Funny you should say that about reflux Dee - my DD has this and she smiles or laughs after a chuck. Then she laughs again when I clean it up. Mind you, she also laughed at a woman crying on TV the other day so I think she takes this laughing thing a bit too far sometimes!
I get that comment quite a lot too.. I think it works both ways and also just the luck of the draw with the baby.. When I found out that I was pregnant with Kimberley, I took on a stress free attitude, and I don't think I would be so calm and laid back now in motherhood if Kimberley wasn't as content and settled as she is.
But I do feel a bit of pride when the comment is made, and think to myself that I can only pray that when baby # 2 happens along that I can be this blessed twice!
I definitely think there is something to the calm mum calm baby thing.
Sometimes when I am trying in vain to get DS to sleep, I force myself to take big slow breaths and can see the change almost immediately in him. Even if it doesnt necc get him to sleep it does make him less upset.
There was some research recently demonstrating the link between stress levels during pregnancy and infant behaviour after birth (ie if you experience lots of stress during pregnancy this influences how baby is in terms of laid back or fussy).
I'm a subscriber to the calm mother calm baby theory too, Angus is a relaxed friendly baby and people comment on it all the time. We made a special effort to ensure I wasn't stressed during the pregnancy and we don't overreact to little things and get stressed now either.
I am with Lulu, it depends a lot on the child. My 1st child was really easy and calm and I was prob the most stressed with her but DS who I am much more relaxed with is a wild man!
I agree that calm mother generally equals calm baby. Much is about how you perceive your baby and yourself as a parent. I think if you label your baby difficult and make this a focus in how you feel about them, you will inevitably experience a "difficult" baby. If you feel your baby is loveable and adorable, you will enjoy parenting them and convey to others an air of calm between you and baby. Just my opinion though.
Actually I found it easier on myself when I did give him a label! I stopped trying to work out why he was a stress head and just gave in to the fact he was just that way.
DS was a difficult baby, like really really difficult. The shortest fuse on a human I have ever seen! Now he is 3 and easier to manage but I can see it's his personality and the fact he is a normal, rambunctious boy.
I hate it when others label him difficult though, as it's mainly those who haven't spent enough time with him to know either way......ggrrrr!
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