What would/did you do with a baby for enrichment?

[ftm76]

I have an 8 week old and he was premie, so his adjusted age is 4 weeks.

I am very anxious about development and want to ensure he has everything possible.

So, if money was/is no object, what classes/events/trips would you take your child on and when?

I’ve booked my first baby sensory as they fill up quick. We are usually always at home and I don’t feel I’m doing enough.

Your baby is barely out of the womb. He needs literally nothing but to be fed, changed and kept warm, and to be close to you.

He needs to be talked to, played with when he’s a bit older and shown the everyday wonders of Sky, trees, fire engines, flowers and all the day to day stuff. He needs to be read to, cuddled and have a mother and father who care for him.

It's totally fine to be home right now. All the baby needs is a loving, responsive caregiver. When you are ready you can get out and about. I enjoyed doing baby classes, mum & baby exercise things and baby swimming because I liked getting out and meeting people but really the baby doesn't need any of that. Do what makes you happy.

I had a very very premature baby who had a brain bleed as well. He’s now much older and my big tip is don’t worry about development obsessively but keep an eye. Intervene early on physical things- physiotherapy done early is really really helpful.
Otherwise just enjoy your baby and expose them to the world- they don’t need to do a baby sensory class- that’s for you for company. You can recreate the same at home with some scarves and music and rattles. Lots of outdoor time, lots of time reading books, nursery rhymes and lots of time just on the mat kicking about. I talked to both my kids a lot. A long walk in a park is hugely stimulating for a baby.

Congratulations on your new baby OP.

I wouldn’t bother with any paid for/ structured activity until DC is at least 6 months, unless it was something I personally wanted to go to for myself (eg, I’m hoping for safe arrival of DC2 imminently, but the only paid for activities I’m planning are baby cinema, and maybe some exercise classes for mums but where you take your baby). Everything else they can get from you. Responsiveness, cuddles, talking lots, singing, reading, black&white toys and books, skin to skin, stroking, walking outside, etc.

The very best thing you can do for your baby now and going forward is to get a handle on your anxiety.

Beyond that, talk to your baby, sing to him , read to him. Do tummy time. Play peekaboo. Tickle him. Take him out to the park/seaside/forest for fresh air and a change of scenery. Visit family or friends, let him see as many friendly faces as you can provide.

But properly tackle the anxiety, don't cover it with a multitude of expensive baby classes. That won't help.

I have done baby swimming and baby music classes including exercise for the mums. Both were great for the children and I met other parents. Maternaty leave can be a bit lonely.

But at 8 weeks you don't have to do anything. Just take care of the child. Do things for fun if you enjoy them.

I used to take them to home ware stores to look at the light fittings. They lived all the twinkly lights.

Read books, sing songs, use sensory toys, cuddles, Bath time ... baby classes are for the parents not the baby.

At that age - skin to skin cuddles , sing and talk and read to him, baby massage is also really good in a nice warm room

Baby classes are for mums to meet other mums. (I say mum because they are on maternity leave) They are not for enrichment of the baby at all so don’t worry about that angle.

DS2 is a 27 weeker, so I completely understand the developmental stress, but the best thing is for you not to be stressed. Is it your first child? If so, I would go to a sling library and get help choosing a sling that you're both comfortable using. The best thing for me when I was at my most worried was knowing he was close and benefitting from that, even though I felt like a ball of anxiety that couldn't give him the undivided attention that DS1 had.

Songs are great, so sing to him. If you've a local library then they often run rhyme time. Baby massage can be a nice way of interacting (although I can't say I personally liked it!)

But really, focus on yourself a lot too. I went on endless walks with DS2 in the sling, because after months beside a hospital bed I needed the fresh air. I put a lot of effort into breastfeeding because it was something that was important for me, so I had afternoons where I was just doing skin to skin with him to encourage a better latch. And when he napped on me I had everything set up so I could play my Nintendo switch!

I had a preemie who was 8 weeks early, I did nothing apart from plenty of fresh air and daily walks in the pram, cuddles, singing and chatting.

Eye contact, talking to him, being attentive to his needs and taking him outside sometimes it's plenty.

The benefit of baby classes at the minute is for you, not baby. It gives you a reason to get up, have a routine, go out, talk to other adults. If baby classes don’t help with that, don’t do them and don’t feel guilty about hurting baby’s development.

