MLO is famously a mellow, happy child. Hubby and I have often remarked on our profoundly good luck that we conceived such an easy baby. MLO smiles readily, has a quiet temper and cries rarely. Well, he used to be that way.
MLO has changed enormously in the last month. He has started crawling, eating solid foods and trying to stand up. He has also started throwing fits: screaming, crying so hard that he loses his breath, slamming his feet on his bed. He does this in response to my putting him down, to my trying to get him to sleep, to a delay in food presentation, sometimes to no stimulus that I recognize at all. So, who is this baby and what has he done with my son?
How does a 7 month old get to the point where he acts like a spoiled brat? He's only been sentient 4 months. It isn't as though I jump at his every cry or let him languish, wailing in his crib. There are several other factors that may be at play. Even though there are no teeth peeking out yet, I know he has to be teething. He drools like crazy and constantly rubs his gums. We have been travelling frequently and in the last 8 days have driven over 650 miles. Last week there were a couple of days he spent with family while I tended to some other obligations. I also chopped my hair recently and look very different. Does discomfort, a disruption of routine, a relative lack of mommy for a couple of days, and a physical change in mommy translate to angry, angry baby? Could this be simply a phase that he's going through, a developmental step that I didn't see coming? Is there anything I can do?
I know it feels like your baby is being a brat but Im sure you know that he doesnt have enough mieline to fully understand what he is doing and how its affecting his confused parents.
ReplyDelete7 months is a big milestone for your little guy. Eating solids, independently mobile for the first time and so much of this big world to see. He is just flexing his new found independence unfortunately, to "grown ups" it looks like they are being buttheads! My little guy went through the exact same thing around the time of the solids and when the first teeth started creeping in. I wish I could say that it will pass and your little guy will go right back to the adorabubble bucket of calm that he was, but he won't. He won't ever be the same... ever. It took me a long time to wrap my head around that fact. As mothers we expect the changes in our children to be gradual and subtle but sometimes they are over night and smack-u-in-the-face loud. Im positive the the perceived tantrum will pass. It's just a his expression of frustration when he wants to be close to his mama. In the mean time - a little "work it out" time never hurt anyone, least of all a baby. Through positive reinforcement of his good behaviors and his own trail and error, he (and you) will be just fine.
Good Luck to you mama!
~ Brownmama
Yay!
ReplyDeleteThank you for the heads up. It has been so crazy to watch him change, and I never know what is a passing phase and what is just a new aspect of MLO's personality. It sounds like the big thing for me to accept is that it is what it is. Thank you so much for your comment!