5 month old never seems content

Kimosabie

Hi all.  I feel like we are going thru a rough patch with LO.  He's always been a fussier baby.  He was very colicky from the start and had reflux.  Has always been a crappy napper, never more than 30 minutes.  Never liked the swing, usually hates the car seat.  And now it just seems like he's never content unless he's being held.  He likes his play mat, but can roll from back to tummy, but can't roll back to his back and always seems to get frustrated pretty fast.  He likes to be upright, it often seems on his bouncy seat, he is trying to sit up.  Yet he's too small for the bumbo seat and his high chair.  I'm just to tired and my back is killing me from holding him what feels like all day.  He doesn't last more than a half hour really in a carrier either.  I've tried a couple different ones.
Did anyone else go through this? Is it just a frustrating stage or do I just have a fussier kid? He's actually pretty happy and smiley, (when being held and constantly entertained) but just seems to get bored or something fast.

SmrBrd2012

He really doesn't fit in the high chair (with straps) or bumbo at 5 months? Is he on the small side? We put our little guy in his high chair at 4 months (didn't have a bumbo). Maybe he's just overtired from not sleeping well = irritable baby? How does he sleep at night?

kdoak2015

My DD at 3 months sits on her bumbo, high chair, exersaucer etc. the bumbo is perfect fit exersaucer I prop a pillow for her feet and stuff receiving blankets in the seat. I don't like her to be in any of this stuff for more than 15 mins max. I don't think they are good for posture.

Kimosabie

@SmrBrd2012  @kdoak2015   Thanks for your replies.  I'll have to try the high chair again, it's been a while.  He fits in the bumbo, but for whatever reason seems to lean towards one side and kind of hangs over the edge and then gets upset.  I work with physical therapists who don't love the bumbo so I don't try it too often.  I think he may be feeling some teething pain as well. He'll be fine and then all of a sudden he will cry out like he's in pain, often when he's chewing on something, which is usually always because everything goes straight to his mouth!

KateLouise

My DS was pretty fussy when he was at the same stage it sounds like yours is, where he could roll a bit but wanted to do more. He'd get really frustrated, and really just wanted to be up where he could see stuff.

I found putting him in his pram helped, he was up closer to me, so I could chat to him while I folded laundry, prepped dinner etc, and he was upright enough to see, but reclined and comfortable.

It's better now that he's mobile and can shuffle around to look at things.