Age regression vs little space

[Stardust2]

Not really sure how to bring this up. I've thought i was a little for years. Some few  yrs ago got with a guy(now my husband) and told him I was a little. He accepted it. But I was pretty quiet about the whole thing. Well i got pregnant 2 yrs ago with our kid and ever sinse have kind of kicked it out of my life. Just ignoring it. I would sometimes enter little space but then make myself get out of it.  Recently though I've been really struggling. I keep finding myself in it but it felt different and I can't control it like little space. And the weird thing about it is I genuinely feel so small and young and when I come out of it feel like I'm growing even though I literally never changed heights. So when I did digging I came across age regression wich can be from trauma which I have lot. How do you know the difference between the two can you be both or only one? I'm still into the whole ddlg thing would I have to give it up?

Also how can you tell when someone is into it. I never forced my husband when I told him he said I could call him daddy but I've always been shy and just never did. A few months ago he just came up to Me and started baby talking and hinting towards it. Out of the blue. It's been a whole Two yrs since our baby was born. I shut him down and said I can't and when he asked why not I kinda lied and said cause we have kids now don't have time for that. He dropped it but I don't know...

 

[LittleS]

Hi! I'm not an expert as I only really learnt about littles a few months ago. However, I do know that being in littlespace helps me with stress and anxiety. When I don't make time to be little it starts to build up untill I can't cope and I go non verbal. Our brain finds ways to help us through stressful times. That could be why you are age regressing. I suggest to try and make time for littlespace occasionally to help with that build up of emotions. It might help you feel better mentally and stop the forced regression (hopefully) 

I know you are probably busy with having a kid. But you can always schedule a time/day/time for littlespace. And if you feel awkward with your husband being a part of that that's fine you don't have to. However the fact that he tried to baby you suggests it's something he really wants to try. Maybe try it once or twice with him? I've heard having a caregiver can really help with mental health. Sometimes being responsible for ourselves and others 24/7 is stressful and having someone to take over and look after us, even for a few minutes can really help. If you really don't like him being a part of you littlespace though that's fine. 

You can always try to make time when your kids is in bed to be little. 

Last bit of advice that I recently learned for myself. : being a little is a part of who we are. We need to take care of all sides of ourselves to feel good. I've always acted more childlike when stressed or upset even before I learnt about littlespace. However when I did learn about it, I purposely started doing those childlike things even when I'm not upset and found myself it a happier mindset. I have a couple draws in my bedroom that's just for my littlespace stuff. Colouring books, adult pacifiers, onsies with cute patters and cartoons on them. Like I said it's important to take care of all our different sides. Our little side needs to be happy too even if you don't let them out often. 

Like I said before, having a kid can make it harder (I don't have one so I'm only guessing). I can imagine it's hard to take out time for yourself. The forced regression might be your brains way of forcing you to take that time out in order to stop you from becoming too overwhelmed. 

Hope this huge paragraph helps at least a bit ♥️

Edit: you don't have to give it up, like I said, schedule it around your child.... there isn't really a difference between littlespace and age regression. Littlespace just means you are in a childlike mindset. You can regress normally which is what we usually refer to as being a little, or our body can force a regression on us, usually when stressed or need help with mental health. 

Edited July 31, 2024 by LittleS

[Daddylunababy]

I’m particularly interested in the answers to the questions in the first part of your post.

 I don’t believe I have ever read a precise description of the (supposed) differences between being in “littlespace” and being regressed.

My wife and I don’t even use the term littlespace.  If she’s little — behaving, thinking in a childlike manner — we always refer to it as regression.  Frankly, it’s far easier for me to accept the existence of subspace (something widely attested to) than littlespace, for which there is already an understood analogue (age regression).

Note that I’m not raising the issue of age regression being a non-sexual experience — maybe it is (for some), maybe it isn’t (for others).  My girl can definitely be sexual when regressed.  But all that is beside the point:  what I am interested in is how *the experiences themselves* can be distinguished.

[PrincessCarmilla]

On 7/28/2024 at 8:29 AM, Stardust2 said:

How do you know the difference between the two can you be both or only one? I'm still into the whole ddlg thing would I have to give it up?

So I'm not a doctor unless I'm playing pretend, let me just start there. With that said, I want to say (in my experience) it's the severity of the altered headspace. Regression is almost like an unconscious disassociation from age and mind. For me, when I'm regressed a lot of adult parts of me kinda get locked away and become near inaccessible without a lot of cognitive effort. Big words get harder to pronounce, my emotions get bigger, and it gets much harder to self-soothe.

Littlespace in my experience can be shaken off much easier than regression as well in part because littlespace is more voluntary.

In short, think of it like a spectrum with littlespace being like a lighter form of regression. That's how I think of it

 

On 7/28/2024 at 8:29 AM, Stardust2 said:

Also how can you tell when someone is into it?

Well in my experience, regression (as well as littlespace) is a pure expression of who I am behind the adult facade. And the mask can sometimes fall, especially when you're trying my hardest to hold it together. I have noticed that when I'm trying to fight a regression (to complete responsibilities or the like) I'll sometimes slur a word or use my characteristic "uh-huh" response.

I'd ask him because he obviously loves you and is attuned to you enough to pick up on it. He probably has noticed a lot of tiny things that reveal you're really fighting it. Please, be honest with him. The fact that he's noticed and cares enough to ask is a wonderful sign that he wants to work with you to help get your needs met