up to screaming - he literally just ramps if up straight away like its the end of the world.

Are some babies like this or should I be thinking here might be something causing this.

It's really quite draining trying to keep him the right side of happy all the time.

[AndIFeedEmGunpowder]

kafri not an expert but didn't want your post to go unanswered. what does your health visitor say?

[minipie]

is he teething? DD is like this if she is teething (which seems to be half the blooming time!)

you could try baby nurofen and see if he improves - if so, the chances are he's in some kind of pain...

If not... I have read that some babies just don't like being babies, they are just frustrated by the things they can't do yet. generally they get happier the older they get. does this sound like him?

[Kafri]

It's defo a permanent state!

Health visitor and his consultant (due to his reflux) are both happy with his development - he just seems like an unhappy baby.

Things have improved as he's got bigger ie, crawling etc so hopefully he'll continue to improve as he learns more.

It's so hard to not feel like its something I'm doing wrong.

[Beamae]

One of mine cried from 7 months until around 22 months. A constant whinging moany cry peaking into shrieking and then back to whinging. Turned out she had ongoing reflux and had been in pain the whole time. Now she is back on infant Gaviscon after every meal and is like a different child.

If your child had reflux, could it be worth asking your doctor in case they haven't grown out of it and are in pain?

[Potol]

If this is not medical or teething then I have two suggestions. First, this is a frustrating stage because they are sort of mobile but not quite. Next, I found he did understand me (DS now 19 months) if I told him what I was going to do. So nappy change or dressing I gave him warning and then talked him through it. Have continued this as a toddler. I think part of the frustration is also having people constantly do things to them/manhandle them without much notice.

[minipie]

I would assume it was the reflux if you know he has that. Why does the consultant think the reflux isn't causing him problems?

[Beamae]

You might have to be more pushy. It took 3 appointments for me to convince the paediatrician that she was in pain. We saw results from the Gaviscon after only a day so it certainly doesn't harm to try it.

[stargirl1701]

Yes. DD is like this when her meds are incorrect. She has silent reflux. As she gains weight her dose needs raised. We can always tell when she has gained weight She is a different baby when her meds are correct.

Teething makes her symptoms worse too. Calpol & Ibruprofen are deployed. Consultant gave us dosage for weight not age.

[mmax33]

OMG! I could have written this. In fact I had just logged on to ask a similar question. My little boy is coming up 10mths and he just seems so unhappy no matter what I do. He's a little poorly at the moment so he's worse than usual but generally it seems like he cries/whinges most of the day. I've also thought that I've done something wrong. I always look at other babies when they are sat there playing happily and wonder why he isn't like that. Its really getting me down and I find that I'm now crying most days. My partner and I were a happy, easy going couple, I would say, and stupidly thought that we would have a chilled out baby! I have wondered whether it is related to teething, as he got four teeth at 4 mths, he has 7 now and another one on its way through. But Calpol doesn't make him any happier. I hope things get easier for you soon.

[trolleycoin]

Hi OP. We had one of these. Absolute whingebag. Teething was definitely an issue for him but to be honest I have come to the conclusion that he just hated being a baby. The more he was able to do by himself, the less complaining he did. Sitting up, crawling, eating by himself, drawing. He is just an active little chap with a real streak of independence, which is fine by me.

I feel your pain though. It is a form of torture the whining.