Are you wondering if your baby is gifted? As a parent of a (now identified as gifted in the first grade) baby, I was constantly thinking, “Wow. This does not seem typical for a baby!”
Following are some of the completely unscientific observations and stories of Lucy’s milestones leading up to her first birthday. In retrospect, it seems to me that there were very early indications of giftedness – even in utero. Lucy has now been identified as profoundly gifted and is now 6.5 years old and in first grade. Her sister Lily is 3.5 years old and in preschool.
Notable Pregnancy and Birth Events
- During pregnancy I was nearly in tears on many occasions with the incessant kicking and activity going on in my tummy. I recall one particularly difficult day around 6 months gestation where I was thinking after 5 hours of nonstop kicking and moving, “Please go to sleep, I need to work!” She didn’t even wait to be born before impacting my schedule!
Birth – 1 Month Old
- Both of my children were born via a drug-free, midwife-assisted natural childbirth. Does this matter, or is it relevant? Probably not. But the notion that it’s “ok” to pump mom full of drugs on the day of birth when she has avoided all additives and substances during the prior 9 months seems counterintuitive to me – but that’s just personal opinion.
- Within hours of birth, both children made direct eye contact with maternity ward nurses – with several nurses claiming that they turned their heads to follow the nurses voices, and even smiled at them. The nurses were convinced that they were truly smiling – we were something of a celebrity in the maternity floor during both births!
- Both of my children were photographed between 14 – 21 days old with HUGE happy social smiles and direct eye contact in response to Mom’s gleeful prompting. The average age of the first social smile is 6-8 weeks.
- Lucy was VERY sensitive to noise at birth. She would be visibly shaken and begin to cry over sudden noises (ice maker on fridge), and was extraordinarily aware of her surroundings. She resisted napping and needed constant stimulation.