Alert baby- share your experience

[Wnt2beAMom]

I've been told for quite a while how alert my son is, right from when he was born. My mother in law was impressed that he could track a toy in front of him at only a week old. At his baby shower a lot of people remarked at how he was so interested in their faces, like he was studying them. Today a lady thought he was over 5 months old because of how alert he is.
I've always thought this was a good thing, but he gets really fussy if you don't keep him entertained or go different places. Whenever we are somewhere new he is quiet and watchful of things. I had him in a baby carrier one day and didn't even think he was awake lol
Its great he is alert but he doesn't seem to want to "slow down" ever to eat or get a diaper change. He likes standing and bouncing on your legs and he has to be in his car seat, swing, or being carried to fall asleep. I usually try to feed him as soon as he wakes up from a nap, while he is sleepy vs. Feeding him to get him to sleep, while he is bouncing off the walls.
Any other moms experience this? I feel like I'm gonna have my hands full when he gets older!

 

[Literati_Love]

I also have a baby who has been extremely alert since day one. Maybe I just got used to it but I don't find her too much of a handful now. What I found it has always affected negatively is her sleep. She just hates it because I think she feels she is missing out. So at 9 months old she is still up 7 times per night. So, that is the main downfall! In general I just find she is a lot more interesting than other babies who sort of sit around like blobs. She is more interactive than her peers and has good language abilities. I think an alert baby is a very good thing!

 

[StranjeGirl]

My first was very aware of everything...always watching and curious...to the point where people made comments about it. However she loved meal time (still does- she could eat all day long if I let her) and she was a great sleeper, sleeping at least 8 hours by 8 weeks old, and 9-10 hours by 10-12 weeks old. Language skills were terrible as she had delayed speech. Never had speech therapy or anything, but definitely late to talk and still mediocre even now with her speech. So I guess they are all different!

 

[Linnypops]

I agree with Lit - (hi Lit!) - mine is also incredibly alert and was from day 1. It is tiring because they want a lot of stimulation but SO rewarding, especially as they get older.

 

[sarah34]

Agree with above. My lo has always been so alert, now that he is nearly one and crawling and cruising he can entertain himself a bit more. I love him being so hyper! Lol x

 

[felix555]

It's one of the first things people always said to me about my LO since he was born. As a PP said and it's my experience too .... these babies and then toddlers are hard work because of their constant need for stimulation but there is never a dull day with them and it's a challenge but it means I am always upping my game with him

 

[kellyc1987]

DS is 8 weeks now and people have always said how alert he is, agree with everybody else though he seems to get bored very easily but is very determined to try to do things like if he is on his back try to roll to his side and if he is sitting on my lap and I hold his hands he'll try to pull himself to sit up

 

[CaptainMummy]

All three of mine were the same. Never got to experience a snuggly, sleepy, squishy newborn.

 

[Reidfidleir]

Both of my babies have been commented on how alert they are. My son needed a lot of attention and stimulation and still does. But he's amazing with his language and he learns new things very quickly. Very curious and active and loves to work and learn. I'm sure it will pay off when he's older but it can be very tiring right now!

My daughter so far is also quite alert but she is also content and laid back. She loves to be held and snuggle. I'm so thankful for her since my son didn't like to snuggle starting at 3 months!!!!

 

[Wnt2beAMom]

Thanks for the input everyone He is a much happier baby if he is entertained, and it does get tiring, but it makes me happy at the same time. He is a lot of fun, but a handful
Today he started "talking" like crazy. And raises his voice so loud too.
I find if he isn't entertained he moans/whines and it is so annoying, worse than listening to him crying! Haha
I'm much better at keeping him entertained if I've had enough sleep. He still wakes up about twice a night. He isn't too hard to put down for the night. He just doesn't nap well.

 

[Linnypops]

IME alert babies tend to get more frustrated if they can't do things and lose their patience easily - so they can whine a lot. When she was trying to crawly and whining I would intervene all the time to stop it but read an article by janet lansbury on allowing then to get through their own frustrations . So I did that , just hung back more and more and let her work it out. She was crawling and cruising 2 days later. It might just be coincidence but since then I've been more and more inclined to just wait and see. Does she *really* need me? It turns out a lot of the time she doesn't and it's my own intolerance of the noise which means I interfere when she's better off figuring it out herself. I'm not saying you should do this now. For me it's mainly about milestones and independence but maybe something to keep in mind later.

 

[LoveCakes]

My 9 month old is the same. A friends baby will sit and watch but my lg always wants to be doing something. About 8 months she started to 'play' with toys and now ahe is crawling she amuses herself much more but she has never been one to just sit.

I worry she'll give herself whiplash looking around her she's so nosy. It's exhausting but fun and I figure she's learning so much.

 

[LoveCakes]

You do get a lot of blurry photos too as they are always looking at other things going on or wriggling to get away!

 

[Linnypops]

^^haha this is so true!! All my pics of dd at least one hand is a blur

 

[felix555]

You do get a lot of blurry photos too as they are always looking at other things going on or wriggling to get away!

this is SO true!!!

 

[superfrizbee]

My dd was always alert but chilled and she is a very bright, engaging toddler. DS sounds like yours! Time will tell how he turns out

 

[Literati_Love]

You do get a lot of blurry photos too as they are always looking at other things going on or wriggling to get away!

SO true for us as well.

I also agree with Linny about letting them do things on their own later on. they can do more than you think!

 

[Wnt2beAMom]

Oh we have so many blurry pictures lol
And thanks for the advice Linny, I'll definitely just have to get used to the whinny noises to let him figure things out

 

[wifey29]

Oh yes! My first was exactly as you describe! He is still like this at nearly three. He notices everything, is incredibly quick witted and can more than hold his own chatting with children several years older. He never sits still and always has to be doing something. It's exhausting at times. I can totally relate to the blurry pictures. I don't know if yours is the same, but DS1 has always seemed so much older than he is, which is tough in a way, because we and other people fall into the trap of thinking he understands more than he does and treat him as older than we should at times. It's easy to forget just how young he is and that he's at the same level of development emotionally.

 

[Larkspur]

You do get a lot of blurry photos too as they are always looking at other things going on or wriggling to get away!

Hahahaha, yep, I have about 100 times more pics of my son than my daughter as she never sits still for the camera! But I do have to say she is amazing at entertaining herself now that she is older and walking and starting to talk. She just takes off on her own little missions and will often be absorbed in what she's doing for longer than my two-year-old is!