Active babies vs. mellow babies

[Truckerdoo]

So, my 4 mo is apparently what Dr. Sears would describe as an "active" baby - he enjoys arching is bak and stiffening, and as a result began rolling over onto his tummy at 14 wks.

My question is: do active babies turn into more active toddlers, and mellow babies into more mellow toddlers?

[Abraisme]

Nope, my DS was pretty mellow (didn't roll over from back to front until 7-8mo) and he was a crazy toddler. You never know..

[Norasmomma]

DD was mellow in terms of her personality, but the girl is/was a physical dynamo. She was all fine and good until mobility, she crawled and cruised at 6.5 months and hasn't really mellowed out until now-she's 3.5 and still she's on the upper ends of activity level. I guess I knew she'd be like that though, when I was pg the girl would give me roundhouse kicks that would show all the way around my stomach. I spent most of DD's toddler years trying to keep her alive. She just ran and ran, and then ran some more.

Now DS(6 months) is very similar in ways physically, he is army crawling, moving, rolling but his personality is more easy-going than DD was in certain ways. I think with him he'll be active but not in such a dare-devil way, it's weird he just seems more cautious than DD ever did. Maybe I'll be wrong, but something is telling me that he'll just be more mellow as a toddler. Honestly I also think he won't be so dramatic, more chill.

I don't think that the two correlate-at least not in the children DH and I create. Which isn't surprising, we are mellow(personalities) and pretty active at the same time.

[starlein26]

All toddlers are active toddlers, . The question is how easily will you child transition, or how re-directable will he be? Also, how impulsive will he be? These are two variables that can affect the (always) high energy levels alot.

[LadyCatherine185]

I've seen mellow babies turn into very demanding/tantrum-y toddlers, and mellow babies turn into easygoing toddlers. My DS was a very active baby, he was also very fussy and high-needs. BUT once he started walking (around 9.5/10 months) he was happy as could be. He is very active still, we are around a lot of other kids his age and he is definitely one of the most active. He is also like the PP's DD, not afraid of anything. He is a daredevil, for sure. He doesn't sit still EVER, but his peronality has mellowed a lot. He is happy most of the time (as long as I keep a good routine to the day and give him lots of playtime/outside time, follow his cues for sleep/hunger etc) and very sweet. He has thrown maybe a handful of tantrums at 19 months. He can definitely be difficult if he is "forced" to sit still (like, going out to eat at a restaraunt, etc) but I think that is pretty typical of his age. He is a MUCH easier, more pleasant toddler than he was as a baby. He still doesn't sleep though..

[Norasmomma]

Originally Posted by starlein26

All toddlers are active toddlers, . The question is how easily will you child transition, or how re-directable will he be? Also, how impulsive will he be? These are two variables that can affect the (always) high energy levels alot.

IDK I mean to a point yes, but IME I have one of the most daring, and go-go kids. I remember going to the beach by our house and DD was by far the most active, crazy kid there-with zero fear. I always envied moms whose kids didn't bolt at any chance, my DD was a runner. I'm not really into those backpack leashes, but DD almost made me a convert. I really didn't enjoy much of the 13months to age 2+, DD was just crazier than 90% of the kids I witnessed, and strangers always assumed it was sugar I used to joke I'd put Red Bull out of business if I could bottle her energy.

She's just extremely active. Now I enjoy her so much more, I like 3 way better than 2.

[LadyCatherine185]

Originally Posted by Norasmomma

IDK I mean to a point yes, but IME I have one of the most daring, and go-go kids. I remember going to the beach by our house and DD was by far the most active, crazy kid there-with zero fear. I always envied moms whose kids didn't bolt at any chance, my DD was a runner. I'm not really into those backpack leashes, but DD almost made me a convert. I really didn't enjoy much of the 13months to age 2+, DD was just crazier than 90% of the kids I witnessed, and strangers always assumed it was sugar I used to joke I'd put Red Bull out of business if I could bottle her energy.

She's just extremely active. Now I enjoy her so much more, I like 3 way better than 2.

