I Don’t Get Baby Sensory

[SlyAvocado]

And I’m not sure my baby does either

We spent twenty minutes thanking the sun for shining on us and the corn for feeding us, and everyone else seemed to know all the sign language.

I don’t actually like corn so I didn’t particularly want to thank it, but the other mums seemed to really be appreciative of the corn and the other things in the song. The only sign I got to grips with was waving.

My baby didn’t give a toss anyway and spent most of the class staring at a bottle of hand sanitiser.

Then we waved some scarves over our baby’s faces, while the instructor danced around blowing bubbles to ‘Morning Has Broken’

My morning was broken at 4am anyway by my crap sleeper of a baby, 10am is practically afternoon for us.

I am new to the area so I tried to be jolly and talk to the other mums but they weren’t interested, I don’t know if it’s because I didn’t thank the corn.

I wore my Tears For Fears t-shirt with a sequinned blazer which might have been an odd choice but I thought, sequins are sensory aren’t they? The instructor asked if I was off to an 80’s party and I said no, I’m on my way back from one.

We will finish the course because I paid £65, so it’ll be like that time I got drunk and signed up to Zumba classes and made myself keep going even though I hated every minute of it and was rubbish and was asked to stand at the back by the fire exit.

Is there something I’m missing, are all baby sensory classes like that? Do I need to learn all the sign language?

I’m not overly bothered from a friendship point of view because we go to a music class too in a different area which is held in a pub and the parents are really friendly at that one. The baby also loves to shake a maraca like Bez, so I think he prefers it too.

Oh I love that song. DD stills asks for it now at nearly 4!

I'd definitely want to speak to someone in a Tears For Fears t shirt and a sparkly jumper at a baby group!

I took DS to a baby massage group with "sensory elements" when he was under 3 months old. He spent most of the time feeding or crying or pooing/having his nappy changed. The group leader passed on the amazing tip to us that babies like being cuddled and stroked. It cost £9 for 45 minutes.

It was something to do and potentially to meet other mums (but I didn't really make any friends from that group), but I wouldn't do it again. I'm expecting DS2 in April and planning to just take him to the free bounce and rhyme session at our local library, and to the park/for walks/out with me for coffee, at least until he's about 6 months.

Ds1 hated all of these classes! The low point was when a group of mums I knew turned up at one of the classes and completely blanked me. The only one we quite liked was sing and sign which had a 30 minute break in the middle for playtime and a cuppa. So you only actually did about 20 minutes singing.

Playgroups where the mums chat and get a cup of tea and a biscuit for their £2 are much more up our street. Dc2 has been to a lot of playgroups.

I chatted to a mum once who confessed that she had never held or interacted with a baby before her own so she went to baby sensory to get ideas for how to play.

I thought that was a bit sad but I come from a big family

I am new to the area so I tried to be jolly and talk to the other mums but they weren’t interested, I don’t know if it’s because I didn’t thank the corn

LOLZ! Im with you. I went to one session and thought it was bollocks, so didnt go again

I also did baby yoga in the early weeks. Spent £10 to sit and feed my baby while everyone else did lovely yoga poses next to their babies who either slept or lay contentedly on their mats. Mine would not sleep and would scream the place down if I wasn’t holding him.

I see why lots of people like that the classes, you can get out and meet adults or at least be around them for a while.

Personally baby classes aren't something I would like, so I never went. However you have gone and plan to continue.... So I'm not sure why you have written this OP as if you are so above the class and all the other (in your opinion) silly women who (you think) are so fascinated by a song about corn. Unlike them, you are cool because you wear band tshirts (?).

I loved it. DD was a nightmare non sleeper but always had a good snooze after Baby Sensory, and the intro song was very calming. It was a godsend when she was small. She seemed to have a good time at it especially once she was mobile, and because it was expensive I moved heaven and earth to get out of the house on time - otherwise we might not have gone out. I won't deny I cried when my mat leave was ending and we were at our last class, though in my defence I was very very sleep deprived

Honestly.. it just gave me a push to get dressed & get outside for one day a week which was a struggle for me in the early days.

