My serious baby

[TheCosyRain]

My baby is 6 months old. At home she is fairly easy. Likes her sleep and is more sensitive if tired or nearing nap time. It is fairly easy to make her smile and laugh a bit when we’re home. Babbles lots etc.

However when we are out at baby groups, swim classes or anything similar it is nearly impossible to make her laugh or smile and she just looks so serious. She is still inquisitive in those situations, playing with toys etc but she never looks relaxed or as though she is enjoying herself. I get a deadpan face when I try to make her smile for photos when we’re out. No babbling.

Once we’re home she will be more smiley and it’s almost as though she just prefers being at home. I know she is still very young but I worry a little about it. I am an introvert and was very shy growing up. I struggled massively with being social and my primary school report often made reference to how serious/worried I seemed - and I remember those feelings! I don’t want her to struggle like I did.

All the other babies I see when we’re out smile at least a bit, if not lots! Has anyone else got/had this with their little one?

At 5-6 months they are at that separation anxiety stage, when they realise they are a separate person to mum, and that mum could potentially leave them. Maybe she is just more secure at home. If you are introverted, maybe you are unwittingly sending out anxious signals that she is picking up on? Is her facial expressions a reflection of yours? Just try to not worry and relax. She is her own little person, and she'll be fine.

My DD was like this. She started to smile more when out as she got older and could 'play' better, but only like to me/caregivers, not to anyone else. She's almost 5 now and much more friendly and sociable, she still gets anxious and quiet in new situations/with new people but she does warm up much faster to things now and is much more confident now too. My DS otoh has always been a very smiley, sociable baby who makes friends with everyone almost straight away so far (19mo). One thing I've noticed though is that my DD is just overall more intense, she cried more and more severely but she also laughed more and had more hysterical laughter bursts (usually at home). DS smiles a lot more but very rarely laughs.

My youngest is similar. He's almost 3 and is a proper little comedian at home but out he's just quiet and watches. My eldest is serious all the time! She does laugh but only when she finds something very very funny. Her teacher calls her an old soul.

What I've realised is that they are who they are. You struggling doesn't mean they will, and if they do then you will be the perfect person to have around.

My DD was the same at that age, smiles were rare and I remember us commenting that maybe she is just a serious person. But by about 10 or 11 months she changed and she became really outgoing and smiley, always trying to catch everyone's eye to wave or smile. She used to laugh at everything. No explanation for it!

Babies are small people... Are you always chatty and smiley around everyone you meet?

You're not alone! My baby never used to smile or giggle, not even at home no matter how hard you worked for it. (I remember being so envious of parents who just needed to look at their baby to get a smile). He probably changed around one and he is now a very happy, smiley, outgoing and sociable kid and you would never know what he used to be like.