Their little brains are quickly growing during this stage of their life. Simple things for you and me, like object permanence, cause and effect, and different sounding voices are all brand new concepts to them and take time for them to understand. They can quickly become attached to their primary caregiver and not be flexible at all when it comes to being with anyone else.
Note: I know from experience that the attachment a new baby feels for their mom and the fact that often they don’t settle for anyone else can be especially tough for new mamas dealing with postpartum hormones and sleep deprivation. I, myself, was found many times saying “what is wrong with my baby?!” or “what is wrong with me?!” because I just so desperately needed a break. I pray you find your village and all of the help that you need. This can be a really tough spot–please reach out if you’re finding yourself feeling lost. We have a whole community group focused on nurturing moms. There are so many resources available to help you.
Babies of all ages can also become overstimulated very easily because they can’t filter out irrelevant sensory input the way grown-ups can. So, loud or unfamiliar scenes can be super challenging to them. In addition, they can’t yet communicate by saying “mom, there is too much going on and my brain is struggling to filter unnecessary sights and sounds! This is making me feel overwhelmed” They communicate this kind of feeling through meltdowns, difficulty going to sleep, and all around crankiness.
As babies get older it is not uncommon for them to enter a period of time where they are aware that they can’t get where they want to go fast enough and it frustrates them. This is right around the time they start walking. It may cause frustration and tantrums because they know what they want but are struggling to communicate with you or achieve it themselves. This frustration is actually valuable because it is part of what drives them to eventual growth and success in achieving or communicating about what they want. But the process can be challenging–once again, reach out for the parenting support you need to help you stay balanced through the ups and downs.