10 month old just got totally freaked out by the hand mixer - normal?

[CountBapula]

This afternoon I was baking a cake for myself DH, and when I switched on the hand mixer, DS (10 mo) suddenly went mental, screaming and crying and looking absolutely terrified.

That was over three hours ago and he's been acting really strangely - he's clinging to me like a limpet, just wants to sit on my lap/cuddle me (he is not remotely cuddly normally - more of the spirited/active/curious type) and cries urgently if I move out of his sight even for just a second. He'd burst into tears if I tried to put him down on his mat or in his high chair, refused to touch his dinner (which he has NEVER done before - he loves his food) and sobbed when I tried to put him in the bath (again, which he usually loves).

He's even being very weird at feeding - I've offered him a bf several times, but he just sucks listlessly and seems to lose interest.

He seems a bit better now after cuddles and stories, but is very subdued still.

I know many babies are startled by loud noises at this age but is it normal to be this traumatised for so long? :(

The odd thing is, last time I made a cake (a couple of months ago), the sound of the mixer made him laugh.

yy to getting scared by hand mixer. Happened to DS at about the same age, big screams. Is your DS teething or coming down with something? The ongoing need for comforting sounds more like something in the background, possibly meaning that he wasn't able to deal with the new sound of the mixer on top if he wasn't feeling top notch to begin with.

Maybe just go with the flow, lots of cuddles and see what happens? Look on the bright side, at least he knows that if he's feeling scared and sad the place to turn to is mum, who will make things better :)

My DD is the same - blender or Hoover = complete meltdown. They are just scared of loud noises - how do they know they are not crazy monsters? I've had to give up on the blender and Hoover when she's asleep. That was 5 months ago! She is 11 months now. I'm not too bothered about it.

Am sure it is normal. Babies that age are clingy anyway and a mixer is a very loud noise to have suddenly. They are just learning what is safe and what is not.

My DD has meltdowns with hoovers and the blender. Been like it for about 5 months - she's 11 months now. On occasion if I hold her tightly and explain what I'm doing she's not so scared but still hates it. I figure it's ok a big Dyson could suck up a small animal so I think she's not being unreasonable to be scared.

Oh I thought I lost my post with the connection so got 2 woops.

Yes, he is teething, and has been a bit out of sorts, so you could be right - maybe it was the straw that broke the camel's back.

Sooty he's never been bothered by loud noises before. He used to love the sound of the hoover when he was tiny, and he grins when I switch the hairdryer on. He's pretty fearless normally. Maybe it's a developmental thing.

My dd was like this - not just extreme reaction to loud noises but, as you describe, a very long reaction. She'd also have an extraordinary memory eg refused to go into a particular library for months because someone turned the hoover on once, and we left immediately.

She's now 4 and much better; mainly because she can process and rationalise things more.

Thanks all. That's reassuring. I got a bit freaked out - never seen him like that before! He's tucked up in bed now, poor chap. cairnterrier you're right, at least it was nice that he wanted his mummy especially because he usually tries to escape when I cuddle him.

DH said the cake was lovely. I told him that he'd better make the most of it, as I doubt I'll be making many from now on :)

That is so bizarre - my 11mo DD freaked out at the hand blender for the first time today! She is a bit poorly too, and I think that the combination of illness and a surprising noise was too much to bear. She's usually such a tough little thing so it was really strange to see her so scared. She's recently decided that she doesn't like anything with a buzzing/vibrating sound - my SIL gave her a lovely bumble bee toy that buzzes when you pull a string. She now screams if she even spies it across the room...! I guess it's all also part of her working out the world for herself rather than just taking my word for it, iyswim! Glad your DS is feeling better, OP.

Count, we attempted drilling yesterday. It did not go down well with DS!

Its very normal - beware of hand-dryers in public loos! My dd got 'trapped' on the far side of a hand dryer at about 22 months, and people wouldn't stop using it while I carried her past, despite her screaming in terror. I had to take her in the disabled loo and prove to her there was no dryer in there before she would stop crying and do a wee, for MONTHS afterwards!

Following this horrible trauma, DS slept through - 10 hours straight - for only the second time in his life!

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ooh ooh try the drill!