Is Life Too Fast For Your Baby?
Let’s face it, no matter how hard we attempt to slow down our lives,they are fast paced. Meetings, deadlines, schedules…and if you stay athome with your child, you may feel pressured to “get it all done”during the day – and that includes going to the park, driving the olderkids to lessons, grocery shopping… There’s simply a lot going on, most of the time. It’s normal for babies to protest a fast pace. How often have weexperienced a screaming infant in the grocery store or on an airplane? And I’m sure we all know babies who HATE the Car Seat. What you may not realize is that if the pace is fast for us…it islight speed for a baby. And that the transition from one activity orlocation to another can be upsetting for them. Your baby’s brain doesn’t process information at the same ratethat you do, so when you are moving through your life, and taking yourbaby along with you, she is experiencing a bombardment of sensoryinput, and may become disoriented. Think of it this way…lets say you are in a foreign country, anddon’t understand the customs or language at all. You know your friendyou are visiting, but most other people are strangers. Let’s say yourfriend, either says something super fast in this foreign language, ordoesn’t say anything at all, suddenly takes you by the arm, and gentlyushers you into the downtown streets and goes about her errands withyou in tow – but with no explanation or time for you to “catch up” withwhat’s happening. You go from place to place, and as time goes on, youprobably become more and more resistant and try to get her to slowdown…but what if she doesn’t? A little overwhelming? Yeah…welcome to your baby’s world. Transitions occur several times a day. Anytime you move your babyfrom one place to another, or change the activity – like if you areplaying with her on the floor but suddenly go to answer the phone…toyour baby, that can be startling. For some babies, transitions are bigger than the event itself. Whatwas the biggest transition your baby ever experienced? You got it…hisbirth. The ultimate transition. How did that go? Consider that how yourbaby transitioned into the world is also how he perceives alltransitions. Without going into a judgment of “bad” or “good” think ofwhat it might have been like for him…was it a long struggle? Scary?Connected? Too much too fast? Out of control? Someone else’s timing?Painful? Smooth? Your baby may be remembering or reacting to body memories of his birth with each transition he experiences. Next time you transition from one thing to another, go more slowlyand talk to your baby about it…be aware that it might be a bigger dealto her than to you, and see if you can be present for that with empathy.
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