I totally agree with you. We have a lot of toddlers at church and playgroups all born within a few months of eachother. I see them a few hours at least once a week. Some of them are very cautious/mellow and will sit and read books by themselves while my DS is running around in circles dumping all the blocks on the floor, standing in the chairs, climbing on everything, etc.

Oh, and about the leash thing, I actually tried it once with DS in target. TOTAL disaster. He still tried to run away but would reach the end of the rope and fall. Get back up again and try to run again, fall. Repeat repeat. It was hilarious, but um.. yeah. Didn't work. Now, DH takes DS to the river some Saturday mornings and he has used it successfully with him. But they aren't walking around, just standing on rocks and it is definitely a safety measure, as DS would run straight into the river... No fear.

[Nicole730]

I don't know if this is related or not..but when I was pregnant with DS he was soooo active, constantly moving. I remember getting asked if I felt 10 movements in one hour or whatever you're supposed to feel and I would laugh and say there is constant movement. When he came out, it was the same way and it has never stopped! Once he would walk, he would not sit down or relax ever. He's always fought naps. Now, at almost two, he will sit down and relax on occasion, but that's rare.

DD on the other hand barely ever moved inside me, enough, but never constant. I wondered if that meant she would sleep more once on the outside and so far it's true. She sleeps soooo mcuh compared to DS. I'm also wondering if that means she will stay more mellow and content. If anything though, I won't have as many struggles getting her to nap!

[Katie T]

My DS was a active baby who turned into a mellow toddler (for a boy lol) and my DD2 was a mellow baby and is a pretty mellow toddler. She runs around like all toddlers, but isn't super clingy, can play by herself, and is easy going.

You never know what you "get" as they seem to change all the time. I have a friend who has a 9mo and up until about 2 weeks ago was a very mellow baby, took his time to meet his mile stones, didn't like a lot of toys around him or he would become over stimulated ect. Then he learned how to sit up and in 2 weeks he mastered sitting up, crawling and is working on pulling up to things, now he is a go getter.

[nola79]

My ds was mellow in terms of personality, but very active physically, since he was a baby. He still is and as a toddler was very active.

[bananabee]

Originally Posted by Nicole730

I don't know if this is related or not..but when I was pregnant with DS he was soooo active, constantly moving. I remember getting asked if I felt 10 movements in one hour or whatever you're supposed to feel and I would laugh and say there is constant movement. When he came out, it was the same way and it has never stopped! Once he would walk, he would not sit down or relax ever. He's always fought naps. Now, at almost two, he will sit down and relax on occasion, but that's rare.

This is exactly how I describe my baby girl, due in June. I'm already accepting that I'm in for it with the baby that never sleeps. Haha. I have narcolepsy, a sleep disorder where I always feel sleep deprived and sleepy, so this is going to be interesting to say the least!

[Norasmomma]

Originally Posted by Nicole730

I don't know if this is related or not..but when I was pregnant with DS he was soooo active, constantly moving. I remember getting asked if I felt 10 movements in one hour or whatever you're supposed to feel and I would laugh and say there is constant movement. When he came out, it was the same way and it has never stopped! Once he would walk, he would not sit down or relax ever. He's always fought naps. Now, at almost two, he will sit down and relax on occasion, but that's rare.

DD on the other hand barely ever moved inside me, enough, but never constant. I wondered if that meant she would sleep more once on the outside and so far it's true. She sleeps soooo mcuh compared to DS. I'm also wondering if that means she will stay more mellow and content. If anything though, I won't have as many struggles getting her to nap!

I have the same exact scenario only I have a girl first and a boy second. DD was always up in my ribs, kicking, stretching. She was always very physical from conception on. DS was mellow, I said he did yoga moves, she did karate. He has STTN since birth, she was always on a 3 on/3 off schedule, she dropped most napping at 18 months. Gosh she had a nap strike at 8 months. The nurses said she was the most alert newborn they'd ever seen, DS slept for most of the first week of life. She still wakes up at least once a nights at 3.5. He sleeps and he's 6 months.

I fully believe their personalities have been present since being conceived.