Scared baby

DD is just about 8 months. She loves other babies and smiles at them and crawls up to them to play. BUT...you know how some babies are screechers? Well she gets soooo scared and cries with tears . And the cry of another baby usually has a chain effect on her, she'll start to cry when she sees them crying. I think she thinks they are crying at HER. Will this go away eventually? Do I have to toughen her up somehow? She's not a cry baby at all - when she falls most of the time she doesn't cry...it's just with the loud noises. She started crying this week when my mother took her for a walk and someone turned on their weed wacker. We don't keep it extra quiet in the house - she just startles easy. Will she grow out of it?

Re: Scared baby

Awww poor little girl!!
She probably just startles easily.

I read an article not too long ago that babies feed off the emotions of those they are around, I noticed that whenever I smile at DS all he does is smile back. I once cried in front of him and he made this weird face and griminced. He never saw that emotion from me before, it shocked him.

DS cried last week when somebody starting hysterical laughing really loud, DH and I dont laugh like that so it was new to him. I assume it is normal and the older they get the more they are tuned into their surroundings. I hope she adjusts better the older she gets!

Re: Scared baby

Thanks. It makes me so sad .

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DD does this too at 6 mths old. She just startles really easily and doesn't like loud noises. I think she is just really sensitive. She even covers her ears when we in the backyard and something flies over that bothers her.

Re: Scared baby

awwwww. I think she'll grow out of it.

As far as crying when other babies cry, that is normal. At gym class, the usual group is so good and hardly ever cries. One week, someone was doing a trial class and all the girl did was cry. Well, that week, ALL the kids were crying by the time we were 1/2 hour into the class And, whenever one of the kids DO cry, he crawls up to them and starts crying

Re: Scared baby

I think it's common, and I think she'll grow out of it. I don't think you necessarily need to "toughen" her up by repeated exposure, I have read that if a child is afraid of something, just exposing them what they're scared of may make it worse (apparently it's more because they will remember how they feel during this exposure so it'll make it even harder to bear). So when she is exposed to a noise, try not to react yourself, but if she cries, just comfort her. My dd is like this with certain noises too and it's definitely lessened over time.

Re: Scared baby

Thanks girls!

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she'll most likely grow out of it soon..
Nikolas was exactly this way from about 6-8 months old or so. He would freak out at loud startling noises and if another baby did the 'screech' around him he'd go hysterical.

I remember when I got together with Moe and her daughter Kerri... little Animal was screaching with glee, and Niko took one look at her and burst into tears

Now HE's the baby who screeches and scares all the other babies.. he does it around my little niece all the time and she freaks out, which in turn makes HIM cry.. it's like a chain reaction..

Meanwhile now nothing startles him at all, he just goes with the flow.

Re: Scared baby

I think it's a common thing.

DS is 13 months and sometimes a noise will startle him and sometimes it won't. It's strange cuz one nignt we took him to Astoria Park for the fireworks show and he was totally fine with the noise of the fireworks. Then a couple of days later we were at this fair and they had one of those watergun balloon races game and everytime the bell went off for the winner DS would cry...LOL I was like "loud fireworks didn't frighten you but a ringing bell does"...LOL LOL so strange.

Oh and my boy can screech. When he is in a really good mood he starts screeching to the point where literally your eardrums are feeling it...LOL

Re: Scared baby

Hmm, my roommate in college had the same problem. (Just kidding!) Yes, of course she'll grow out of it! Just make sure you aren't adding to it by jumping to her before she reacts. Assuming you are waiting for her to show upset before comforting her there is nothing to do at this point!

Re: Scared baby

My DS just did it today in a store. I young girl about 2 was told by her Mother not to go into a basket of toys and removed her from there. She sat down on the floor and started to cry and I looked at my son and he started too! That was the first time ever!
(meanwhile I had just read your post this Am before going out). He gets startled every easily and still has trouble with people he doesn't know. He will shy away and cry.

Re: Scared baby