https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Tue, 21 Apr 2026 00:50:26 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/overstimulated#post-150761 Mon, 07 May 2012 14:33:41 +0000 banana 150761@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Awww, you shouldn't feel like you were a bad mom! I think we've all been in situations like this before, especially at family gatherings where EVERYONE wants to hold the baby. At my son's 1st birthday party, he was passed around to so many people. He started to look a little scared so I just went in and said "Ok, diaper changing time!" and I just said that I will bring him right back. Of course I didn't right away. :) I know that everyone just means well (they all want to hold him/kiss him/cuddle/love him) so it's not a bad thing in that sense. But yes, it could be overstimulating for the little one so it's perfectly fine to interrupt the festivities for a little mommy &amp; me time. :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/overstimulated#post-150758 Mon, 07 May 2012 14:31:06 +0000 Mrs. Pen 150758@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I did use breastfeeding as an excuse, I fed him probably three times throughout the afternoon. But being only 10 weeks old, I still think it was so much for him. People were just waiting to take him as soon as he was done eating.<br /> At first I welcomed the break, but as the afternoon wore on I grew increasingly nervous about him. I was happy to get home and just cuddle him all to myself. He was still smiling so I know he wasn't mad at me :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/overstimulated#post-150751 Mon, 07 May 2012 14:27:21 +0000 heffalump 150751@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We have no trouble telling people, family or friends, to back off. LO tells us when she wants to be with her mommy or daddy and makes it very obvious. The only person I've ever had a big issue with is my mom. LO would be crying like crazy and she still doesn't want to give her up because she'd want to be able to soothe her. So I literally had to rip LO out of her hands. But my LO comes before anybody and everybody in my life, so that's what I had to do. Now luckily LO and my mom have spent lots of time together so LO loves her and I don't have to do that anymore. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/overstimulated#post-150745 Mon, 07 May 2012 14:23:57 +0000 Lozza 150745@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I used breastfeeding as an excuse. It was basically my nice way of telling people "GIMME MY BABY." Whether I thought he was hungry or not, people pretty much HAD to pass him over, it wasn't something they could do for me, and it didn't seem like I was trying to get the baby away from them. :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/overstimulated#post-150594 Mon, 07 May 2012 12:54:34 +0000 looch 150594@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My son had a fit at his first birthday party, he didn't enjoy it one bit so at one point we just took him to another room to look at some of his books. Everyone was totally understanding, but I still felt terrible. At one point, he actually vomited he was so distressed. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/overstimulated#post-150587 Mon, 07 May 2012 12:50:12 +0000 LuLu Mom 150587@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm lucky and have very understanding family on both sides, but I would just say I think he needs to eat/changed/ect and use that as an excuse to give him some breather room. Any woman who is a mother should understand these situations! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/overstimulated#post-150502 Mon, 07 May 2012 12:05:14 +0000 Mrs. Pen 150502@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My heart broke for my son yesterday.</p> <p>We had a big family thing - my grandma and great grandma died on the same day three years apart, so the family got together to commemorate their death. </p> <p>Anyhow, this side of the family hasn't met my son yet, he's 10 weeks old. So he was being passed from aunt, to uncle, to cousin, to another aunt etc etc. By the end of the day he was so upset and crying. Everyone had been holding him, but treating him like a newborn and never interacting with him. He was craving love and attention and I think it got to the point where he was SO over stimulated with all the people he couldn't handle it anymore and was having a nervous breakdown.</p> <p>Finally, I just took him away from it all. I went on a walk with him in my carrier and he settled down. I knew right away he had needed his "mama time". And I felt like such a bad mom for being worried about offending everyone else and not standing up for him. But this family WOULD be offended if I said it was "my turn" to take my baby, since I'm with him 24/7, you know?</p> <p>How do you handle situations like this? Do you ever just tell your family to back off when you can tell your child needs a break? </p>