Why does my 17 month old son cry only when his father is holding him?

Question

My husband is working two jobs right now so my kids do not get to see him that much. Our daughter is always happy to see him when he is home but anytime he tries holding our son he screams bloody murder. I know that he is a mommy's boy but he does not have a problem with the babysitter or grandparents. Anytime I try to clean or go out with friends and my husband is watching him he will cry the whole time. Last night while my husband watched him so i could clean house he screamed for three hours straight! Anybody else have a similar situation and what did you do?

Answer 1

hes a mama;s boy. my cousins' baby does that. she only likes her dad but crys every time her mom holds her. http://answers.yahoo.com/question/?qid=2...

Answer 2

My kids have not bonded with their father much ..I think its because he is not that interested ,it is an efort for him to do things for them ...I would let him spend time alone with the baby but not too long ...and time together as well ...also boys are mommys boys and he is still young ...give it time...just so long as your DH keeps trying .

Answer 3

There could be so many different reasons, but it all comes down to him not being as comfortable with daddy, yet. Babies all sort this out in their own time, so it's okay that he's not doing it on the same timeline as your daughter. Wait a few years, 'til he realizes that they both have the same "special parts" lol. Then, it'll be all daddy all the time, and you'll miss this little phase! I know it's crazymaking to have to feel guilty every time you walk away for a few minutes, but hang in there. It will sort itself out!

Answer 4

That's what my brother does... Maybe he just doesn't like him, or doesn't have a good feeling about him... Or it could be that he doesn't see him often, and is wondering "Why is this stranger holding me? HELP!'

Answer 5

I had the same problem with my son, he is now 3 years old, but my daughter never had that problem.. I asked the doc. why my son would cry when he is being held by his father and no one else, and he said it could possibly be because he is not interacting with him as much as he is the other children, and also, he told me, that babies, when not able to speak, have all the answers, and maybe something could be wrong with the daddy, or maybe its just because he is not ready to be held the way a man holds him, but the baby prefers a gentle holding.

I know this sounds weird, but my son stopped crying as much, when his daddy would just lay and spend time with him, and hold him close to his chest, knowing he was cared for.

Answer 6

He's a virtual stranger to your son it sounds like...  he should try to spend more time bonding with him.  Or working less if that's possible.  

Answer 7

A  19 month old I sit for does that also. It was because his dad was never home that much to see him. So what they did was (I was there helping) we all sat down with some of his toys. We had his dad start making him laugh. So soon he would always laugh when with his father.

Good luck! :)

Answer 8

that's pretty much it, he isn't around much....

first 2 years are important because it build a sorta bond. if he isn't there than there is no bond...

when i was a kid my dad was always away on business trips and even to this day i have a hard time connection and liking him.

not saying that if ur husband isn't around ur son will hate him, but its more likely that they wont be as close as you and ur son.

Answer 9

bad vibes

Answer 10

Well do they see the babysitter and grandparents more than their father?  Maybe your son hasn't really gotten attached or formed a bond with his father because he works so much.  

My family and I used to take care of a friend's daughter, she'd come and stay with us for weeks at a time and when she was here I was her mother.  She was attached to me and could have cared less about her mother.  A situation happened where there was an argument with the woman and her ex husband (whom she has two boys by).  He being the genius that he is decided to tell his sons that their mother was going to jail which made one of them cry.  That is when I lost it and the only thing separating me from being the c**p out of this guy was a little metal fence.  Him and I were in each others faces and then the oldest son (there's 4 kids) came up to me and said "Katie, Jessi is crying because you're crying go take care of her".  She didn't give a rat's a$s that her mother was crying she was crying because I was because we had a very tight bond.