Heavily pregnant can I just watch a film with my toddler all afternoon??

[Napqueen1234]

38 weeks pregnant. Knackered. We went to a tumble tots class this morning, came home did crafts, lunch and just woke from nap (both of us...😬).

Plan was to go to the park but it’s drizzling and dreary. Toddler is grumpy post nap I’m just so huge and can’t be arsed. Don’t want to pay for soft play or similar really. Can we just chill at home in front of the tv? DC goes to nursery 3 days a week which is full on I have her at at home Monday and Wednesdays.

Usually I’m a v tv avoidant parent but I’m struggling being so heavily pregnant with a two year old if I’m honest!

This feels like a stealth boast at the people that do this when they aren’t heavily pregnant. Kids are allowed down time.

Kindness is free..

I hear it's been made compulsory. If not it should be! Do it... with snacks

Bless, poor OP is still in the PFB stage where she does lots of activities. She'll grow out of it. OP, in a few days you will have a newborn in the house and you will be longing to sit down for the length of a film. Enjoy the (relative) peace.

God, AIBU really is getting ridiculous.

Of course thats fine! Sounds like you've had an active day quite frankly

When DS was younger there was nothing we liked more than putting on a film and snuggling up. It's a wonderful feeling when your child is leaning on your shoulder giggling away at something on the TV.

In fact we did the same thing yesterday - me, DH and DS all snuggled up in front of a film. Lovely. DS is now 12 years old.

We used to have our regular TV favourites on CBeebies too when I would sneak in a cuppa and we'd sing along to the songs or work out what was going on.

Didn't make him turn out too badly - he passed his eleven plus and is in the top 2% in his class. Not all TV is bubblegum telly - especially a lot of the toddler programmes. And even if it was, his head didn't explode so I'm guessing it did him very little harm.

Put your feet up and enjoy your time with the your child.

Be careful op. You sound similar to me when I had a 2 year old and was heavily pg with the second. Looking back I really wish I had lowered my expectations of myself and my days so that I didn’t struggle so much when my second came along.
Really, go easy on yourself.

My PFB was never allowed near the tv, didn’t even know what it was. Until our second baby was born. And then he watched something for pretty much every feed (after much self flagellation and faffing around with busy boxes and trying to read to him). The alternative was that he would try and pull baby away from me mid feed. And a bit of tv saved all of our sanity

What kind of life do you need where you need to ask strangers on the internet if you can watch the telly. ?

34 weeks pregnant here, also with a 2 year old and the TV was on loads over the Christmas holidays. There were some days I just couldn't be arsed to get out and super-parent. I also had a bit of guilt (should I really have just let her watch 2hrs of Ben and Holly) but TBH there's plenty of time for activities once the baby arrives!

I think I did that every afternoon I was pregnant with no2, kids are allowed to have down time and also get bored/learn to occupy themselves/play without constant activities and input.

I never made it to 39 weeks, but from about 32 onwards I was shattered every afternoon. So Film on the tv, snack and beaker on the coffee table and I lay down and slept. Always woke along with the end of the film.
Make sure you lock the house up too.
Ds turned into a very intelligent young man, so it did him no harm.
I also used to let him do a song and dance for me while I lay on th couch, and he did a lot of fetching.

ohh.. and OP ignore some of the bitchy comments on this thread! Can't believe some of the sarky comments on here. Honestly. You are totally not the only one who has thought like this!

There is mum guilt about everything from how we fees to how we raise our kids. She just needs a bit of support that she's doing OK, not to be put down further.

I made a comment at my daughter's nursery the other day "oh I can blame Peppa for that!" to which the other mum replied "oh X has never watched any TV, we don't allow it" (they're 2!). So yes, there is mum guilt attached to putting your kid in front of the TV!

One of the best things about having a third child was that my tv guilt was entirely gone! I just used it as and when it seemed appropriate.

To be honest though, my first dc used to watch loads of tv, the only difference was I felt guilty about it

Y r u even asking

Thanks for all of your advice and flipping heck some of you are brutal 😂 absolutely not trying to criticise mums who put the tv on for kids my DD watches tv every day in the morning and evening anyway. Thanks for all the kind comments and I will be dropping my standards considerably soon anyway I’m sure!!

Yes, why bother asking

I have a 2.5 yr old DS & a 5 month old DD... to be honest, you've already managed to do more today than I sometimes manage in a whole week

Pregnancy with a toddler is fucking knackering. Be kind to yourself, put your feet up, grab something sweet to eat & stick a film on the TV. It won't do either of you any harm.

I was very strict about screentime when I just had DS, but poor DD probably knows the Blippi theme tune already...

Why wouldn't you?

What are you going to do when the new baby arrives and you won’t be able to bring your toddler to a never ending series of classes and soft plays? Won’t it be a very hard adjustment for them?

Of course you can!!!