Are you a baby person?
By Fleur
@Fleura (33560)
United Kingdom
November 30, 2025 11:28am CST
I was never a baby person. I know a lot of people love babies, and some who positively go crazy cooing over them and cuddling them, but I’m not one of them. In the past, when a work colleague brought their offspring in to show off, most people would be queueing up for a cuddle but I’d be the one stepping over the carrycot going ‘Who left that there?’
I always wanted children and when my own came along it was a totally different situation, they were far more interesting than I expected and I was talking to them, showing them things and doing activities with them all the time. And we had (and still have) plenty of cuddles.
But it turns out that that experience hasn’t changed anything. Other people’s babies are still not my ‘thing’. Of course if a friend needs someone to hold the baby while they do something, or even look after them for a while, I’m happy to oblige. But when there’s a new baby on the scene and the proud parents ask ‘Do you want to hold the baby?’ I’m right at the back of the line.
Not many people seem to understand this. Only one new father realised, when he asked ‘Do you want to hold the baby?’ and then quickly continued ‘You don’t have to’.
Thank you Tom. I’m happy to look after a baby if needed but I don’t actually want my shoulder covered in dribble or my hair pulled, thanks very much.
All rights reserved. © Text and image copyright Fleur 2025.
18 people like this
19 responses
@arunima25 (92825)
• Bangalore, India
30 Nov
I love babies. I have always been. I can not stop smiling or responding to babies wherever I see them. I always get attracted to them. Yes, my children were extra special and more than babies of others. That's natural. Well, I am like this and this comes naturally to me. You are different than me and that's natural for you. We both are okay and we should be the way we are.
7 people like this
@arunima25 (92825)
• Bangalore, India
5 Dec
@Fleura 
. I would just share a secret. Loving others babies at times is easier. Your own kids can just drain you on certainly days . Despite that I love my children
. I would just share a secret. Loving others babies at times is easier. Your own kids can just drain you on certainly days . Despite that I love my children1 person likes this
@NJChicaa (126070)
• United States
30 Nov
Definitely not. I've never been interested in babies or young children. I never had them. People find that strange since I am a teacher but I teach teenagers who understand what I mean when I tell them they are on my last nerve. I could NEVER deal with the littles.
My ex and I were smart enough to know that we didn't want to be up in the middle of the night, running around from event to event, etc. We valued our time off and the ability to sleep late on weekends. Some people might think that is selfish but I think it would have been worse if we had kids and then resented having to do all of that stuff.
Some people might think that is selfish but I think it would have been worse if we had kids and then resented having to do all of that stuff.5 people like this
@GardenGerty (167392)
• United States
30 Nov
It would have been much worse to have had them "as expected" and not wanted them. You guys were pretty smart.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (53748)
•
30 Nov
It should be a personal choice to not have babies. Having children doesn’t mean that you are better than others. My sister and I were born to a mother who never functioned as a mother at all. I’m glad I’m here, and I’m glad for the time I had my wonderful sister in my life, I will have to say that I did want children very much, and I also have strived to be a good mother to them.
2 people like this
@AmbiePam (110969)
• United States
30 Nov
When I was sixteen I worked in the nursery of a daycare. The things I had to clean up were far beyond what regular babysitting had prompted me to do. I decided to find something special about each baby so I would be endeared to them, and it worked. I started to miss a few on vacation. But that was out of necessity, and when I quit that job, I no longer missed them.
When my sister had (adopted) her three kids, all I wanted to do was hold and play with them. They were the best, in my opinion. I still think so, and can’t get enough even now. But then a lady in my church said to me, oh you haven’t had a chance to hold my baby! I hurriedly told her my back wouldn’t allow me to pick him up (totally true, it was a huge baby).
As a child, I rushed back to the church nursery to see the cute babies. As I got older, that fascination faded. I still love to see babies, and I’ll hold their little hand, and feel the tight squeeze. So many are absolutely adorable! But I don’t need to go any further.
5 people like this
@Fleura (33560)
• United Kingdom
1 Dec
Maybe it's something to do with how much time we spend with them. With your own child, and others that you see every day, you can really see them grow and learn day by day (at least once they get past the first couple of months) and that makes it more interesting. But when you just see one now and then it's just a meaningless snapshot.
