I've never held a baby

I'm not sure I've even held a toddler? Unless manhandling my little sister counts when we were fighting every day? I once held a small child actually whose mother was doing an amazing balancing act on her hip with one arm between the babies legs and her hand spread to support the babies back. I naturally tried to copy but it was awful and after calling me 'cack handed' in front of my boyfriends family someone came to my rescue. I didn't grow up in a big, extended family with little ones running around. And as my last post says, I took the road less travelled and consequently have lots of friends who have yet to start families. So I've had little opportunity.

I'm always amazed at people who confidently scoop up a little one in their arms and start coo-ing in fluent baby talk. I bumble and stutter if faced with in an infant. I avoid anyone holding a small child and hope they don't introduce me to it. It wouldn't understand me so what do I say? Usually 'ooh/ah....hello there...aren't you a lovely thing'. The last time this happened I corrected myself to '...hola', I was sort of joking but the little boys Dad said ...'yeh he's only one', (as though I was a complete moron). Well I wasn't expecting a response!

My Mum had never held a baby either until she held me, she was 30. She said it was weird and wonderful but she seemed at home with it. I have no qualms about holding, bonding or coo-ing at my own child and responding to it's gurgles and babbles. Maybe I won't, I'll be dumb struck. My friend, a lovely Mum, confessed that she couldn't tell her babies cry from the others on the maternity ward, that it sounded terrible and she was clueless.
Anyway, this is another reason I steer myself away from kids under 11, not just because I don't have any myself yet.