Clingy Baby/Clingy Mommy

Don't worry! You are doing fine. They grow at their own pace. My son loved being on my lap till he was too big to sit there. He still crawled, walked, climbed, and played fine with other kids. His preschool teacher told me there are kids who will jump into any situation with both feet, and others who will wait, watch and see how everything works before they join in any activity, and both types are perfectly normal. My son is definitely a wait and see kind of kid. Every year at teacher conference time his teachers will tell me he's so quiet, but then the rest of the year they have a hard time getting him to shut up.

Sorry, I had to laugh about your comment about your child being 3 and not being able to walk- I remember having the same fear. My clingy girl didn't roll over until 7 months... Provide opportunities for her to develop and reach her milestones. Beyond that, cuddle, snuggle, hold, hug, kiss and enjoy. :)

That's like asking if you can love your child too much, lol. No, honestly, you're not going to hold her back by holding and cuddling her all day. If only we were all so lucky as kids!

Your pediatrician will discuss milestones with you at her check-ups but even those are only the most basic of guidelines. Even if she takes her first steps a few months later than she might have if you left her to her own devices...what's a few months out of her entire life? Or yours, for that matter?

What you will both carry with you for the rest of your lives is the memories and emotional development gained from your special time together. So enjoy it.....worry-free!

No, you're not holding her back. Go with your instincts.

You are just fine!!! You are doing a great job!! You sound just like me when my DD was that age. She was a lap monkey lol. I was always holding her, and just like you, I had the critics telling me I was doing it all wrong. Well, let me tell you, my DD was full blown walking by 9 months old. Even her pediatrician could not believe what an advanced walker she was. She is now a happy 2 year old who loves to leave me behind in the dust as she explores everything on her own. If we go to the mall or the park, she will run ahead of me and go exploring on her own, without a thought as to where I am haha. She has a large vocabulary, and is super smart and advanced for her age. Don't worry that you are "damaging" your child by holding her and indulging her in your attention. You are building up her self esteem by letting her know that she is loved dearly and you are always there for her. I fully believe you will actually have a more self-confident child because you gave her so much attention and cuddles as an infant. Ignore the well intended people who like to tell you everything you are doing wrong. You are the mommy, and you can raise you baby however you see fit! They had their chance with their kids, but this is YOUR baby and you are doing a FINE job. Keep up the good work mama!

Do what you want. You should have a little bit of balance tho. Dont let the house get condemned because you cant get the baby off of your lap, lol.
They grow oh so fast... and you arent doing her any harm loving her all day. She will let you know when she finally gets curious enough to want to explore on her own.

From a mom who went through the same thing...enjoy it while it lasts. I started to worry since my dd didn't sit up until late. She enjoyed our time as well. Within weeks of sitting up, she was standing up and walking. Now, she is very independant, but we still have cuddle time, especially while watching country videos in the morning. :-) I would use this time to read to her and just love her. It will be only too soon that she finds her independance and you find your arms empty for longer periods. Enjoy <3

It's funny this post comes today.. it was just yesterday that me and some friends were talking about children entertaining themselves and us making comparisons of those who do and those who don't, even from very young ages. Your baby is still really young (and oh so cuddly and sweet ... which never really changes), but in the next few months nearing the 12 months stage maybe loosen them up from the hip just a bit. The children that we all have who were able to entertain themselves at even young ages seem much (and I mean MUCH) more content with themselves and friends they have. It seems like the ones who need to be constantly entertained or don't play alone comfortably (and they were the ones who were carried around and held much more until older toddler ages ..3ish) are more prone to say (or just tell us moms) "they don't like me!" when a class mate or someone in the group doesn't want to just be with them or keep them actively involved with the group when that's not the case at all. The children who were more clingy really seem to have some doubts with their self-confidence and the ones who were more independent even as older babies/toddlers were so much more confident in friendships and playing with others. We are all loving moms who spend a TON of time with our kids. Some of us don't work outside the home and the others just work PT during school hours only. For our vote, it's best to love, love, love on them but then also teach them that you can't hold them when it's more appropriate for them to play on their own ... it's really good for them to feel secure and entertained without our help. We're not their playmate/friend but instead, their mommy who will be here whenever they need us.

My oldest was attached at the hip until he was two. He absolutely loved to be carried in the sling all day, and slept halfway on top of me all night. After turning two, he finally started playing on his own. Now he is a VERY independent seven-year old. My other three weren't quite as clingy or high-needs as my oldest, but they all enjoy tons of mommy time. I firmly believe in attachment parenting, and have seen the benefits firsthand. It sounds to me like you are doing a wonderful job! I promise that one day all of this attention will actually make your daughter ahead of the game developmentally. Dr Sears has some great books on the subject. You can check out his site here: http://www.askdrsears.com/html/10/t130100.asp Also, take a look at Attachment Parenting Int. for some support: http://www.attachmentparenting.org/ Best wishes!

B.

you won't have a 3 year old sitting on your lap lol. i bet she is just going through a phase - she is ONLY 7 months old. i say enjoy this time. of course, the more sandwiches you have to stop and make (and eat!) the more she will have to get used to being away from you. it's all part of the growing process. don't sweat it. just love her.

Just wanted to say that you could consider a sling. I had one and loved it. My daughter (who frequently accomplished milestones ahead of schedule) was carried in one until she was 2 yr. I was able to carry her and still move around and she enjoyed being carried. She was late to take her first step - almost 13 mo - haha. Enjoy your child.