Neighbours asked us to be quiet

[sillystupidupset]

My next door neighbours told us we are being to loud in the mornings. I have a 8 month old baby who is awake around 6. He is finding his voice and talking loudly and shouting. He doesn't cry, and is happy... just learning to make noises I suppose.

I can't control this at all, playing, holding, rocking etc does not stop him from doing it.

I feel so awful about my neighbours but what can I do?

I guess I'm just asking on a scale of 1 to 10, how bad should I feel

They are being unreasonable. Just ignore

Put the child to bed at 9pm. No waking until after 8am. Problem solved

Some responses have actually made me quite tearful , as the last few mornings have been awful. My DH is shushing him at every noise and we are getting agitated and stressed with each other. When I'm giving him breakfast and he is laughing his head off I just feel worried that they can hear him.

Thanks everyone for helpful and kind responses

on a scale of 1-10 it's a 1! How much noise can a 8 month baby make pahahahaha!

OP try and keep away from shared walls. You may feel like you shouldn't have to but you chose to have a baby not them. Why should they be disturbed every morning. Would you like it if they got a dog that barked you awake every morning?

@jonnybiscuits Your child must be an absolute dream. I'm jealous. Unfortunately for me, that doesn't work

Don’t shush him at every noise, long term I’d be worried that could affect him. Your neighbours will have to cope.

@pinkyredrose they have a 2 dogs that bark all day and all night

Please don’t try to keep your baby quiet, he is learning all about his voice and controlling it.

Your baby can’t do anything about his noise level, your neighbours are adults and are perfectly capable of using ear plugs or other forms of noise muting. Yes it’s a shame they may have to do that in their own home, but that’s life and it’s temporary!

Just say politely that you know it's annoying but that you take him downstairs as soon as you can and cant think of anything else that might help. Ask if they have any suggestions - that should make them pause for thought.

Haaa, they should live next door to my neighbours.
Absoloute hell. Lost count how many times police have been called by multiple residents the last 18months. vile POS!!

As for your neighbours, there is nothing you can do , perhaps if its an issue for them, you can suggest they buy ear plugs as you really cant stop your happy baby making sound

Why not OP? It seems to work for every parent in continental Europe? If the infant is up for the day at 6 push bedtime back by two hours. Sorted.

You can’t compare barking dogs to babies. One can be trained and should not be allowed to bark, the other is normal noise.

I’m a very noise intolerant person. I hate being able to hear my neighbours. Who sadly live their life at full volume. Radio blaring, tv turned up, etc. It annoys the hell out of me but I chose to live in a semi.....obviously I’d have loved a detached but couldn’t afford it. But you can’t complain about normal living noise. I’ve bought noise cancelling headphones.

Given they have dogs that bark at all hours and due to the weeks of chaos you've mentioned, I wouldn't worry about it. Smile and nod and just carry on doing what you're doing.

If they’re complaining now about a baby chatting and babbling in the morning they are in for a surprise when you have a toddler, still with no volume control screaming at the top of their lungs because their banana broke or you gave them the wrong coloured cup.

Extreme I know but would you be in a position to move in the next year or so? Your baby will only get louder unfortunately.

Your neighbours are the ones being unreasonable. Most babies wake up early. They're programmed to do so. There is nothing you can do about it, and you shouldn't feel guilty that you have a lovely, healthy baby who wants to chat to you.

Are your neighbours my ex neighbours? A year after they moved out I was told by the mum on the other side that she was relieved they were gone as they had come around one day when she was alone with her toddler and newborn to complain that they could hear the baby crying and the next time they heard it they were calling social services!

@jonnybiscuits I'm just unlucky then I suppose, I have tried a later bedtime and he still wakes at the same time

I do have a 4 year old as well, she is no bother to them as she is asleep at that time!

Just ignore them! Being totally unreasonable. If they complain again, ask them for suggestions? It’ll soon shut them up! X

Here is nothing you can do and there is nothing you should do.

I think the next time you speak to then lightly reference how thin the walls are and how much noise travels, both ways.

Jonnybiscuirs - it's lovely if pushing back bedtime means a later waking up time for your family, but it really doesn't work for all. All a late bedtime meant for my child was the usual 5:30am wake-up time combined with a tired and grouchy child for the rest of the day.

Don't worry OP- we lived in a tiny semi detached when the twins were babies- they were on two hourly feeds at first, then as they found their voices would chatter loudly in "twinese".

Unless your baby is screaming or shrieking don't worry. Don't shush him unnecessarily and don't apologise- if you live in a family house and a family move in next door, family noise is to be expected.

If they say anything to you, just smile, nod if you are feeling generous say something about playing quietly downstairs then ignore them.

@C152H absolutely agree, tried it with my 4 year old and tired it with the baby. Hasn't worked for either.

I personally don’t see 6 am as being that early !
However I do understand others might 😂

But just wanted to say that being woken by a chatty healthy baby who giggles and is delighted in finding his voice is a beautiful sound . Enjoy your baby and don’t worry about the noise .
Before you know it he will be a teenager, silent and not getting up before noon 🙄🙄🙄
We are in a detached house - via my window I can hear my neighbours 18 month daughter running around the garden giggling , chatting loving her freedom . From about 7 am .Wouldn’t dream of complaining ever ... it’s a happy sound . It’s been a pleasure to see the little baby who came home in a wee bundle progressing healthily .( looking forward to seeing her sibling when they arrive in the summer !)

As an aside , I’d love for a day for my daughter to be that young again . Mid teens now !

Seriously, just smile at your neighbours and explain that babies don’t come with an off switch .

I’m sure many mumsnetters could tell horror stories about noisy neighbours.
A wee baby just doesn’t fit into that category..
Relax and enjoy your baby .

Can they not move their bedroom?

Why should they ? It's not an issue of their making ?

I have sympathy for both sides. It is rotten to be woken up by someone else's noise, every day. They didn't choose to have a baby. Equally, there's not an awful lot you can do, so just acknowledge that they have a right to be annoyed, be nice, and carry on as usual. Bit of drip-feeding about the dogs though!