Finally more than 2 hours of sleep! But, is an almost-9 month old supposed to be fussy/clingy...

[blimbrick]

I first joined MDC back in March b/c I couldn't find answers as to why my high needs 6 month old was waking every 45 mins...we had been sleep-sharing on and off since he was born and at that point decided he would be a full-time sleep sharer so I wouldn't be sleep deprived while working full time. He eventually went to sleeping anywhere from 1-3 hours at a time thank goodness. However, this week, he has had a few nights of SLEEPING 6 HOURS AT A TIME (as long as he's sleeping beside me)!!!! He hasn't done that since he was 3 months old! I know it may not last but it's glorious having more than 2 hours of sleep at a time.
Of course, it also comes with other issues...I know he's having some terrible separation anxiety right now, I work full time and for the past few weeks in the evenings when I get home sometimes I literally can't put him down. He's also always in pain from teething, it bothers him really bad. But now the past few weekends he's been really fussy and clingy so I literally am not getting anything done. House is a wreck...which is ok.
Anyone else experience this around 8-9 months? If so, when did the separation anxiety start easing?
I also read on another website that there is a development at 34-37 weeks (DS is now 36 weeks) that can cause some babies to be clingy, poor eaters for a few weeks, fussy etc. Nothing else is going on, no cold or anything. Sometimes it's soooo tiring, and I can barely even get away from a shower. If someone else has him playing in the family room, and he sees me, he starts fussing and whining until he can get to me. DH thinks it's kind of annoying, even though he knows he can't help it and there's nothing we can do.
Thanks!!!!
~Bren

[lonegirl]

It sounds normal. Seriously my son went through a major phase like that around that age. We had our office in our apartment and when I was working I could not have him in my Ergo or have him roaming free so I would put him in the Hex pen wit lots of toys in the same room as me...well unless I was in the pen with him it was no good.
He still has separation anxiety phases though.....He is cool if someone he knows is within earshot/sight but if suddenly alone...if I go to laundry room (and warn him ahead of time) he will suddenly freak out and run crying for me and shouting my name. Sometimes he gets so distressed that he starts coughing/hiccupping. We practice deep breating (starting shortly after 2y)

Good luck!!

[blimbrick]

I guess that is a little comforting, today he would play a little bit alone, or crawl around with his balls in the kitchen while I was working, but mostly he crawls up to me and tried to pull my pants down until I pick him up. His playing alone will only last 5, 10 minutes at the most, IF he is interested at the time.
I'm trying really hard not to believe in spoiling, and I've been working with him since he was younger to try to get him interested in playing alone. He used to be so much better!!

[LynnS6]

Originally Posted by blimbrick

I guess that is a little comforting, today he would play a little bit alone, or crawl around with his balls in the kitchen while I was working, but mostly he crawls up to me and tried to pull my pants down until I pick him up. His playing alone will only last 5, 10 minutes at the most, IF he is interested at the time.
I'm trying really hard not to believe in spoiling, and I've been working with him since he was younger to try to get him interested in playing alone. He used to be so much better!!

Very, very normal.

He used to be so much better because he hadn't developed as much. Now he realizes you might go away, but he can't figure out when, and he certainly has no control over it.

Or think about it evolutionarily - when kids get mobile, they're at risk of crawling off into the bush, never to be seen again. They have to keep close to mom (the primary source of nutrition) to keep safe and fed. At the very time they develop the ability to move away, their brains develop the urge to keep them right next to you.

This too shall pass.