How do some people make babies so chatty and smiley?

[AddisonMontgomery]

My SIL is like a baby whisperer- any baby she sees laughs and smiles at her. Her particular trick is to say to the baby 'tell me a story' and the baby will start babbling and laughing!

She does blow raspberries and use a sing-song voice, but when I've tried it the little buggers usually just look at me like

DH is like this, and will also hold outraged, wailing babies whom immediately fall quiet and then doze off. I've seen it so many times it can't possibly be coincidence.

He also has a knack with anxious dogs and indifferent cats, I really should have capitalised on this now I come to think of it

Yes DH also is a baby whisperer.
So is my older brother.

I have to work quite hard to get smiles even from my own babies, but there's something about DH's voice or face or both, that babies just love.

My brother is like this, it's infuriating! Actually both of my brothers, even the 16 year old They'd make a fortune as entertainers at children's parties.

My DH is like this: babies and toddlers are drawn to him, waving, smiling, playing peekaboo, everywhere we go. Some of them even shout 'Daddy!' at him

People say this about me but I don’t think there’s a special knack to it - I just have a bit of an over expressive face, ridiculous on an adult (I always look at non posed photos and think what was I doing with my face?!) but babies do seem to respond to it

Love that the first 4 responses all talk about the men they know being good at this! There has to be something in that.

Some of them even shout 'Daddy!' at him

You do either have it or not.

Babies, toddlers and animals love DH. If we're out in public and there's one wandering about guaranteed they head straight to him. He's a natural actor and has a very expressive face which I think helps.

Babies beam smiles at my DH too!

DH is like this. They usually giggle at his beard for a bit then he's their bestie.

I'm better with toddlers and cats.

I'm like this! I have a very expressive face and quite a high voice - babies just seen to love it. My mother was the same. I love babies - just never wanted any of my own 😉

I really can do this. It’s my only superpower. Any baby below the age of about 18 months (and mostly older toddlers too). I have quite chubby cheeks, big eyes, a big smile and a voice that they seem to like. Tiny babies will always calm down and go to sleep for me too. I am very calm generally and very confident with babies. I really like babies and I think they can tell.
I actually wish I’d known this about myself when choosing a career. I’d never spent any time with a baby before I had my first dd, when I was 30.

This 'calming of outraged babies' runs through the male side of dh's family. FiL has it, dh has it, and ds has it. ds used to have raging colic and FiL would arrive and pick him up and he would relax within seconds. I used to flip between relief and utter jealousy.
It is definitely in their genes though.

I can soothe an angry baby with ease. Usually they end up falling asleep. I am always very warm though.

DD is 12 and she draws toddlers and slighty older children to her. And cats, her godmother calls her the cat whisperer.

Theres one cat on our street who will stop whatever its doing and run over to her miaowing away.

Ds definitely has an affinity with animals and babies. Over the years, he has become the trusted human to a couple of very nervous stray cats and his own baby ds is without doubt, the happiest, smiliest baby I've ever known, even more so that is was and that is saying something.
Ds just has such a calm, relaxed manner that animals and children seem to gravitate towards him.

I’m good at getting babies to smile, I think it’s because I’m genuinely excited to see them and I don’t mind making a bit of a fool of myself pulling faces etc.

Toddlers really like me, which is unfortunate, because I really don't like toddlers, but I can stop one in their tracks at 20 paces or amuse them instantly regardless.

I can soothe an angry baby with ease. Usually they end up falling asleep. I am always very warm though.

Interesting, dh and ds have an internal heating system and emit heat. Wonder if that is what it is ??

Maybe it is body heat!

Can we all get the temperature of our nearest baby-whisperers please?

Toddlers really like me, which is unfortunate, because I really don't like toddlers, but I can stop one in their tracks at 20 paces or amuse them instantly regardless.
I know a teacher who has an incredible effect on unruly children in public. One glare and they actually stop what they're doing

I'm like this too and like @GetOffTheTableMabel in that I genuinely like babies and have a really calm way.
I honestly can always get babies to fall asleep.
All 3 of mine were and are great sleepers.
I really should change career.
I'm good with kids, cats and dogs too.
Wish I was so great with adults but find them much more complex.

I think it must be warmth. I radiate heat as my inner thermostat is always set to maximum. Its a joke at work that when im cold it must be freezing. I only wore a coat once in the winter.

@TaliZorahVasNormandy I'm always cold !
Always got the heating on.
Massive coat in winter. 🤣

Resting Bitch face means that most children just stare at me and say nothing. They know I'm faking it when I'm nice.

Bring me your dogs and cats and it's a different matter. I've even been known to charm a hamster.

My grandad was like this, crying babies would quieten and settle if handed to him.

He was also great with animals, any cat or dog would go to him. Even our very aloof, claw happy cat would jump on him and do that weird cat kneading thing with her paws, purring like crazy.
I think it was something to do with the voice, maybe.

ohcarriemathison

We are obviously just so awesome then. I've quieted babies at work after they have their jabs.

Some people obviously just have the knack.