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Behaviour/development

What makes your baby cry - rational or irrational

16 replies

amy12345678 · 17/10/2011 17:43

Hi
Bit of help needed. My baby is 5 months old, very happy, confident, social same as most. When out visiting family yesterday he started off a bit grizzly when we got out the car cos he hates being confined in his car seat and he was hungry. Fed him, played, smiled, (had my happy boy) put him down to sleep on his mat. Other members of the family arrived, had lunch, baby woke up, sat him at the table with me and he screamed, tears and all. This continued for the next 2 hours (not always tears though), nothing would calm him down. In the end it was a case of lets just get him home, put him in the car seat and instantly he was quiet. He hates his car seat, always has. Everytime I think, this is what could have caused it there's always a reason it's not. It happened last time we went to.
I'm asking if your baby had/has an irrational fear or something that could cause pain that I can't think of that maybe can help me solve the mystery of our day yesterday.

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Janoschi · 17/10/2011 18:15

My DD is 5.2 months too and has been quite screamy over the past week.

I was told they're suddenly much more aware of things at 4-5 months and this might be frightening in itself. Before this, baby was happily living in a nice foggy bubble but very quickly it has changed into sharp focus. The world must seem a very different and much bigger place to them.

With your wee fellow, do you think he was disorientated? He went to sleep, woke up and was instantly surrounded by new (ish) faces and talking and foody smells... maybe it was a bit full on? I'm not sure I'd be in a fab mood if I'd been snoozing way then expected to join in with a family gathering without any warning!

My DD needs much more cuddling at the moment, definitely a bit clingy. She's also teething very badly - is your DS?

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amy12345678 · 17/10/2011 18:54

There's a chance he could have been disorientated but he screamed bloody murder last time we went down bout a month ago and there was only a few people. I'm wondering if it's the house, a draught, a plug in just don't know. We also had a family do not long before that where he woke up with 30 people many hadn't seen him before, he was passed around all day long and loved every second. He's always been social though. But he also cried tears, he only usually does that when in pain. I'm just so stumped but yes, maybe his perspective has changed but it also puts a bit of a dark cloud over going to see family. It was just one of those moments when you stand and say - what the hell just happened.
Yes he is teething, came straight out of colic into teething.

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ellesabe · 17/10/2011 21:45

Things that make my 10mo cry... Blonde spiky hair, the wicker giraffe in her bedroom, empty milk cartons.

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CurlyhairedAssassin · 17/10/2011 21:49

Ds2 used to be terrified of the wind! He used to look shocked when a strong gust blew on his face and then start really crying.

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Beaurevage · 17/10/2011 21:53

My DS had the same reaction with the wind....still does. He's 7 months old. Today he was sitting on DH's knee looking at me. I sneezed, which normally makes him laugh or at least smile. Not today, burst into tears. Poor thing.

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BertieBotts · 17/10/2011 21:54

He could be teething? Or maybe he's constipated?

It could be a particular sound, maybe one you can't hear. I wonder if one of their neighbours has one of those plug in things which is supposed to repel wildlife? They must be really horrible for babies :( There's one of those "teenager alarms" in a park near here and my friend's DD is always really upset by it (she's 2, though) - it took them ages to work out what it was.

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BertieBotts · 17/10/2011 21:55

DS used to be terrified of me sneezing! I developed a habit of taking a deep breath before I sneezed, just to give him some warning!

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candy11 · 17/10/2011 22:00

my LO is scared of sneezeing too really makes him scream, but also he is very very frightened of my partners dad his grandad i have no idea why as he has neva done anything wrong. when we are over there all grandad has to do is look at him and DS will scream but as soon as he leaves the house he is a happy baby again. i am hoping its just a phase he kis going through. he is now 3.5months.

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BoattoBolivia · 17/10/2011 22:01

Hand dryers in public toilets! He gets hysterical if we go into a public baby changing room, eecially if he can hear a hand dryer. It was started in a little chef, when I was changing his nappy on the changing table in the ladies and the hand dryer was next to his head. When desparate I have shouted at people not to dry their hands. There's nothing quite like trying to change a very pooey nappy of and 18 month old, when he is screaming and trying climb up you at the same time. I have spent the summer changing him outside when we are out, rather than use toilets, but am not looking forward to when it is wet and cold. [hsad]

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Scorpette · 18/10/2011 09:19

My 21 wk old DS always cries if anyone laughs. Proper bottom-lip-out, tears-flying wailing. Frustrating, as me & DP have a very jokey, piss-taking relationship. I think it's just too loud and abrupt and strange for him. He doesn't like sneezing or nose-blowing either, which is v unfortunate, as I have rhinitis (basically year-long hayfever)!

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FSB · 19/10/2011 21:33

Hand dryers do it for my dd as well, she's always screamed and clung onto me. She's now 2.4 and it's not getting much better. The vacuum does the same thing, but she slept to the sound of a hair dryer from 3 to 9 months, so it's not all white noise. Weird!

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CubiksRube · 20/10/2011 08:50

DS is 8 months. He hates the hoover - makes him scream blue murder. But loves the hairdryer and washing machine?! Hmm He generally loves noisy toys and has a mini piano that he can either play, or it will play songs at him. He loves all the songs ... bar one, which makes him genuinely cry, tears and all.

More rationally, he has just got to the stage at which if I take away something he enjoys (toy, my mobile, any sort of spoon...) he will wail, which never used to happen, he used to just look mildly surprised.

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mumatron · 20/10/2011 08:57

Dd2 (9mo) cries if you say 'oi' to her. Full on snotty tears.

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IvyAndGold · 20/10/2011 09:17

17mo DD is scared of just one episode of In The Night Garden, which she normally loves. It's where Iggle Piggle gets a dirty mark on him. Every time he gets a new dirty mark she starts screaming and runs out of the room. I hope she's not OCD already!

Dyson vacuum cleaners. Every other brand is fine, but Dyson's are evil (apparently).

Also, fart noises. Unless they're coming from her. Then they are hilarious.

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pud1 · 20/10/2011 09:26

My dd used to cry every time she saw our friends 21 year old son. Totally irrational. She has never been near him with out me so I know he has never done any thing to cause this. He works in my local tesco which was difficult as she would cry in the shop when he came near. It was a long standing joke. She is not 3.5 and rushes to him for a hug whenever we see him. Not good when he is on the till. My other dd crys every time i sing. Not really irrational if you heard my singing voice

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hardboiledpossum · 20/10/2011 09:33

DS 8mo is petrified of my best friend who is also his god mother to be. It's very strange, he is fine with everyone else.

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