My 9 Month Old Crying

Im also a Navy wife. I have three young childern myself. What helps sometiems is if I give my son a picture of his daddy. One that You dont care if it gets messed up. So She can carry it with her and what not.Or put a few up where she plays. At her eye range. See if that helps... Good Luck!

try having him make a video of himself you can play for her when he leaves to go out to sea. maybe a bedtime story video too.

Try a backpack like sling. Strap her to your back while you work. Gives you free hands and she'd more than likely love it.

My son gets extra clingy whenever my husband goes out to sea. It's just a part of life. He needs the comfort. I also make sure he gets out and sees other people. He gets quite bored of staring at me all day.

Hey T., sounds like your husband's being away is as hard on you as it is for the baby. In fact, she may be picking up on your stress. If you have pets, you may notice that if you are sick or upset, they suddenly want to be near you all the time? Well, babies have that same uncanny radar. If this is not the case and she simply wants Dad around, try giving her a shirt that he has lightly worn. This worked for my daughter whenever I had to be awy from her. Having something that smells like a parent is just comforting, and it may help soothe her when he's away. I would recommend a natural fiber like cotton that can hold a scent without getting stinky like synthetic blends tend to do. Good luck.

Sounds like it might be separation anxiety, which usually sets in around this time. Just do the best you can and this stage will pass. I know it is hard, but sometimes babies just cry no matter what you do. Take it from someone whose newborn had the worst colic- all day screaming and crying for 16 weeks straight. Best of luck to you!

T., you sound stressed! And no wonder! I know this sounds mean, but sometimes I just had to let my son cry. He was super-clingy and often, he just wanted to be held, but sometimes you have to make dinner or shower, or work! Not to mention, he was a big boy and heavy. So sometimes, I just let him cry. It was awful at first-- I hated to hear him upset, and he sounded so pitiful, and I thought the neighbors would think I was the worst mother ever. But he really did get used to it eventually. Sometimes he still gets like that, and all he needs is a quick hug and he's good to go. It seemed like it would take forever for him to get over the crying thing, but it really did go pretty quickly once he realized that I wasn't going to pick him up every time he cried. Also, I did buy a good wrap-style baby carrier so I could carry him on my body when he was inconsolable and I absolutely had to have my hands free. Good luck, and feel free to email if you ever just need to vent!
Becca