Even with my own babies the first 6 weeks or so was just basically like looking after a pet - feeding them, making sure they were comfortable and cleaning up after them.
1 person likes this
@Shiva49 (27827)
• Singapore
2 Dec
@Fleura The fertility rates have come down below replacement levels in many countries.
However the irony is those countries where poverty is rampant have higher rates.
Let the decision to have children become an individual choice whether to have them or not and not by external considerations like it happens in some cultures. .
1 person likes this
@Dreamerby (9877)
• Calcutta, India
30 Nov
I would hold the baby sometimes if they insist but I don't trust myself and honestly I am not that fond of babies.
3 people like this
@DaddyEvil (166315)
• United States
30 Nov
Someday, would you like to have a baby of your own?
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (167392)
• United States
30 Nov
I am very much like you. I loved having my own babies,but those that belong to others--meh. I did run an inhome childcare for a while, but mostly they were not babies.
1 person likes this
@snowy22315 (201791)
• United States
1 Dec
I do enjoy babies. It has been awhile since I have been around any though. I don't know anybody who has one, my son is 37 and my youngest nephew is 26..plus no friends with small grands or anything.
1 person likes this
@snowy22315 (201791)
• United States
1 Dec
@Fleura I think my nephew and his soon to be wife are planning to have a couple..but that is probably at least 5 years down the road. She's very career focused.
1 person likes this
@DaddyEvil (166315)
• United States
30 Nov
I like babies and most toddlers... after that age, I'd rather somebody else hold or take care of them. Of course, I didn't feel that way for my own kids but they are/were my kids...
When family call and ask if "we" will watch their kids, Pretty goes into her bedroom and locks the door until the kids are gone. She doesn't even want to see/hear them if she can help it.
1 person likes this
@DaddyEvil (166315)
• United States
1 Dec
@Fleura No, I'm a last resort since they know Pretty doesn't want to help take care of kids.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (369956)
• Rockingham, Australia
1 Dec
I'm just like you. I find something else to do if there are babies to be cuddled. I love my own of course but I never did get very good with interacting with the children of others. I wish I was better at it but there you go. I'm not.
1 person likes this
@Fleura (33560)
• United Kingdom
1 Dec
I'm OK with older children, once they can talk they often like to tell me what they have been doing and to show me things and I'm interested and I like to show them things...and hopefully by then their parents will have taught them some basic manners e.g. not to throw food on the floor etc.
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (211678)
• United States
1 Dec
I've never been a baby/child person. My husband and I opted not to have children; and we never regretted it. It would be nice to have your children look after you in your old age; but they probably wouldn't have and they might have been out of state.
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (211678)
• United States
2 Dec
@Fleura Yup. Siblings argue about who should take care of their parents; and no one wants to step up.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (53748)
•
30 Nov
I love holding babies. I carried my own around, my nieces and nephews, and then grandbabies. I love to watch them grow and learn, I love kids in general. Maybe I’m crazy, but I’ve always enjoyed babies.
1 person likes this
@Fleura (33560)
• United Kingdom
1 Dec
I enjoy doing things with older children, once they are able to walk and talk or at least to interact in some way. Babies just don't do anything for me though. Maybe it's something to do with how much time I spend with them. With your own child, and others that you see very often, you can really see them grow and learn day by day (at least once they get past the first couple of months) and that makes it more interesting. But when I just see one now and then that is missing.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (53748)
•
2 Dec
@Fleura
I can see that a young child is always learning, and you can definitely see them advance, day by day. But a tiny baby is totally innocent. Also totally dependent on others for everything, an open book to feelings and learning and growing. They are what we shape them to be, a reflection of other people around them. It's all good. We all start out as that innocent baby, and learn and grow as we age.
1 person likes this
@wolfgirl569 (128435)
• Marion, Ohio
30 Nov
I am like you. I loved holding mine but others not so much. Even the same way with young kids
1 person likes this
@RasmaSandra (93313)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
30 Nov
For me sicne I had a stillbith many moons ago I do not keep company with babies and luckily I don't have to,
1 person likes this
