What is going on with my 8 month old?

[Blueone]

I don't know what it is but I swear that every month he has an even age he goes through some major sleep problems and/or is really really clingy. We happen to have both right now. Yesterday he had to be right next to me, if he wasn't he threw fits. He displayed lots of tired signs so went down for a nap 1.5 hours after he got up. The first nap he slept 1.5 hours, the next was 1 hour, after that the last nap he fought so hard despite being over tired and even falling asleep for 1 or 2 minutes before rousing himself. Finally he did go down, but only for 15 minutes maybe?

Then last night he woke up at 9 after going down at 6 and stayed up until 12:40 and would only go to sleep if we sat in the rocking chair. Anywhere else and he started throwing fits. He only ate once and didn't want anything else until 3 in the morning. He started his day at 6 today.

I'm so tired and burned out from his constant "I need you next to me or need to be on you" phase. He was fine a few days ago, but it's just getting worse. I have no one to help me during the day, it's SO TIRING.

[gbutterflykissesm]

Could he be teething? My DS is 9.5 months old and has gone through several phases like this. Most of them were when he was teething or had a cold. It seems to happen for about one week every month. With the sleeping, he has had a few ear infections, and that causes him to not want to lay down. Have you tried different sleeping arrangements? Do you cosleep at all? My DS sleeps in the crib in his room most of the time, but when he is clingier and seems needier (like these times), I pull him into bed with me, where he sleeps much better.

[Blueone]

We co-sleep and always have. Usually when he's teething he'll lay on me and then go back to sleep. I don't think he has an ear infection, he's not running a fever or sick fussy during the day.

It could be teething, he was like this when the top front teeth came through and it looked like more bottom teeth were coming through. He was a pretty good teether until those front top 2 teeth came through. I was hoping he'd go back to being a good teether once those teeth were in. I had heard those 2 were the worst and then it got better again.

[Louisep]

It's such a tough age - developmental milestones galore, teething (I think it's pretty constant from 6 months on), and throw separation anxiety in there and a baby just needs his mama!

Often when my clingy guy is extra clingy, he comes down with a bug the next day.

[AFWife]

Sounds like a combo of teeth and separation anxiety. DS was like that at the same age...

[rzberrymom]

This article really helped me when everything went crazy at that age.

What are Sleep Regressions Anyway?

[Blueone]

Originally Posted by rzberrymom

This article really helped me when everything went crazy at that age.

What are Sleep Regressions Anyway?

I read that article and found it really helpful! I just wanted to hear from other moms too. It is a crazy stage and we've had others. Just none quite like this.

I like the point about Separation Anxiety, he is in the throws of that and it makes sense.