To think this is too much to expect with a 4 week old baby?!

[MotherofKitties]

I just want to see whether people think this is reasonable at this stage and what they did/would expect at this age?

I've had my first baby and she's 4 weeks old. I've had a countless number of people telling me I need to get her to baby classes (baby sensory, massage etc) and get myself out and about to the gym and fitness classes but I think that at 4 weeks that's far too early, or is it not?!

Also with my DH back at work and my DD constantly feeding, all I seem to be able to do all day is feed and change her, I just about managing to keep on top of the house work but I don't even make it out of the house most days!

She's a happy baby, sleeps as you would expect a 4 week old to but is alert and so far doesn't suffer from colic (fingers crossed this continues!) and I'm slim and getting back into some sort of shape purely through Breastfeeding, so I don't know why there's so much expectation to be taking her to classes or hitting the gym so soon, unless this is the norm?

At what age did you start taking your baby to classes? What should I be aiming to do/achieve at 4 weeks other than feeding her, changing her etc?

I could barely see straight at 4 weeks after birth. I took mines to classes around 3-4months. more for mums than babies at this age.
Still don't exercise and mines is now 6months old

I took one of mine to baby massage and she was like a leaky tap, didn't stop peeing for most of the session - never went back. Classes and groups are only necessary if you feel they are and then when you're ready.
I would try to get out every day if you can though, even to the garden or the end of the street and back, it's easy to get into a habit of not going anywhere and suddenly you haven't left the house for a week .

Mind your own ruddy business is what I'd be saying. Baby doesn't need sensory stimulation...baby gets enough just having been born and getting used to being out of the womb. As for you...do whatever YOU want to do. Your brain and body will guide you x

I would go out when you feel ready. However, I found it was helpful to see others mums and realise I wasn't the only exhausted one that there were other people feeling the same

With my first I didn't leave the house on my own with him until 4 weeks and that was for a walk to a park about half a mile away and back!! I did do baby massage but nothing else. He's a well rounded two year old now who is enjoying his baby brother. People are weird to comment. Long as you and your baby are happy it's all good.

Your baby, your rules. Listen to everyone's advice, but do what you like.

absolutely ignore them! my god all the twats whose voices i've replayed in my heads saying stupid shit like "the baby just fits in with you" and "oh yes start them young it's easy when they are tiny" (with reference to sailing) are full of it and I wish I had not wasted any of the precious minutes with my tiny baby thinking i was doing it wrong because it wasn't bloody easy at all and just leaving the house to pop to the supermarket single handed took (takes!) all morning and is exhausting and tbh sometimes even a bit scary! DONT EVEN GET ME STARTED ON SAILING WITH A BABY YOU UTTER PRATS. argh. do whatever you bloody well feel you can manage and enjoy it. it's such a precious time in your life and your DD will be so munch more independent so quickly. my baby is 4mo and is rolling over, thinking about sitting. loves having his mum and dad around and having a simple walk. anything else is a bonus but he really doesn't care and is happy with whatever lot or little we do.

I bought into all the classes shite with my first. With dc2, I did what I wanted, which wasn't a lot, and was far more relaxed as a result. Do what YOU want.

All those classes seem to be the "must do" with babies. If you are interested in them but can't fit them in at this stage, why not look at a certain on line site for some demonstrations and do them yourself for a few minutes at home. You may get some relaxation too.Do not get uptight about what everyone else has done or is doing. Take everything at your own pace you will all of a sudden find you do have time to go out for a walk or socialisation. Everyone is different, and don;t believe all you are told about being a mum.

Congratulations on your little girl!

For most of its way too early but I went to groups from 6 weeks but for me - it was nice to go talk to others. It wasn't anything sporty though but mummy groups followed by sitting in a café talking to other mums while the babies slept. It was more for me than my little girl. I got food, drink and company while no mess at home Go and you want to but only when you feel right.

With my DS we barely got out til he was 3 months old, other than trips to coffee shops for cake! We started groups then and I made some fantatic friends at them. We're still friends now 4 years later and see each other a few times a week. Didn't have the same luxury with my DD 7 months ago and was out at indoor play centres at 6 days! Now that DS is off to school on Wednesday I'm looking forward to starting at groups again with my DD and making some new friends.
Take your time getting out and about. Do as much or little as you feel able to do. Congratulations on your DD. Enjoy the ride!!!!

It's purely for the parents. I look back and cringe at some of the stuff I felt I "should" be doing. Baby sensory was one of the most ridiculous. Only do it if you want to. The only thing I thought was really good was to try a baby swim class before they get too big, just so they get used to being in a pool.

Congratulations on the arrival of your little one. Those days seem like such a long time ago, and my little girl is only 21 months now!

Obviously it is up to you what you do and when, but I disagree with some of the people who have said that babies don't get anything out of the classes. They do, and the more you can do with them is of great benefit to them.

A baby is born with a certain number of brain cells and if these aren't stimulated/used, then they die away.

I started doing classes (baby massage, baby sensory, crafty tales etc) when my little girl was about 3-4 weeks old and I could tell that she genuinely loved them. She was so relaxed after the massage classes that she always fell asleep and slept for a long time, giving me some time to rest, catch up on jobs etc.

