Every Baby Is Different
And you've probably met these babies too. 😊
The baby who:
• Notices everything
• Fights sleep
• Becomes overstimulated quickly
• Has strong opinions
• Wants to be involved in everything
• Lets everyone know exactly how they feel
These babies are wonderful too.
Sometimes parents jokingly call them "spicy babies."
Because they simply experience the world more intensely.
You may find yourself wondering:
"How come that baby is as chill as a cucumber, and my baby seems to have opinions about everything?"
The answer is often temperament.
Babies are born with unique personalities, preferences, and ways of interacting with the world.
Dandelion Babies and Orchid Babies
Researchers sometimes use flower analogies to describe different temperaments.
Dandelion Babies
Dandelions can grow almost anywhere.
Similarly, some babies seem to adapt easily to different situations.
They may:
• Sleep in different environments
• Adjust more easily to change
• Recover more quickly when routines get off track
• Appear easygoing and flexible
Orchid Babies
Orchids are beautiful but need specific conditions to thrive.
Some babies are naturally more sensitive to their environment.
They may:
• Notice small changes
• Become overstimulated more easily
• Need more support settling to sleep
• Prefer predictable routines
• React more strongly to noise, light, or activity
Neither temperament is better.
Neither temperament is worse.
They are simply different.
Most babies fall somewhere in between.
The goal is to understand and support the child you have.
What Is a FOMO Baby?
Some babies seem genuinely concerned that the moment they close their eyes, something exciting will happen without them.
Parents often call these babies:
FOMO Babies
(Fear Of Missing Out)
These babies may:
• Fight sleep
• Resist naps
• Become distracted during feeding
• Constantly look around the room
• Refuse to miss the action
• Act like sleep is interrupting very important business
A FOMO baby is often alert, curious, social, and fascinated by the world around them.
Parents of FOMO babies often find themselves wondering how a baby can be so tired and still refuse to close their eyes.
They can be exhausting because they seem determined to have a front-row seat to everything happening around them.
They're simply determined not to miss anything.
Development Is Not a Race
It can be tempting to view development as a checklist.
But babies rarely read the milestones chart.
Some babies:
• Roll early
• Walk late
• Talk early
• Sleep late
• Crawl briefly
• Skip crawling altogether
• Focus on language before motor skills
• Focus on movement before language
Healthy development is often uneven.
A child may make huge progress in one area while appearing to pause in another.
This is a normal part of development.
Even Twins Develop Differently
Parents are often surprised by how different twins can be.
Twins share a birthday, but they do not share a personality.
One twin may:
• Sleep better
• Eat better
• Reach milestones first
• Be more adaptable
The other may excel in entirely different ways.
Differences do not automatically indicate a problem.
The Goal Is Not the "Perfect Baby"
Many parents spend months trying to figure out why their baby isn't like someone else's.
A better question is:
"Who is my baby?"
The goal is not to make every baby sleep the same, eat the same, act the same, or develop on the same timeline.
The goal is to understand and support the unique child in front of you.
A Reassuring Note
If your friend's baby sleeps through the night and yours doesn't...
If your neighbor's baby loves every food and yours doesn't...
If your sister's baby sits quietly like a cucumber and yours has very strong opinions...
Some babies are potatoes. 🥔
Some babies are CEOs with a packed schedule and no time for naps. 😂
Your baby is not reading social media posts, parenting books, or milestone charts.
Your baby is simply busy becoming themselves.
And that is exactly what they are supposed to do. 💛