Mom Admits She’s Feeling ‘Touched Out’ After Her 2 Kids Constantly Need to Be Held and Says She Wants to ‘Crawl Out of My Skin’

A mother of two says she’s feeling overwhelmed by constant physical contact from her children — and she’s turning to an online community for advice.

In a post shared on Reddit, the mom explained that she feels “touched out” nearly every day while caring for her 3-year-old and her 7-month-old. She said her older child frequently wants to be held or hugged, while her baby — who is exclusively breastfeeding — has begun scratching and tugging at her while nursing.

The mom wrote that by the time late morning arrives, she’s already reached her limit. She described feeling like she wants to “crawl out of my skin,” and said she sometimes just needs five minutes of space.

She admitted she’s tried quick coping tactics, like screaming into a pillow or stepping into the bathroom to decompress for a moment, but said the stress is spilling into her relationship, too. When her husband comes home and leans in for affection, she said she instinctively pulls away. Although she noted that he understands what she means when she says she’s “touched out,” she also shared that it still hurts him.

While she emphasized that she loves her kids, she said the nonstop touch wasn’t something she expected to be such a major part of parenting — and she asked others for guidance.

In the comments, one person encouraged her to redirect her children’s energy and reduce how much they’re physically climbing on her by getting them engaged elsewhere.

“You need to divert their attention,” the commenter wrote. “Take em out. Look for cheap or free places. Library, park, mall whatever girl [and] get that 3 years old out [and] distracted!!”

Another commenter said the mom’s post sounded like burnout — and urged her to seek more consistent support.

“You’re burning out, you need to ask for help and get some down time alone to regroup,” they wrote. “Be it your partner, your family, a nanny, but you need to get that alone time. Good luck.”

Others echoed the idea that regular, dependable breaks — even short ones — can make a big difference, and suggested building stimulating routines for the kids at home so the mom isn’t the default “climbing gym” all day. One person suggested grounding activities that help the body release tension, such as a bath, a swim, stretching or gentle somatic movement, a solo walk, or even briefly walking barefoot outside.

They also shared ideas for meeting the 3-year-old’s sensory needs in ways that don’t require constant cuddling — like outdoor play, hands-on sensory activities (especially water play or textured materials), motion-based options like swings or trampolines, and high-energy “rough and tumble” play with Dad.