7 month old...a niggle

[wannabedomesticgoddess]

Not sure how to put this, but DD2 is 7.5 months old and something is bothering me. I had put it to the back of my mind but DP told me today that he is worried about the same thing.

Shes a bit "spacey". She will smile, laugh, kick her legs with excitement etc, but most of the time she is staring off into space. She looks all around the room instead of at the person who is holding her. She just seems so serious for a baby. Laughing really doesnt happen that often. No where near the amount DD1 did it.

She cries for food and if shes tired. She cries sometimes if shes left in a room alone, say if I go to the kitchen for a drink. She does babble and talk, but that too is very hit or miss.

Does this sound normal? Just her personality? She doesnt seem sad, just not very expressive. DP is a bit like this, could it really just be a genetic thing. Can a baby be born cynical and reserved?

Why not ask the HV to do a developmental check? As for the cynical/reserved I don't think a baby would be born like that, perhaps laid back and confident as a second baby?

DD1 was as laid back as they come but this is something else.

I am seeing the HV soon anyway for a weight check, I will mention this too. Shes not the greatest tbh.

Bump.

Hi - sorry to hear you are worried. I agree with those who say ask a professional, but for what it's worth, she doesn't sound any different to my DD2, who is 6.5 months. She's always looking around the room when held - isn't that just because there is so much to see and take in? She does laugh, but again not very often - maybe once or twice a day? I've never given it a second thought, I often think babies look very serious, sort of other worldly. I thought it was normal.....is there something in particular you are worried may be wrong?

Sounds similar to my DS1 who was a very serious baby. You could make him smile and laugh through interaction but his general disposition was serious and my family described him as stoic. Then when he started being able to crawl (around 11mo) and walk (15mo) he became much more cheerful. He's now (26mo) the most cheerful person I know!

Its mostly the lack of laughter I find odd. Maybe DD1 was an exceptionally laughy baby (shes a very giggly 4 year old now) but DD2s laughter sometimes feels more like a reflex rather than a conscious choice.

She laughs when DD1 pretends to munch on her feet, that feels like real laughter, and she laughed when hitting DP on the head yesterday. But I shouldnt be able to pinpoint actual moments should I?

In the last two days she has become more vocal, perhaps it will just come in time. She has been slow to wean, and HV is monitoring her weight, but apart from that everything else is as it should be.

It just feels sometimes like shes not in the room with us, shes staring off into space and sometimes its hard to get her attention.

Thanks for your replies. I feel better already, hearing that other babies can be serious and then grow into being cheerful!