Wondering what to do with baby

[larktreebird]

Struggling with the days at present. Baby isn’t a napper, and staying at home with an increasingly fretful baby is hard.

How do others break the day up a bit?

Only 8 weeks. We walk a lot but still leaves a good 8 hours home alone before DH finishes work. It’s a hell of a long day

You should treasure this time together. They will never been this little or dependent again. Try a walk around the block or a trip to a nearby beach or park for a change of scenery. Also consider decorating a spare room with a different theme to allow them to engage other senses.

Mine is 4 weeks and it is really hard with lockdown. Could you try using different rooms in your house for different scenery, like tummy time in your bedroom, other play in the living room/kitchen? What about an online exercise class that could involve baby too or virtual baby classes?

Well I do want to english but it’s hard when they don’t settle. The idea of decorating a spare room for instance is impossible. Some days I’m lucky if I get to go to the toilet. Mine doesn’t really play, to be honest.

Oh my goodness, 8 weeks. Don't do anything with them except feed, change nappy, wash and put down to sleep. Far too young for activities apart from a good fresh air walk every day.

@larktreebird at that age (which my baby wasn’t far off during the first lockdown), I used to do some massage and singing. I had baby oil and would do nursery rhymes while massaging. There is a ‘jelly on the plate’ song you can do while wobbling their legs, also ‘row the boat’ while rowing their legs gently.

You can get some sensory baby kits, things like a rattle, ribbons and crinkly sheets. Or make your own with a Tupperware with some dried pasta inside. They usually love having a muslin wafted in the air over their face too.

I also took advantage of watching whatever Tv/radio I liked, as when they get older they want their own stuff!

And I agree you won’t have time to decorate a spare room, but make sure you go to the toilet. Even if they’re crying, you need to look after yourself too. It won’t hurt them to cry for a couple of minutes while you go.

My DD is 7 weeks. We loosely follow the EASY routine - Eat, Activity, Sleep, Your Time (though not so much of the Your Time....). I think at this stage they're still too little for much by way of Activity other than a nappy change and some chit chat / eye contact / face pulling. A couple of times a day I get her on a playgym for a few minutes and wave some toys in front of her or put her in her tummy, but I have to be careful not to overstimulate her or she doesn't sleep. As soon as she yawns I start trying to get her to sleep.

The order of things doesn't always work out but gives me a bit of a feeling of routine. Also having a few consistent 'events' each day at a similar time, e.g. walk, bath. Less for her sake than for mine really to have a bit of routine.

Do you have a bouncy chair or something you can put them in? Mine was thevsame but liked being bounced in a chair. I used to have a coffee whilst I positioned the bouncer towards window so he could look out and would bounce him.

Do you use a sling / carrier? It's a lifesaver. Lets you do stuff around the house with your hands free.

Bouncer
Eat play sleep routine
Online baby yoga or massage
Sensory items - crinkle books, shakers etc
Wear baby in a sling
Spend time in different rooms
Give yourself a routine-!egbalways shower in the morning. Baby will be fine even if cries.... you have to look after yourself!

Check for reflux etc if worried there is a reason for fussing.

It sounds hard. I didnt have a fussy baby so feel like the above made for a nice day. Crying on top would have been stressful.

I also have a nap refuser! She's 6 months nowamd tends to do 3 30min naps only. I'd recommend the huckleberry app its suprising accurate at predicting when their nap window is! As for during the day there's lots of online baby classes, some free even. I really enjoy the structure the classes give to my day.

Sending you some support. It’s all very well telling you to treasure this time, but if you are struggling it’s not so easy.
At this age I would be good to yourself. Can you put them in a sling for a bit? Or a bouncer? Stick CBeebies Baby club on for a bit? Read them a baby book? Actually, read them anything you are reading as long as it’s in a soothing voice.

Just to great a break I used to drive around a bit until she fell asleep then get a drive through coffee and park up in the retail park car park to drink it. Used to read a magazine too and occasionally have a nap myself!

Running pram and explore more off road country side areas/ take up running?

On line baby classes

Bubble up with a friend in a similar situation? You are allowed a person in your bubble I think

Oh goodness, 8 weeks is still very tiny. Things will stay to get better soon, but at the moment just get through the days. I'd be surprised if anyone really treasures that time, they just think they did because it's all a blur of birth recovery and brain-melting tiredness. Especially if it's your first and you feel like a bomb just went off in your life.

