Here’s the latest post from our resident mum of 5 Amy tackling a subject which is close to every mum’s heart!

All babies love to be close to their mummy. They spent 9 months in a cozy womb listening to your heartbeat and hearing your voice all day, every day, so it’s natural for them to want you all the time. But what happens if it means you cannot do anything else? 

I found myself in that predicament with all of my children. They all went through a clingy phase where I and only I would do. It was lovely to be needed but also exhausting. I remember sitting with my 4^th daughter who was crying and I was trying to comfort her, hubby offered to take her for a minute but she would just cry harder. It was hard work, I didn’t know what she wanted but I couldn’t let anyone else help me. I would carry her everywhere with me and she would drop off in my arms as I tootled around the house. If I tried to put her down for a few minutes all hell would break loose and I would end up with a few more grey hairs. It even happened at night, it would take me ages to put her to bed, as soon as I left her room she would cry and cry. It was exhausting and most nights I would be in tears, not knowing what to do.We both got through that phase and now she is a great sleeper, I hope me attending to her clinginess helped her realise that I was there for her even if I wasn’t right next to her.

Little F has started going through his clingy phase, he cries when I leave the room and when I give him to other people he always flings himself towards me regardless of where ever he is. His cry, when I don’t go to him, is heartbreaking, it’s a really sorrowful cry and makes me hurt inside. It is also hard that I can’t always get to him straight away because I have 4 other children, but he can be very patient as long as he keeps his eyes on me, as soon as I’m out of sight, that’s it, the waterworks are turned on. 

I coped with my children’s clinginess with slings, I carried F in his a lot when he was a newborn, it helped him stay calm and it allowed me to do more things too. Nowadays he’s sat on my hip as I do my chores, I carry him with me everywhere or I make sure he can see me. It keeps him happy knowing I’m close to him and it keeps me happy knowing that he isn’t upset and I’m there whenever he needs me.

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