Usually I don’t. I’m pretty confident that my husband and I are doing the best parenting we are capable of. We meet our baby’s physical and emotional needs to the best of our ability. But on days like today, I do doubt our parenting decisions.

Someone close to us told me that we might be cultivating a habit of ‘clinginess’ and we’re not doing our baby any favors. That it is our responsibility to teach her to be independent.

For starters she is 5months old, and I’ll admit she is a ‘needy’ baby.

She wants to be held a lot and will only nap while being carried or being nursed. She hates being alone in a room for longer than a few minutes. Even while she’s happily playing in her mat or crib, we need to engage with her, talk to her etc.

It is difficult to get things done around the house but we manage, we have a routine set around it.

I’m hoping things will eventually improve, that she is just a baby and it is more important to show her that we’re there for her rather than forcing her to be ‘independent’.

Are we doing something wrong? Should we be handling her neediness differently or is this normal?