The Terrible 8 Months

D., I'm in a similar boat. My 8-month-old shrieks at the top of her lungs whenever she wants something or we're not doing what she wants. Ignoring it (my husband's approach) only makes her shriek louder and more frequently. I've given this much thought since I'm really not a fan of the ear-piercing shrieks, and have come to the conclusion that it's partly the teething (the first two were a breeze, the second two are definitely not), partly the discovery of voice as a way to indicate what she wants, and partly discovering that this gets Mom's attention fast. Here's how we shut it down: 1) offer a sippy cup of water or diluted juice (this usually works since it seems like she's *always* thirsty), 2) lay her down in her crib with the room darkened and soft music on if it's around nap time, or 3) put her in the stroller and go for a walk. She seems to go through phases too.....she shrieks until we figure out what the root cause is and can head it off, then a few weeks later, she starts shrieking again and they cycle starts over (this started when she was about 5 months old). Though every baby is different, I think this behavior is well within the range of normal. Sigh.

YES!!!! My daughter just turned 9 months last week, but for the past few weeks she has been a bear to live with! It's been so hard. I just feel like we aren't bonding like we should. I just can't calm her down sometimes. Forget the Terrible 2s, I'd take my 2 year old's behavior over my 9 month old's any time! I am chalking it up to teething and a slight cold she has had. I am sure it will pass for the both of us. God Bless and good luck!

I am not sure there is a "normal". Every child is different but it will get better. Maybe he is going thru it early... Then you can thank your heavenly stars!

Hi D..
Did I read you work and leave baby?

I would check into what is happening to him at daycare then a trip to the pediatrician to discuss all things medically.

They do start their little personalities early but if his needs are met and you are paying him attention and nothing is wrong, he might just be trying to learn to control his environment. It is a big world out there and it is pretty scary.

I used a playpen - not many do anymore, and my son felt so safe in there and even after he didn't need it anymore, I would leave one side down and he would just climb in and play and even sleep where he felt safe in his otherwise big house.

Let us know how baby is and hang in there! You are not alone.

C.

Try the ignore bit, or gently place him a safe spot, or hold him and tell him he can (get down) when he quits screaming. Don't give him what he is screaming for and when he calms down, if you think it is something he can have then say he is being a nice boy and give it to him. But if he is just screaming to get what he wants, don't give in and he'll soon see that gets him no where. I know it is tempting to get whatever just to shut them up, but -won't work in the long run.

My daughter will be 8 mos. old next week, and this last week or so she has started to get mad about whatever. I know she is teething. The poor child does not have one tooth yet, but she gets hysterical if I walk away from her, and is just whiny more than usual.
I have 2 1/2 year old and I don't remember if he was like this at this age, but man she is being a little brat.
So yes it is normal...like I said maybe it's teeth and a growth spurt who knows.

Good Luck!

Try to think about it from his point of view. There could be a myriad of reasons why he's screaming, but parenting is a game of trial and error, even with your second and third. I told my teenager who was telling me she didn't like the way I had done something years earlier, "I didn't know how to be parent until my kids came along, so if you don't like the kind of mother I am, I can't help it." I told her she made me the kind of parent I turned out to be. That didn't go over well, but hey, it's the truth. PS: She never slept over 30 minutes at a time until she was almost a year old (by that time I was worthless with no sleep) and never stopped screaming when she was awake. My subsequent three children were much different.

Things got better when I read something that said that babies who were smartest did the most crying. So, they have the really smart little brains that are cooped up in a body that can't do much of anything yet. So, making sure they have something interesting to do all the time helps a lot. Takes a lot of time and attention, but so does coping with a screaming kid.

Hi D., please know that it will pass. My son went through this too and also discovered screaming at 8 months. He didn't care where we were and seemed to do it all the time. Thank goodness it passed as well. Good luck.

I see the same thing in my 8 month old. He literally threw his baby doll at me when I was trying to get him to take a nap. His sleep patterns are all messed up too! It will pass, it I hope, :)

My 8mo doesn't scream, but he does crawl over and bite me when he's hungry or wants my attention. To each their own. The lady with the sippie cup/bed/stroller thing sounds wise.

Yep, it'll pass. Then it will start again (and sometimes again before two) but it will again pass. Every kid is different, but both mine started early. My oldest stopped early, too. We'll see with my youngest (19 months old). My oldest did the young, young temper tantrums (she is very strong-willed) but my youngest skipped over that one and just started her terrible-two's at 18 months! Good luck!

Probably teething or possible ear infection or some other sickness.