Appearance of Baby alters?

Do baby alters always look like the body did at the time of the making? I'm asking because I'm guessing a child that young wouldn't be concerned with not looking like the body (not even having a clear view of what its body even is and isn't), merely with not being in it.

I am talking about age 0-1 here.

Thanks for any help

It was only very briefly, but I noticed this baby in here, and yes she looks like the photos. I don't know about Always but for me I guess she does look like the body.

Thank you. I appreciate the reply. I'm not sure what to make of mine: 1 looks like the body, the other I have no idea if she does as there isn't a photo of me from that age.

Good point about babies maybe not understanding their appearance. Adam is less than one so we can't really ask him. He seems to accept the size of the body as it is, but there was probably an initial adjustment.

Edward has been triggered out lately by cute things in stores so we're getting to know him better. His appearance is definitely not like the body, then or now. We knew that first because Max was able to see him as a small blond child, and it's consistent with picturebook images that floated up when Edward arrived. Initially, we felt a very strange vertigo when he first appeared, as if a child under two suddenly was the height of an adult. He's used to his height now though. He may have arrived before age 1, we just don't know.

New alters seem to be warned by other alters not to look in reflections or mirrors, like as soon as they're awake. It feels like they're being told because they'll turn away but seem perplexed about why they need to.

I have an infant who is always crying. It is more the sound and a vision somewhat like a bundled baby (white cotton receiving blanket). I try to zoom in on the face but it blurs and my focus is taken to the wailing and open mouth.

I have no co-con with the baby yet, so I don't know how aware it is of the body. The audible part appeared in therapy a few months ago and more or less lingers or fades away. The image of the white bundle has been around for a while, but there is a lot of caution around this baby. But there is this overwhelming warning that no one can hold the baby. I don't know if I am not ready to hold it or if it is not ready to be held.

My T and I tried an agreement once that I would put the baby in his care for the weekend because I couldn't deal with the sounds. This kind of worked, in the sense I wasn't as stressed about it (even though it was still in my head). It's like leaving difficult topics/subjects with the therapist. A place where they are discussed and can be left there safely. I have alters that do not hear the baby.

Sam

Thank you all for your replies, they help a lot

It is more the sound and a vision somewhat like a bundled baby (white cotton receiving blanket). I try to zoom in on the face but it blurs and my focus is taken to the wailing and open mouth.

That is very interesting.

Edward has been triggered out lately by cute things in stores so we're getting to know him better. His appearance is definitely not like the body, then or now. We knew that first because Max was able to see him as a small blond child, and it's consistent with picturebook images that floated up when Edward arrived. Initially, we felt a very strange vertigo when he first appeared, as if a child under two suddenly was the height of an adult. He's used to his height now though. He may have arrived before age 1, we just don't know.

Very interesting. Does Edward know? I find that some of my youngest don't know when they arrived if they arrived at a very early age due to not having the same concepts of time then.

Sorry for hijacking

what I wonder, what do baby alters see if they look in the mirror with the body? :O or littles in general
the body is big enough to see in the mirror, but little children just woudn't reach it since they are too small, so do they see.. like.. nothing?

lifelongthing wrote: a child that young wouldn't be concerned with not looking like the body

My understanding is that the age of the host at the time of dissociation defines the psychological age of the alter. An alter's narcissism, need for individualism and self expression, is defined by his role in the system rather than his psychological age. Age, gender or race, the disconnect between an alter's self perception/memory of self and his current reality can be the cause extreme dysphoria. He may use double think, dissociation, self hypnosis, denial or any combination of coping mechanisms to deal with this.

Johnny-Jack wrote:Edward has been triggered out lately by cute things in stores so we're getting to know him better. His appearance is definitely not like the body, then or now. We knew that first because Max was able to see him as a small blond child, and it's consistent with picturebook images that floated up when Edward arrived. Initially, we felt a very strange vertigo when he first appeared, as if a child under two suddenly was the height of an adult. He's used to his height now though. He may have arrived before age 1, we just don't know.

lifelongthing wrote:Very interesting. Does Edward know? I find that some of my youngest don't know when they arrived if they arrived at a very early age due to not having the same concepts of time then.

I doubt Edward could explain even if he does know but maybe we can figure it out in the future. He hasn't spoken yet. I can sometimes "hear" word thoughts of other littles but not Edward. His primary purpose and/or focus is moral judgment, a big concept for a toddler. Basically, how do you know how to be good or bad and should I (we) be good, like the books always tell us. Adults around us did bad so it was confusing.

Sphinx knows origin details for eight of us, including Adam, Ashar, and himself, but nothing about Edward and (so far) eleven others. Very frustrating.

what I wonder, what do baby alters see if they look in the mirror with the body? :O or littles in general
the body is big enough to see in the mirror, but little children just woudn't reach it since they are too small, so do they see.. like.. nothing?

I think it depends on the system. Some of our littles have a very interesting view of the world when they are out. It boggles my mind. One especially boggling experience was when we had gotten help cleaning our sink and cabinet that had been visibly dirty. My 5 year old alter came out and says "there's still dirt under the sink there *points towards the sink*". Thing is, physically she was not at all supposed to be able to see it and we had not been there while the other (physical) person was cleaning and so we couldn't have known she'd missed it either. With our height this should've been impossible. Some of us see ourselves in the mirrors and some do not. As for our baby parts, I'm guessing they see our body as it is but doesn't equate it to being theirs as their own physical body at the time of splitting wasn't experienced as theirs either way (children that age aren't aware of their physical body in those terms).

My understanding is that the age of the host at the time of dissociation defines the psychological age of the alter.

*trigger warning for theory*
This is not true by any theory that I know of. I have adult alters who have been adults since I was little, and that is common for many people with DID.
*end*


Thank you for sharing that Johnny-Jack.

Sphinx knows origin details for eight of us, including Adam, Ashar, and himself, but nothing about Edward and (so far) eleven others. Very frustrating.

I would imagine. You of course don't have to answer, but do you know why you don't have information about those specific ones? I have found complexities in my system and I find we share information differently due to this.