She loved the lights and music at the baby sensory and it was sad when we had to leave the class when she reached a year old.
She still loves music and singing and is a very affectionate and tactile little girl.
Clearly there is no way to guarantee that the classes are the reason for this but I do believe that they helped.

As other people have said, I have also made some good friends from the classes.

Each to their own though as what your own preferences are.

I wish you well, and enjoy your little one while they are still so small.

It totally depends on the person. With ds (first baby) I started going to a weekly weigh in, followed by tea and chat session run by the hv team at 4 weeks and did baby massage at 5/6 weeks. I went on to do baby sign, baby yoga, baby club etc as I enjoyed them and made some really good friends. I went out every day from ds being a few days old. I always had plenty of time for watching box sets and feeding but really couldn't be doing with sitting about all day every day.

When I had dd, ds was 19 months old so I really couldn't spend too much time lounging about as he would have gone stir crazy! I didn't do any classes with her (because I always had ds)but she was with us on walks, picnics, toddler groups etc from being maybe 3 weeks old.

If you're happy with what you're doing then carry on.

Crikey, do what you want and what fits in with you and your baby. The best thing anyone told me when I was on maternity leave was to listen to the advice you liked the sound of and cultivate a polite nod and smile for what you wanted to ignore. I did go to classes later on and they helped (speaking to an adult in person can be nice) but books and telly are good when you're constantly feeding.

Congratulations!

I would have rather shot myself in the face than been at classes with a 4 week old baby. Do what you want to do. I would have had a melt down being forced out the house at that point but some people love it - all so down to the individual and what you feel is right for you. I wish people would fuck off and leave new Mums alone to make their own choices.

Yanbu at all but In my case at least one walk every day with the pram did a lot for my mental wellbeing. For ages I couldn't get the child to sleep anywhere other than on my boob or out in the pram.

Babies don't need to go to any classes, but once you're feeling up to it it's good to get out and chat to other mums. One church playgroup I attended was exactly that, tea coffee and biscuits and an opportunity to chat.
Older kids could play, but there were plenty of newbies just sleeping or being fed while the mums chatted. Many mums are cliquey but it's not hard to find one that are welcome to chat to a fellow new mum.

Congratulations on having your first baby! Do not let anyone pressure you, this is not the done thing, everybody does these when they are ready and if they want to.
I barely left the house till my first born was 4 months old. Then i started talking him to play groups and we both made lots of friends. My second DS is 10 weeks old and I'm finding everything more difficult and i just wish i could stay in bed like i did with the first one!

Back to your question don't worry about where to take her, a couple more months and you'll want to go out with her. But don't do it until you're ready, you need to have energy to take her out to places. And i never went to the gym, lots of mums don't, i suppose that depends on you whether you want to or not?
Good luck and enjoy your family

I went away for the weekend, with my ds of course, a week after he was born by c section - far too early! Wish we had just stayed in and snuggled up on our own instead now but you live and learn. Stay in and enjoy your baby, there will be plenty of time for groups etc when you feel the time is right. Congratulations

Most classes start from 6 weeks. With my first I took her to baby massage at 6 weeks and found it relaxing. I didn't really take her to play groups till she was a lot older. With my second I do baby massage at home as I already know how to do it she is now 5 months and I have started to take her to play groups more as company for me. Go when you feel comfortable. Maybe family are worried that you need to get out and have some adult company. But it's not going to help you in anyway forcing yourself out the house when your stressing about feeding etc. These groups are great, when your ready for them x

I started at around 9-10 weeks and I was encouraged by the hv, as in "there's a class on Wednesday at this place at 10am", I wasn't going to go but I was glad I did as it would probably have taken me longer to get round to it, and I met a lot of new mums and babies.

It's entirely up to you and how you feel.
I never went to any baby or toddler groups. Any socialising we did was done with family and friends or later on at playgroup.
I was out and about very quickly though, after 4 days, (that was on the midwife's instructions, would have gone out sooner if I could.). I recovered from the births very quickly and hate being indoors all day. I was also fully responsible for my older children after my 2nd and 3rd births, so couldn't have sat round babymooning even if I wanted to.

I was out and about within a week, and loved it. I would have gone mad at home. Those classes and baby groups are all for the mums benefit if you as me, if you don't need them don't go, your baby certainly doesn't need them.

I'm impressed that you're keeping on top of the housework! Our house is in chaos, and DS is 10 months old.

As countless others have said- it's personal. We started Baby Sensory at 6 weeks and I went to the gym from about 8 weeks, but I'd been checked over and given the ok to exercise. I stopped going when the 4 month sleep regression hit and baby would only settle for me. I've just started going for evening runs again- mainly because exercise makes a huge difference to my mood- but also because I'm back at work at the end of the month and want to shape up a bit.

Enjoy your newborn, and go at your own pace.

Do what you feel is best I am a first time mum and to be fair my DS is coming upto five months old now and I've been to the gym a total of three times since been off.
I tend to prefer to go for walks with my DS instead to be fair for my fresh air and fitness.
I think my DS was 6 weeks old maybe when I took him to first baby group we tend to go to same one every week and in all honesty it's nice it tends to be more for us mums than the babies at this age you get to go for coffee and cake after for adult conversation and for mums who are in the same boat as you off work with not many friends off or family.
I would say enjoy every day minute you have with your DD it flys by it really does I can't believe how fast my time off with my DS has gone and how quick he is growing 😃