Everything you can do in a baby sensory class you can do at home. You can buy a cheap bubble wand and blow bubbles. You can let baby feel different textures as you do laundry. As they get bigger you can play peek-a-boo as you do laundry and then you can start talking to them about what colour this top is or counting items. You can set them up with utensils and a baking tray of water under a towel. Singing to them, reading with them and talking to them about literally everything, as you go for a walk “we’re going to go for a walk now. I wonder what we’ll see today. Maybe we’ll see a lorry or a tractor. Maybe we’ll be the bus. Or some dogs”.

I did baby massage when DC was really tiny. They had reflux and I would do the reflux massage but I don’t really think it helped but I have since used the sinus massage when we’ve had colds and felt bunged up.

Absolutely this.

Our music classes were led by a great teacher and were very much for the babies.
My children enjoyed baby swimming.

The mothers had coffee afterwards which I enjoyed.

No mum has to do classes to be a great mum. It was a nice thing for me to do together with the things at home and the park on my own.

Cuddled baby and breastfed endlessly, as much as baby wanted to do it.
Read lots of books.
Singing and nursery rhymes. Gentle classical music on in the background at home.
Lots of pram and sling walks.
Visits to loving grandparents.
"The Montessori Baby" is a lovely book on child development that will give you some very gentle and simple ideas for things to introduce if you wanted to, e.g. a mirror.
Classes are definitely not necessary, but Suzuki method early years music classes are suitable from birth if you have one near you with a good teacher, as the method is so gentle and repetitive. (Avoid all the big franchise baby music classes, they are mostly total rubbish.) Baby swimming can also be lovely if you enjoy the water, and good for their physical development. (But not at all necessary in order for them to swim when they're older!)

I wanted to take my first baby to classes but it was during lockdown so couldn't. So she only really did stuff from 18 months onwards. I mostly took her to no frills church stay and plays, soft play and round to my friends to play with their children. In terms of enrichment I think this was honestly enough. They don't care if they are playing with a battered box of Duplo in a drafty church hall as opposed to a fancy structured baby group.

Congratulations on your baby OP 😊at this age you are your baby's enrichment

I took my first to loads of classes and we went through endless colic for many months as a result due to overstimulation. My next children I kept in darkness and let them sleep almost all the time and it was blissful.

Exactly. A baby who has literally just emerged into the actual world doesn’t need extra ‘enrichment’. Their own hand and the feeling of air on their skin are still a novelty. Baby sensory classes and Mozart for Babies and the like are aimed at the kind of anxious new parents who are easily parted from their cash by a fairly cynical industry.

@ftm76

Talk to him. All the time. Just chatter away about whatever you're doing. That's the best enrichment possible.

My mother used to say that babies ought to wear t shirts saying "This Grows up Automatically"!

I'm expecting, and have a long list of local things to do. Some which are free, others which are paid for.

Examples:

Free

• Walks in woods
• Walk along river
• Visit garden center (especially when they have Christmas lights up!)
• Library visits
• Walking around shopping center
• Local mum/baby classes
• Lay baby on a picnic mat in the garden (when a bit older)
• London - free museums
• Hikes in Surrey hills

Paid for

• Baby swimming classes
• Kew Gardens
• Farms
• Chessington World of Adventures
• Baby cinema

At home:

• Bath time with toys/lights
• Making sensory mats (bubble wrap, toilet roll etc stuck to a piece of cardboard)
• Playing music
• Singing songs / signing along to songs
• Reading books
• Tummy time activities
• Visits from family/friends

Mine was 6 weeks prem. He is now in the RAF. Please do not worry, 4 weeks is fine.
cuddles, fresh air, laying on your chest whilst you watch a film and rest.
I did baby massage, waste of time at that age. Just spend time, walking, reading, cuddling. Make the most of it. Before you know it they will be a miserable teenager with no cuddles.

Your baby needs a loving, happy and engaged Mum. Do things that you will enjoy. Try to meet other mums and establish a network for yourself.

Baby sensory/massage is lovely as I do think they enjoy the calm and the twinkly lights and it is a good bonding activity. As someone else said though, they are equally mesmerised by the light fitting section of any home store!

Just cuddle, feel, play, talk, bath and sing to your baby and show them the world around you. That's all they need when they are little.

I'd also recommend you read something like The First Three Years of Life by Burton L White. It's from a study from the 70s but I found it to still be relevant and a very interesting read.