I've NC as I dont want to link previous posts. I know a couple of friends are on mumsnet.
I'm hoping someone out there can tell me everything is fine, or things will get better.
I'm FTM to a beautiful baby boy who just turned 7months. For the first 6months, while tiring and intense at times, I was coping well and felt very in tune with him. When he cried I generally could figure out what was wrong fairly quickly or had a number of things I could run through that would settle him.
After 6months he become much more unsettled. He had been sleeping through the night apart from one wake up where he wanted a cuddle rather that a bottle. Now he is waking throughout the night and needs constant settling. He is also much fussier. If he wants to play with something he gets upset until he is given it or cries cries if something is taken away (like the remote control which he wants to chew on) and cant be distracted with something else. He also gets bored easily so it's very full on keeping him entertained and happy.
I've also noticed he still isnt responding to me calling his name, or at least not consistently enough to rule out coincidence when he does respond. I stupidly googled this and every article came back saying autism. This sent me down a internet rabbit hole and now I cant help but notice other signs.
He tends to play with toys as if he is strumming a guitar, he tends to also strum his left hand on his leg in an almost absent minded way . His eye contact can be good when sitting in front of me but when I'm holding him not as much. I remember asking a nurse when he was about 3months and she said not to worry as its harder for him to focus when you are that close but now he is 7months I thought that would get better. I dont really remember feeding him a bottle and us staring into each others eyes like lots of mothers report. He often likes to play with my finger while drinking his bottle. Something I found adorable until I went googling.
On the other hand, he is meeting his physical milestones, not crawling but sitting independently, weaning is going well. He is very generous with his smiles and giggles. He babbles and tries to communicate using funny sounds.
I suppose what I'm trying to ask did anyones baby have similar behaviours and it not be autism. To be honest the constant lockdown and isolation is really getting to me as I've no yardstick to see if this is standard baby behaviour. I had so many plans of baby clubs and spending time with my friends who are on maternity leave. The internet just seems to give you the worst case scenario (I understand how silly that sounds when I'm posting on said internet for advice). I'm just so emotional and want someone other than DH to tell me everything is ok. I feel like an awful mum