Baby Blog

From that first flutter in my womb to the kicking I felt just an hour before he was born, my son has always been an active child. Apparently the womb athletics may have been the first indication that I have a high needs baby. People think that a baby that clings is just needier than another, but it seems that may just have different needs connected to their emerging personality.

So what are the signs of a high needs infant?

A “forceful personality” is one sign. Baby Nik lets you know what he wants, when he wants it and will do whatever he needs to do to get it. It’s a combination of demanding and assertive and it can be a bit much at times. The most obvious sign of this in Nik is his vocals. He will cry like he’s being murdered or actually yell until he gets his way. Thank goodness this isn’t all the time.

High needs babies are intense and sensitive. They feel every emotion, good or bad with much more force than average babies. When Nik laughs, he laughs until he has to hold his stomach. When he is angry, he growls and throws things. There is no slight show of emotion with my darling baby boy. Thank goodness, he’s normally happy and smiling.

Hyperactive, high spirited or frantic is another sign of the high needs baby. This doesn’t mean they have a learning disorder such as ADHD, just that sitting and doing nothing is never on the agenda. Even when he’s sleeping and eating, Nik’s legs kick out, his hips gyrate and his hands are constantly looking for something to do. He’s not one for relaxing and hates to go to sleep (as chronicled in major detail in this blog lol).

A constant need for mother’s attention to the point of draining all energy from the parent is another sign of a high needs baby. Yep, we can check that one off the list. Nik only wants me 24/7, has a fit if I leave him and wants to be right next to me or with me every hour of the day or night. I’ll sleep when he goes to college right?

Other signs include constant feeding (yep!), unpredictable (oh yes), demanding (erm…yes), empathetic (Nik gets upset when other babies cry), never satisfied, likes to sit with you and be held (oh my yes), doesn’t self soothe and experiences intense separation anxiety. Think we have a winner!

Because Nik is an only child, I thought some of his behavior was an early sign of being spoiled by his parents. It seems rather, we are seeing his bourgeoning personality and reacting to it. Every time I doubt my son is a high needs baby I recall his ten week scan at the children’s hospital in Denver. The experienced baby doctor and scan expert said that she had never seen such a hyperactive fetus in all her years of working at the children’s hospital. Her exact words were: “wild one.”

Don’t say you haven’t been warned.