Why is my baby so scared?

Question

I have a ten week old who has usually been very calm and happy. Last week he all of a sudden started being startled very easily and going into tears at seemingly normal things. For instance, when I sneeze he gets startled. And then tonight his father was playing with him (the baby was smiling) Dad was singing and made a loud noise imitating an instrument of some sort. The baby had the startle reflex (arms out and open) and then broke into a loud cry as if he had been hurt. He cried for a half hour. Is that normal? What should I do? Why do you think he is so scared all of a sudden?

Answer 1

Do you normally keep him in a very quite environment?????? Wrap a blanket really tight around him so he feels secure maybe that will help

Answer 2

My baby is 6 months and every so often still does this. If I make a loud noise while playing with him and catch him off guard he makes his startle face then breaks out into tears, it usually takes me about 10-20 minutes to get him calmed down.

Answer 3

Fear usually begins as an emotion somewhere around 9/10 months. Maybe he had a headache? or was overtired?

Answer 4

My little man tends to get like that when he is overtired.  Is yours getting enough sleep?  Maybe the occurences happened when he was most tired?

Answer 5

Swaddle him to make him feel secure.

Answer 6

Its known as the startle reflect but my hubby and I used to say "starfish" because that's what it looked like when my son was startled.

He's just getting used to his surroundings and try to remember not to wrap him up in cotton wool.  The best thing to is get him used to normal noises, eg. don't turn off the tv and stereo and don't shush people just because he's asleep.  My son could sleep anywhere when he was a baby because we made sure we didn't quieten things down just because we had a baby.

If he gets startled when you sneeze, use it as a learning opportunity and say to him "what was that" and tell him you sneezed and make the noise again and he'll probably laugh at you.

If he is startled by something, perhaps just try and divert his attention to something else, offer him a pacifier or show him a toy or book.

I realise he's only 10 weeks old but its never too early to start teaching them.

Good luck.

Answer 7

Everything is just so brand new and they are not used to their surroundings yet, even though it has been ten days, that isn't long enough to get used to things.  My son is completely used to my dog barking, and he won't even wake up when he is barking like a mad man, but when we go to my sisters house and her dog barks, it really startles him and he does a little jump and then has a whimper and tears.  Sometimes they just get a little freaked out.  Don't worry.  Just comfort her and make sure she knows she is safe and loved and cared for.  Also, swaddling really helps, her arms may even be scaring her a little!  Babies are used to their arms being very close to them in the womb, so she may scare herself a little bit more when she is scared of some other noise.  But don't worry, just mother her and she will be fine ;)

Answer 8

it could be that he is becoming more aware of his surroundings and noises. My baby is 13 weeks and I am finding that loud noises are getting more of a reaction from her than they were doing previously. I just try to reassure her when she startles.  

Answer 9

Mybe he/she is just not used to those noises so he/she is just startled,but im no expert im just guessing.