Stranger anxiety

[kidsareok]

Hi. Just feeling a bit sad for my little boy so thought I'd get some advice. My LO is 16 weeks and hates new people and new things. Obviously, due to COVID, the first few months of his life were spent mainly indoors with us. He didn't see anyone except my mum who is in our support bubble. Now when we take him anywhere he screams and cries and gets distressed. He's very sensitive anyway and is quite alert and aware for his age. He screamed the place down in the supermarket, when I took him to a baby group and when we go to see my partners parents. He just gets so so distressed it breaks my heart - I really don't want him to be so anxious around others. Any tips? Thank you

Time. He’s still so so young. My LB was and still is a very sensitive baby. I could go round our local park with him attached to me in the sling, other than that he just wouldn’t tolerate anything. Baby groups or mum meet ups were completely out of the question for the brief time they were open between lockdowns. I remember him just screaming and screaming in a cafe whilst the other babies just slept or quietly breastfed when he was about 3 months. The pram gathered dust until he was about 6 months as he lived in the sling attached to me.

He’s now 9 months and finds supermarkets and my in laws house fascinating. He’s still sensitive and needs lots of reassurance but so much better. It does get better - I remember feeling broken by it at 4 months but it really really does. Good luck xx

Oh dear, how i feel for you. My little girl was exactly like this at that age. I remember feeling totally lost as I could not walk into a supermarket without her screaming in distress. I started carrying her on my chest instead of pram and within a couple of weeks she stopped being afraid. She's now almost 8 months and handles new places like a pro. She still struggles with bigger groups of people but i'm sure she'll get there with lots of support and encouragement. All the best!