Treat yourself gently. Tiny babies don't need much stimulation, just attention - a bit of time on the playmat, bouncy chair while you do housework, lots of being held for naps while you watch whatever you like on TV. It is hard when they start to wake up a bit and demand your time, and in lockdown it must be almost unbearable. The days are very, very long sometimes.

Definitely get out for walks when you can - as soon as they start to look tired. Aim for a routine, I did EASY too. It will develop as they get older, don't stress if it doesn't happen straight away. If you need the loo stick the baby on the bath mat or in their cot - they might cry and I know it's hard, but you need to attend to your own needs.

If you can drive, maybe do a very short trip somewhere nearby for something different to look at (literally just different streets will help). And good luck - I hated this age, but everything was much better by four months.

Yeah, 8 week olds dont need tons of stimulation. I would have mine in play gym in morning. Then go for a walk. Then just get some baby toys out if she was interested in playing? Sensory stimulation is good so giving.ur baby the feel of different textures etc. But theres only so much u can do at 8 weeks. I do miss mydaughter being that young. If this is ur first child then i would embrace it. It must b really hard due to lockdown though as id meet friends/playgroup and things too. So stick in there and enjoy yr 1.1 time.

Are there any zoom baby classes? Baby massage or yoga? I did a couple of week, DS wasn’t really into massage etc but it broke up the day and seeing people online still . One teacher also put us all in touch on WhatsApp too and we’re still chatting a few months on.

We also had a bouncy chair and at around 8 weeks was when DS would tolerate it whilst I did a few jobs. I’d move him from room to room with me and just keep talking to him. The achievement of cleaning a room made me feel good.

We did a walk everyday no matter the weather. I downloaded some good podcasts and looked forward to it so I could listen to the next one.

It’s such a hard age!

It's sooooo hard. The whole lockdown and my maternity leave has been trapped in the house with my baby and 2 year old. The days are very long and both exhausting and boring at the same time

Get your baby's napping sorted. It's so important. At that age they should only be awake for like an hour at a tile or something crazy. Google baby wake times

Once I got my youngest napping it made a massive difference. To anything you need to do to make it happen

Good luck

Think I went to my first baby group a around 6 weeks. I used to visit parents 1 day a week. Lots of walks. Lots of telly(winter). I used to do lots of singing at him. He wasn't much of a napper. Bouncer in front of the washing machine if really desperate.

Mine is 13 weeks. Until a couple of weeks ago she just hung out in the sling all day while I played with her big sister (2). She napped in there really well. When she woke up and wasn’t feeding I’d plonk her in her bouncy chair to watch what was going on or put her on her baby gym.

She has longer awake times now and more up for play but at 8 weeks you just need to get her to sleep however you can. Don’t feel bad about routines or stimulating her unless that would make you feel better.

He was also bf, so that took up a LOT of time.i used to read while he fed. It was the boredom that got to me the most though, your brain doesn't really get much work with a baby.

@englishroseamongstirishthorns that made me laugh so much, decorate a spare room while struggling with a newborn? Really, that's your advice?

I agree if you can get sleep sorted it will all feel much easier- maybe try a sling or let baby nap on your sometimes while you watch netflix or read or whatever. Online baby classes to give you some structure and a reason to brush your hair, stick them in the bouncer for a bit and do some cleaning (only if you think that will break up the boredom, if you hate cleaning i wouldn't bother at this stage. Read to the baby as well - doesn't have to be a baby book at this point, I used to read whatever I was reading aloud, not at all appropriate but really doesn't matter at that age, they just like to hear your voice. Lots of tummy time as well and sensory play (at that age I would just do stuff like tickling dd with a feather or a scarf, swirling ribbons around, playing music. You can find workouts on YouTube that are designed to be done with a baby if thats your kind of thing. Used to help me loads even if I only got 10 mins done twice a week.

It gets easier and you will look back and only remember the lovely bits ❤

I failed miserably at EASY. Since baby doesn’t really sleep during the day I do need some things I can do with him. I’ve done the drive thing just so he’s put down! We go for walks everyday mostly but it’s snowing here now. It’s a tough long day when you have a restless fractious baby!