My 3.75 year old is driving me batty. He constantly needs to be on me, touching me, telling me he loves me. He is so needy of me. If he's happily sitting with DH or DS1 or DD, and I sit down with them, but not next to him, he will get up and come and sit on me. If I sit to watch TV, he will come and sit on me. When he comes to our bed through the night, he sleeps on top of me, if not literally on top of me, then he's on my pillow nose to nose arms and legs draped over me. He squeezes my fat rolls and arms and boobs for comfort, despite me telling him I don't want him to do it, that I don't like it.
He goes to day care twice a week, and is happy enough to be away from me. It's just when he's near me, he has to be with me, on me, touching me.
He was a fully demand fed breast fed baby, until he was 2 years old. He fed very frequently and fully co slept with me from birth. I weaned him almost 2 years ago now, and he's had his own bed since just before he turned two (although he comes to our bed almost every night). I have been trying to gently tell him I don't want him on me all of the time, that I need personal space, that I don't like him touching me like he does.
It's his comfort, and I can understand that, but how do I gently get him to understand he needs to stop, or at least not do it so often. I could cope with once or twice a day, but I am starting to get really frustrated with his need to touch me, to be on me, and at me all day. I don't want him to feel rejected by me at all, but I am starting to get anxious or kind of phobic of him touching me. I will move away from him, put physical barriers between us, just to keep him off me. I don't mind him sitting on my lap, but he has to have his hand in my top, or squeezing/pawing at me.
Please help me!!!