overly independent baby?

[ruth24]

My daughter is 6 months old and is very independent. She will play on her playmat, or sit in her highchair watching me do stuff or playing with her toys almost indefinitely as long as she is not hungry. She is responsive- often looks over and smiles at me, or will watch what I'm doing, but doesn't seem to 'need' me in the way that other babies seem to need their mothers. She is very happy for me to go in and out of the room for example and doesn't cry when I leave. She is also pretty quiet- she has gone from making all kinds of squawks and sounds at 3 months to very few sounds at 6 months.
She is interactive- will smile and giggle if you play with her, gives kisses (face grabbing, open mouthed slobbers), and enjoys company but doesn't seem to need interaction if you leave her alone. Should I be worried about this? Is this some kind of attachment disorder/ ASD etc etc? I know I should be grateful that she is so easy and happy but can't help but worry. Thanks in advance.

Just be grateful she an easy baby.

DD1 was like this, dd2 was the complete oposite would scream if she was picked up/put down, ignored or 100% attention paid to. NOTHING made her happy.

As mumcaniaskaquestion has said it really does sound like you have an easy baby and I bet there is nothing to worry about

However, if you continue to feel concerned have a word with your HV who will hopefully put your mind at rest

Enjoy it while it lasts! Separation anxiety often kicks in around 8mos-1year (IME anyway) so you might not have it too easy for too long...

Cute, sounds adorable. My DS is the same. I just thank my lucky stars for a baby with such a chilled out temperament.

If she were unresponsive i'd worry, but she sounds very happy. Probably just means she'll cope with life's disappointments very well. As she gets older i have little doubt there will be times when she'll want mummy cuddles, don't worry.

My DD was like this - very independent, content, did things for herself etc etc.

She is now a horror of a two year old

Happy?

Sounds like a happy, secure baby.

funny you should ask whether its ASD. I had exactly the same thoughts about my super independent son. Most of the time i was really grateful that he was so easy but from time to time i worried that other mums were saying their babies were getting separation anxiety and mine wasn't, and that mine was so happy to play on his own.
My DS is now 17 months, and weirdly has become more 'clingy' since he has realised that there are people called parents, and then there are other people who aren't. He is still pretty confident but he will always check to see where we are now before rushing off somewhere, which he never did as a younger baby. I think some babies are just easier and more confident and you and I are lucky that we have one of those.

Me too - my 17mo DS is exactly like monkoray's, by the sound of it. I think it's just a personality thing. Makes life easier; enjoy!

my son was exactly the same as a baby and toddler.
he IS being assessed now for ASD actually, and it does explain why he was like that as a baby

but as you can see already from the thread, it's also possible for that to just be the way some babies are!
I guess it' a case of, babies with asd are like that, but not all babies like that have asd? if you see what I mean?

Like other posters above, my DD was like this - compared to my friends' babies she didn't seem to need me but rather than seeing it as an attachment disorder, I saw it as her being securely attached and therefore confident and independent. She didn't experience separation anxiety to the same extent as a lot of her friends either and sometimes I wished she would need me more. She has just turned 2 and is making up for it by being a little madam now! :)

Oh it is lovely - my DD2 was like this and it was wonderful! I saw it as a mixture of her great personality, a high tolerance of any minor discomforts (unlike DD1 who is v v sensitive) and my experience as a mum, which meant she got what she needed. So long as she is responsive and affectionate - which she clearly is - I think you just got very lucky.

Not sure if i'm missing something and please excuse my ignorance, but if a baby had ASD wouldn't they be unresponsive to smiles and other facial expressions? Now i'm worried about my DS!!

My DD 13 was like that, she just didn't have a need to permantly attached to me, far more interested in what was going on around her and wanted to be where all the action was. DS 15 was always an independent baby as well but happier to be cuddled.

They have both grown up to be kind and intelligent children who are mature beyond their years (so I am constantly being told at parents evening)

thanks everyone for your messages. I am new to MN so really lovely to put something out there and get so many response back. I guess, as with all babies we'll just have to wait and see what happens. In the meantime I'll enjoy it for what it is!
Thanks again

My dd1 was like that. She was just so busy with her toys and wasn't a lap baby at all. Dd2 on the other hand loves people and attention and is harder work, though at least she has dd1 to watch. Don't worry and enjoy it!

My 4 month old ds is like this - he's not particulalrly quiet, but he is good at amusing himself. He also smiles a lot and is very interested in me, or whatever else is around him. I've always assumed I got lucky and have a laid back, contented baby.

As for ASD, of course, it's a worry and one all parents, myself included, share. But from the research I've done, I def don't agree with op above that all ASD babies are like this from an early age. They would be far less interested or engaged or smiley.

DD (now 28 months) was always a chilled out independent sort - never showed any seperation anxiety, in fact she once cried when I took her away from another mum we knew in the library. Still is very independent stubborn strong minded and brave at exploring all new places. Very social with strangers but still clearly wants me at times now when she is upset/tired/hurt.

DS (9 months) is also currently very happy to be left with toys, for me to disappear regularly out the room, to be left to play by himself or crawl after DD. Am hoping he skips a really clingy stage too and is also superconfident.

I've no concerns about them with ASD - they interact very well, they just also persue their own agendas when left to it! I see it as a sign of imagination and intelligence of course

My DD (now 19 months) was the same. Very happy to be left to play, left alone in the room etc, when friends seemed to have babies like limpets attached to them otherwise they would cry. She also didn't really babble much until almost 8mths when others were saying dada or mama. I did worry about it a bit, but...

Now however she is very confident, very socialble and popular with other children, kind to others (adults and children alike) and talks more than most children in her age group at nursery (proper 3-4 words sentences) - in fact there is no shutting her up!

So I really wouldn't worry, it seems like you have a happy contented child who will probably grow into a bright and confident child.

In fact just now I tried to cuddle DS and read him stories while his big sister did her puzzle ... he enjoyed it briefly then got bored, wriggled off me and the sofa and headed back to the toy bus he loves. Now he can crawl there is no limit to his exploring, he's already started trying to climb up everything and stand too! At 9 months! Aaaaaaaagh!

You are SO LUCKY! My DD was the complete opposite until quite recently. Just enjoy!