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Oh you poor dear. Our son improved before that, but not until we addressed a food allergy. Some of my friends have kids who really chilled out once they were more mobile.

For us it was pretty much the whole first year. He is 2 now and I think he is strong willed and demanding but it's so much easier to deal with. Being able to communicate with him better has been huge for us, he's also become a great sleeper over the past year.

It's so hard, I think back to our first family vacation when he was 8 months old and is literally walk 7-8 miles each day with him in the stroller to keep him happy. My nephew who was also on the vacation would just chill in the pack and play and go along for the ride. I couldn't understand why our child was never relaxed and happy. But things change so much when they are young- my nephew doesn't have as strong of communication skills as my son at 2 yrs so he's now more challenging.

My oldest was a high maintenance baby and 5/6 months was a really hard time for me. Once he started eating solid food, he improved though. Finally by 9-12 months it started getting easier. And the toddler years were great. So hopefully you get a break soon! I'm sorry it's been hard

That sounds really familiar. I remember a thread I started on here titled "why is my baby always miserable?". We used to say that E hated being a baby. She hated lying down, hated the playmat, hated being held. She wouldn't even be held to be fed, preferring to sit in her bouncy seat, facing me, while I held the bottle in her mouth.

It all changed at 5 months when she was finally big enough to the jumperoo (just). She loved that thing! Then my inlaws bought her a walker (like a jumperoo on wheels) to use at their home. I know some people say they are dangerous but she loved the freedom it gave her. But if she wasn't in either of those, she was unhappy.

The, finally, when she learned to crawl, that's when she started being happy. We still couldn't enjoy a meal out because she just wanted to get out of the seat and explore but, in the main, she was a happy girl finally.

My son was high needs until about 6 months. He finally started napping around 6 months (before, he would do like a 20min cat nap for the whole day and then still wake up a ton at night). But his sleep was still horrible until just after a year. The best thing I did for myself during that time was finally accepting that he was difficult and not try to change him or force him on to a schedule. Once he hit 1 and was really walking, it was like he transformed into a different person. He was finally STTN and became a really lovely, easy little boy. It's tough, but it will get better in time!

@Jennibenni: I'm sorry! You're doing so great mama! I would check into a food intolerance. I'm not sure if you are BF or FF, but would you be interested in trying either an elimination diet or hypoallergenic formula (like Alimentum)? For us, it made a world of difference. Dairy or soy, even corn might be something to take a look at. Our DD has an intolerance to corn, which is in MANY foods (and thus my breastmilk) and in EVERY baby formula except Alimentum. Obviously dairy and soy are prevalent in both as well.

Best of luck! It will get better!

@Jennibenni mine was high needs in that she always needed to be held all the time and wasn't happy in anything at all. She is 2.5 and is still like that. I have an almost 8 month old who is not like that at all - she can play on her own for hours in anything. I would ask the doctor at every appointment when her neediness was going to get better and she would say it could be a personality trait. And after 2.5 years, I have accepted that it is and don't even try to get anything done anymore. Not to be a huge downer or anything.

@Jennibenni: I think around this age we started instituting 10-15 of independent playtime in his PNP with toys and music on. Yes he cried as first but we started at 5 minutes and we would come back and lavish him with love and attention and slowly increased as he tolerated it. It gave me time to get dressed or pee or something and then slowly we increased to the point where he got 30 minutes a day by 1 year. At some point we set an egg timer and we would come cheering out of the woodwork when it went off to positively reinforce his ability to play by himself. We just make sure he's completely safe and we are in earshot but out of sight.

It gets better. Promise. DS1 was very high needs and I never got it when other moms would refer to putting babies in a swing or r'n'p so they could shower or cook dinner. I just didn't get to do either of those things without DH home! It got a lot better once he was mobile, around 6/7 months - he started to crawl. I think @Cherrybee: put it perfectly - DS hated being a baby and couldn't wait to be a toddler!

He's now 2.5 and is in such an amazing and sweet phase. He is very verbally advanced and is loving life. FWIW I got pregnant when DS was 6 months old (!!) and baby #2 was a breeze - and not just in comaprison. Not to be too dramatic, but it was very healing to be able to understand the things other moms had talked about that I didn't experience with DS1. (i.e. quick showers, cooking dinner while baby plays, etc.,)

@MrsADS: sending you so much as well. You're really in the thick of it there. It will get better-hang in there!!

@Jennibenni: although overall I do t feel my LO was especially difficult, there was a hard phase between 5-6 months when she could t completely sit unsupported and she was fraud rated that she fell over and yet also could t move while on her tummy. Right around 7 months she started sitting well and learned to crawl at the same time. She has been SO excited that she can move on her own. So getting to that stage may very well help.

My experience has been very similar to @looch: . My four year old still always wants to be on the go, will ask for someone to play with him, etc. it's just the way he is and the best thing was just adjusting our expectations. (The second best thing we did was giving him a brother ). It's ok to feel like you can't get anything done, I certainly couldn't for most of his first year of life, and even now have trouble sometimes!