[samantha546]

DD is on a new thing now, just when I thought things were going well

:

It used to be that I could nurse her to sleep and then transfer her into her hammock. When she woke an hour later, I could always rock or bounce her back to sleep with a song or four. Once I went to bed and when she'd wake up, I'd leave her in our bed and nursed a couple times and she'd always be fine. Then she went through this stage where she squirmed until I got up and placed her in her hammock. She actually wanted to be in it!

Well now, she cries everytime she wakes up in her hammock or even if she's on the bed. It seems all she wants is to nurse and well.. I withhold the boob sometimes because I've got so many people telling me that 4-5 times to nurse at night is a lot at 12 months.

I can't calm her down (lights on, singing songs, rocking in arms, etc.) unless the boob is in her mouth. Why does she cry like this? This may be a silly question but I just don't know the answer.

: She's typically a very happy baby except recently she's also very clingy.

She was asleep tonight and when she started stirring, I rubbed her hair and shh-shh'ed her but she still woke up crying. I admit that I lost it and sat there watching her cry for a bit and then I gave in with the boob.

I just don't understand.

 

[adoremybabe]

My ds who is also 1 has been more clingy than normal too. I chalk it up to the fact that he is getting his 1 year molars. Anything can make a child want to be around their mother more. As for withholding nursing your babe when she wakes at night. I wouldn't. Its very common for a baby to need to eat frequently at night. She could be in the middle of a growth spirt, she could be teething as well and is waking at night because of it. If she does need to nurse at night and isn't getting to that might make her more insecure. I am sure that your motherly instinct will guide you to do the right thing for your child. Go with it. Don't worry about what people say. Every child is different. When my ds doesn't :match" up with the average child I take pride in his differences knowing that only I understand him best. Good luck!

 

[alegna]

Don't withhold the boob. She needs to nurse. Simple.

-Angela

 

[may05mommy]

DS has been clingier lately due to molars as well. I agree that you shouldn't withhold the boob. It doesn't really matter if other people think 4-5 times a night is "a lot" to nurse. Not all kids are the same--what is "a lot" for one kid is completely necessary for another. (I also think that most people don't have realistic standards about when kids are supposed to stop nursing at night.) DS has gone from only needing one nursing a night to needing 4 or 5--again, due to his teeth. It will pass.

 

[samantha546]

Thanks all. You're all right. I really need to stop listening to "outside" voices. This was the encouragement I needed. I just was having a rough night with DH out of town and I know DD was feeling it too.

DD does have 8 teeth already and I thought it was molars but had some friends say that she wouldn't be getting her molars until about 2 years old. I figured it was teething just because of the clingyness.. just wasn't sure what was coming in.

And when I wrote I was withholding the boob, what I meant was that I'll try to shush-shush, rock, etc her and if it doesn't work, then I'll nurse. There are nights when she'll nurse about 6-7 times a night. My poor teats. 99% of the time, she always gets the boob. The 1% is when she falls asleep on my shoulder.

Thanks again. Always great support on here