5 month old so scared of new places ?

[Ladyrose7]

Hi my lo is 5 months, nearly 6 months old. She started getting afraid of new people around 4 months old, but we haven't been going out much as i had trouble getting her to sleep outside, which meant overtired baby so spend a lot of the time in the garden for fresh air instead. I took her outside in the pram last week, and she seems to really enjoy looking around, but immediately started to cry when i then stopped off at the pharmacy. We left swiftly then she calmed down again.

I've been trying to get out more now, but noticed everytime we go inside be it shops, hospital, or any building she gets really frightened and starts to cry.

Yesterday we decided to visit grandmas house. Shes been twice before but when lo was 3 months old. Well she immediately started crying as soon as we went inside the house. She wouldn't allow grandma to cuddle her as she seemed so afraid, and wouldn't stop crying for hours whilst there. She was happy again as soon as we were back home.

I know that lo can get scared of new people, but is it normal that she gets so scared of going inside new places too? How can we go anywhere now :-(

Just take it gently, maybe pop in a shop for a really short time and then increase it? Keep it up, she needs to gradually get used to it. And you must be miserable not being able to go out?

My bet is that she’s bothered by bright lights, or she doesn’t like the pram stopping, rather than being frightened of new places.

But either way, she’ll get used to it as PP says. And you need to go out!

I’d guess it’s more that she doesn’t like it when the pram stops.

You might have more luck in a sling where there’s more motion.

For getting used to being held by other people that’ll take more time. You are babies whole world it’s understandable that they might be a bit more unsure of others.

Mine was like this when entering other people's homes. He grew out of it quite quickly. we just kept doing it to get him used to it.

Second the sling suggestion. They can peep out if they’re curious (or in DS case, swivel his head 360 degrees like the Exorcist, only a chatty sociable version), or burrow into you if shy/overwhelmed/tired. Plus the motion doesn’t ever stop because I automatically do the mum sway (even if I’m not carrying him).

My toddler was the exact same when she was around the 3-7 month mark. Going to friends places or any new places with a ton of people would result in tears and she would be utterly inconsolable. She outgrew this stage and is now a happy, confident and extremely sociable 2 year old. What helped us was constant reassurance. Holding her close in new and foreign spaces, comforting her and bringing toys that she knows well and plays with at home to said new place. Like in a friend’s home, we would go to a corner and I would hold her and play with her toys with her and that helped her get comfortable with her environment and over multiple visits, the other adults there would get involved in some play with her toys but still keeping enough distance and this then evolved to her actually handing her toys to them to then crawling around and exploring every space she can get into. Until she was comfortable enough to go about her own thing, I did not put her down if she wanted to be held or allowed anyone else to carry her. I let her decide when she was ready to reach out to another person. Since a year old or so, she’s been much more confident and doesn’t mind any new places at all! At 2, she makes herself right at home wherever we are!