3-8 Months Questions

1. How does your baby’s eating, sleeping and motor development compare to the typical developmental patterns?

Cillian’s eating and sleeping development are progressing fairly normally. He does seem to be awake more than most babies, and has a great amount of energy when he is awake, but he doesn’t seem to be having any trouble sleeping when he wants to. He was breastfed up to age six, at which time solid foods were introduced into his diet. He has not had any unusual difficulties with sleeping. His motor development is slightly behind for his age.

2. At 8 months of age was your child an “easy”, “slow-to-warm-up”, or “difficult” baby in terms of Thomas and Chess’s classic temperamental categories? On what do you base this judgement?

Cillian showed a mix of characteristics, but in most social aspects he would be classified as a difficult child. He has intense reactions and is difficult to soothe when he has become upset. In other terms he is “slow-to-warm-up”, because he is cautious and shy in new situations, although this may have been exacerbated by an insufficient amount of some types of physical stimulation. With more focus on gross and fine motor skills at least part of this issue may be remedied.

3. How is your child’s attachment to you and your partner developing? What is happening at the 3-month and 8-month periods that might affect attachment security according to Bowlby and Ainsworth, and various research studies?

Cillian has shown a preference for his mother, although he has developed an attachment to me as well. He has been breastfed, which probably contributed to his attachment to his mother, but both parents have been involved in his care and he seems to be progressing fairly naturally. Another factor that may have contributed to his attachment- I lost my job when he was about seven months, and this caused a certain amount of strife in our household. Arguments over finance would put myself and my partner in foul moods, and as a result we weren’t spending as much time with Cillian for a while.