my son drives me crazy in stores?

Question

Everytime I go to the store with my 5 month old son, he starts crying/whinning...i do everything. to try to make him happy.and he will be happy for a minute and whines or cries again. It drives me crazy. I have to rush out of the store everytime i go with him, get the bare essentials and leave..i can't browse like i did when my daughter was his age. what is up with that? i can hardly take him anywhere! i can't even take my daughter to the park without him starting his crap..i can't even read a magazine at the park cuz if i don't be up in his face the whole time, he gets "pissed"

he is still in a carseat..he can not sit up very well by himself so a shopping cart seat is out of the question

I feel like he is controlling my life and i understand he is only 5 months old, but i should be able to go places without him acting up. When he is at home and he is all taken care of and still crying, i let him scream so as for me spoling him, I do not!!! Hi is very high matience, that i know...i just hope it passes but i get told it gets worse

Answer 1

Is your little one comfortable in the shopping cart? Do you still keep him in those little carseats or do you sit him up in the cart? It could be perhaps he's not comfortable sitting in those carts if that's the case. I used one of those cart covers that were soft all around and kept the little germies off and it worked great.

Answer 2

Remember he's still a baby. Babies are very sensitive to sound/light and can only focus on little things. when there's alot of noise, light, and many things to see it can be overwhelming to a baby. Babies aren't use to all the going-ons of life. Their bodies are still developing and all that going on around him just makes his mind go into an overload meltdown. and if he's sitting in the cart, it may be hard on his little spine, since he can't sit up straight yet. get one of those comfy seat covers w/ the toys. Try not to go when there's a busy streak at the store, like in the mornings. make sure he's been fed and has had his nap first before going. Babies also don't like sitting in dirty diapers, so try to keep him dry, even if it means going back to the bathroom 10 times. You have to teach/coach him into the world and let him know it's ok and not to be scared. Babies need alot of love and care to let them know that the world isn't scary and people do love him. if your baby needs your attention you should by all means give it to him. if u want to sit and read a magazine, do it when he's sleeping. but if you're taking both to the park then you need to play w/ both of them while you're there. If he feels u don't want him, he's gonna scream even more out of hurt and desperation. Maybe he's not getting enough of the right attention. cuddle him, read to him, and other things. babies also don't know how to talk and if screaming is his only way of telling you he needs your love, then that's what he's gonna do. don't compare your children, that only causes u to play favorites and that can be very damaging to the other child. he's just a baby. what he does isn't crap.

Answer 3

My first son was the same way. He's 12 years old now. I couldn't shop, sit in a restaurant or do anything cause he always seemed to constantly want my attention. It was very frustrating.

I would see other moms with their kids enjoying the day out at the mall, shopping, park or wherever. Other kids would sit in their stroller or shopping cart content, not mine.

After a year of this, I told my kids doctor my situation. He suggested next time he starts his needy routine to just let him cry. As long as he's not hungry, uncomfortable or in pain.

I tried it. I went to the park and the grocery store, he would start his routine and I would let him cry. I did this for 6 days straight. Hang out at the park or grocery store for about an hour. Each day he would cry less and less.

It worked and I was finaly able to go places and enjoy it.

Answer 4

Toys work well. . . Give him a couple that make noise, light up, yada yada. . .

Most of the time, he is probably bored. Have you tried one of those baby snuggies (the harness that allows you to carry the baby with no hands, and they are in a pouch in front of you". That way, he will feel your body warmth and movements, and you can shop. Also try talking to him while you are walking around. I do that with my daughter. I tell her what I'm looking at, what we need to do that day, whatever. I don't care what people around me think (and most just look and smile a knowing smile). He could be feeling slightly insecure. I have also read that when the baby realizes the actual "size" of the "world", they become more frightened. Having you close by will reassure him that mommy is there to protect him.

Try the Snuggie. I think you will be happy, and so will he.

Answer 5

Sounds like he is not getting enough sleep. A baby his age should be sleeping 16 hours in a 24 hour period. He should not spend more than 2 hours awake at a time and should have an early bedtime at night. Try staying home for a few days and get him on a good sleep schedule, I would be willing to bet his attitude and mood will change once he is well rested and stays well rested.

Answer 6

Please get your son medically evaluated by a speech language therapist and a phys. therapist. I say this because my grandson had many of these symptoms and we just found out he has apraxia of speech and large motor, he is hypersensitive to sight and sound (it's almost painful for him), he has difficulty keeping his balance, walks with a rolling gait (like a new walker) and makes sounds not speech (not the kind of speech you'd expect of a three year old). He has a high IQ and all of this is very frustrating for him. Please consider that your child may be challenged in some way. We have found a regular (almost rigid) routine is very helpful to him. Rest when he does and let the house go. Find some friends who would be willing to provide respite one afternoon a week. Make sure you and your husband have a date night at least twice a month. Good luck to all of you.

Answer 7

You could try getting one of those cart seat covers, or just bring some toys into the store and tie them loosely onto the handle of the cart with yarn. At least then he will have something to occupy him while you're shopping and if he throws a toy, it will still be attached to the cart so he can easily get it back

Answer 8

Gee he is a 5 month old! Guess what, they cry, they whine, they get uncomfortable, get over it already. You let him scream at home, he's not spoiled, your sick of his crap? Doesnt sound like you care too much about him, but more about yourself. You think its so hard getting out of the house with a single 5 month old, I have twins, and NEVER would I have addresses this issue the way you have. Sounds like your a little bitter. Poor little guy.

Answer 9

mom i dont know you but im guessing you or somone in your house has broken a cardinal rule, picking up an infant every time they cry how ever heart breaking or annoying it may be is a big no no let the child cry in it bed some when you do this do it so you can see him through a cracked door and make sure he has something to stimulate his vision such as mobiles and bright objects maybe some soft no vocal music. when shopping it somtimes help to get the buggy with th wobbly wheel it tends to lul the child , good luck mommy

Answer 10

I would get a snuggly or another infant carrier of that fashion (baby strapped to your front or side). They even make them big enough for toddlers. Baby will be snuggled up againest you and easy to lightly coddle. What more attention could baby possibly need? If not that... as hard as it may be, I'd suggest letting baby cry it out even if it may be very embarassing or irritating. You obviously can't accomodate that sort of thing forever.

Baby needs to learn how to be content on his own without constantly being entertained.