Grouchy 1 Year Old

Updated on November 22, 2007
A.F. asks from Birmingham, AL
11 answers

I have a 15 month old son that doesn't sleep well most nights, which he normally been doing!! He nags me all night. When I get off work and pick him up from daycare we go home. When I try to clean up and get prepared for the next day, he doesn't let me do anything. He's pulling on my pants leg crying, wanting me to pick him up. He doesn't want me to do anything but hold him. Then once we're sleep, he wakes up about 2am and toss and turn and crying wanting me to hold him and put him back to sleep. And another thing some nights he doesn't want to eat and then some nights he will eat pretty good. I don't know if it's because since he was a baby he's had acid reflux, the reason why his appetite isn't good. His weight is kind of steady, he weighs 25 lbs.(but short), the doctor says thats a normal weight for a 1 year old, but he will not gain weight quick enough for me. I don't know how his appetite is at daycare, but I asked his teacher to start notating how much breakfast and lunch he eats. My husband tries to help sometime, but I guess he feel it's mostly the mother duty. Does anyone have any advice to get him winded down and calm at night, so that I can do what I need to do? And for the appetite issue, anyone have any advice.

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J.S.

answers from Chattanooga on

Hi A.

Wow I have been there! The only way for me to get anything done was to strap my son on and go.
There are a TON of great baby carriers out there. I have several that I use the Mai Tei and Maya Wrap, but the easiest to use when I was alone and trying to get things done was the back pack. I could get him on and off with out any help, he loved it (still does at 2.5 yrs). I have the Snugli Cross Country.
15 months is a tough age, they understand language but don't have a lot of it. They are also learning new things so fast that they don't sit still!
Been there done that, got the mommy patch!
You will get through it. I had to finally just give up getting anything done! My husband and I worked h*** o* the house and laundry when he was napping on the weekends....other than that we let it go!
Now that my two year old is pass this stage, my 14 month old just entered it!
Good Luck to you.
J.

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J.S.

answers from Atlanta on

I don't know about the reflux, but the sleeping I've dealt with. He just has to cry it out. I allowed my son to co-sleep from about 5 months until he was 2 1/2. I did so because when he was a few months old I broke my pelvis and the only way I could hold him was in bed and the we moved and my hubby deployed. I felt safer having my son near me in case something happened. When I went to break him of sleeping in mommies bed it was a rough go, but I held my ground and taught him other things that helped him feel safe. We have a stuffed Sully from Monsters Inc. and he would put him in the door way at night to keep the monsters out. We also did good night sticker charts. It was a black square of paper and I cut out a moon in yellow paper and glued it to the black. I put numbers 1 - 5 on it and when he had a good night he'd get a sticker in the morning. When he had five sticker he could get something out of a treasure box I had. It held little things from the dollar store, a bag of mini marshmellows (he could only get five of these) and some candy. This worked.

For the hubby, I had the same problem. When I brought up never getting a break he replied that I've never asked for help and when he did try to help I'd critcize him and he simply stopped trying to help. I am and have always been the dominant parent since I stay at home. I have had to learn to ask for help, I stink at that. I've also had to learn how to ask without sounding ticked that he hadn't already stepped in to help when he saw that I needed help.

I hope this makes sense. I lost my voice and my son is messing with me.

Good luck, J.

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J.B.

answers from Baton Rouge on

Hi Anqelnetta,

Is he teething? It sounds a lot like what my daughter went through off and on as she got more of her teeth...

J.

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K.S.

answers from Texarkana on

There isn't a problem with his weight at all. My daughter is 27 months and weighs 28 lbs. She is very health and a little chunky around the middle. My son had the same problem with eating regularly. The doctor at Childrens told me that there isnt a problem unless they start to gain weight. He recommended flinstones vitamins but only every other day.

He sounds like a normal child to me. Both of mine have days that they don't eat. My son had the reflux bad and now that he is 3 we have no problems at all. Maybe he is outgrowing it. When he got out of it his eating habits started to fluctuate more than ever.

As far as wanting to be held so much..I think that is because of your busy schedual. I was a stay home mom until my divorce and since I have put my daughter in daycare she is the same way. If I am cooking or cleaning she is crying to be held. They don't get love and personal attention at MOST daycares, I know it is hard but try giving him a whole 30 minutes when you get home...it has helped with my daughter, I totally devote 30 minutes to holding and kissing and talking with her..After that she is ready tp play.

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L.C.

answers from New Orleans on

As for the winding down at night, try giving him a bath with lavender oil in it. Johnson and Johnson make a special bath liquid for that specific reason. It helped a couple of times with my daughter when she was 1 or 2. As for the eating situation, I still have trouble with my daughter (almost 4) eating her dinner. Unfortunately I have not figured that one out. She would rather eat a bag of Funyons that eat what I make for dinner.

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T.R.

answers from Huntsville on

Yeah...I am not alone. My son is 15 months old and has the same problem with sleep. Most days he eats pretty well, although I have no way of knowing for sure exactly how much food he is eating at daycare, but the sleep issue is definitely a big one in our house. We have recently changed the bed time routine and it seems to be working so far. We have been keeping him up just a little later than usual. When it is time for bed, we sit with him in his dark room with some soothing classical music while his night bottle is heating. When the bottle is ready, we lay him in his bed and let him drink it. As soon as he is done with the bottle he switches it out for his pacifier often in a "drunken" stupor and falls right to sleep. We have only been trying this way for about a week but it is working so far but it could just as easily be a fluke. Good luck to us both!

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J.D.

answers from Huntsville on

Hi there! Without being there, I can't help much, but here goes.... As far as his weight, my son just turned 2 a month ago and he's about 28#. As long as they "stay on their curve" and don't drop a couple of percentiles between well baby visits, doctors usually aren't concerned. That has been my experience....

A couple of thoughts about sleeping- check with your doctor- you might need to increase his dose of reflux medicine.

Also, keep an eye on his temperature. My son's hallmark signs of ear infection were suddenly not sleeping well and not eating well, NOT fever alone.

Trust your gut. You know more details than anyone about your son. Does he seem to be in pain? Is it separation anxiety? (My daughter had it early; my son had it late).

Good luck and sorry I couldn't give you a specific answer.
J.

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S.R.

answers from Pine Bluff on

Maybe your son is not comfortable with being around strange people. Take him to a family member to kept adn see what the problem is.

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M.T.

answers from Nashville on

I have a 15 month old and am going through the EXACT same way. As far as the eating. I don't push it. When she is hungry,I figure she will eat. I just offer it, whether she eats it.... I have no contol. But to supplement that... make sure you give him vitamins. His brain still needs the vitamins for proper growth.
As far as the whining and holding. Mine does the exact same thing. I think it must be the age. I just deal with it the best that I can. I pick her up and hold her and try to get her to focus on something else and I am able to get about 3 or 4 minutes in between most of the wanting to be held mode.
She is only this little once and I usually stop and give her attention. And usually when she realizes that she is important enough that I will stop to give it to her, she will usually go about her business for a while.
This is how I handle it. Hope it helps.

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R.C.

answers from Jackson on

It sounds like he just needs some snuggling from you. Sometimes you just have to let things wait and just sit and hold them. I have three kids and I have experienced that with all three. I know it makes you want to pull your hair out, but he just needs some mommy time. It would probably do you some good as well to just take a little break.

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M.N.

answers from Shreveport on

Some days mine needs that extra snuggling....of course dinner and everything can't always wait. I have a couple of different baby carriers and I strap him to my back so I can continue with my chores and he can have the extra mama snuggles. An Ergo babycarrier or a BabyHawk are good first choices.

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