Plus I had a lockdown baby and it's one of the first & really only things that opened back up near us.

😂😂😂 that did make me laugh out loud, especially as I’m in my third term and still don’t know the sign language. I actually really enjoy going, and my ds loves it. He interacts, plays and is shattered by the end of it.

Agree about it being overpriced, and dh came and wasn’t overly impressed either but I guess its down to what you enjoy! Realistically I know I’m not going to wave scarves over baby’s face, invest in fibre optic lights and blow bubbles all over my house, nor will I keep those loud bright toys they use so its just a day a week I will bear saying hello to the sun and thanking the corn so my baby gets to experience these little ‘fun’ things.

I quite liked baby sensory. Was a reason to leave the house and even though I had no intention of making friends I was like a magnet to a few other mums that would always join me where I was sat (I was usually there first and will be quite chatty back to whoever speaks to me). One of whom I still keep in contact with as we ended up going to a few other classes together (baby swimming & a keep fit class that you could take the babies to).

I don’t actually like corn so I didn’t particularly want to thank it, but the other mums seemed to really be appreciative of the corn and the other things in the song.

Or they were just trying to join in and be enthusiastic...? I also hated baby sensory and your writing is brilliant, OP, but there is such a whiff of superiority to your post. It's all a bit 'I'm not like other girls'...

@MarshmallowsOnToast

Honestly.. it just gave me a push to get dressed & get outside for one day a week which was a struggle for me in the early days.

Plus I had a lockdown baby and it's one of the first & really only things that opened back up near us.

Exactly! The same with any baby groups. I remember being absolutely desperate when ds was 3 months old, after being home during the winter months.

I was happy to pay money for absolutely nonsensical groups just to see other adults during the day.

I loved Baby Sensory. My favourite class on both maternity leaves.
I think it depends why you're going tbh, your post sounds a bit "all about you" which I know is why you wrote it and you're clearly approaching it for a humorous response BUT take the time to learn why you're doing it and how the different parts benefit your baby. Maybe I just had a very good group leader.
I didn't make friends there but chatted to people there.

Great OP

I LOVED baby sensory, but I think I got way more out of it than DS. The best thing about it was it sent all the babies to sleep so we could all go get coffees and lunch afterwards.

I had a bit of a girl crush on our teacher too, she was adorable. And I loved the song, I can still do all the actions 😍

Good times

I was so sad when DS grew into a mammoth crawling monster, bothering all the tiny babies and we had to call it a day. 😅

Have you tried baby cinema OP? That's ace.

@lustforlife

I didn't start any kind of groups until my DD was at least one. I genuinely did not see the point of wasting £7 a week to rub some scarves on her face which I can do for free at home

This is what I wish I had done! We all sign up for those crappy classes (mine were Monkey Music, Baby Yoga, Rhyme Time and the likes) for the first child, and none of them for the subsequent ones. Honestly, those classes are just there to get you out of the house and give you a purpose and some sort of structure to your day. If you don't need that, don't bother, at this age. I did find the ones with singing/rhymes quite good at a later stage, as since they repeat the same songs, the child does start to memorise the words which helps language development. But honestly, don't bother, and also try and find a class which is pay as you go, so if it is crap you can just dip in and out.

Oh god yes I found this particular class very tedious and an absolute bloody swizz. Especially during one session when the leader cut the content short so she could try and flog us wooden hearts with our babys hand and foot prints stamped on them. I was the only one who didnt want one so everyone else spent a merry 25 minutes fucking about painting hands while I sat there wondering why I was paying for this. I'm still bitter 3 years on.

Sing and sign when he was a bit older was much better. A lot of it comes down to having a good session leader. But if you want baby sensory, take little one to a lighting showroom.

Now I have Say Hello To The Sun going round and round in my head, and my child is almost 8, so thanks a lot OP 😂
☀️🌙🌧🌽🌟🌻👫

☀️🌙🌧🌽🌟🌻👫

You rock 😂

Baby sensory was the absolute highlight of my week on my first maternity leave. It was the only class we could walk to, so no screaming baby in a car. I got to talk to other adults, and best of all it was next to a bakery. The actual activities were very much extraneous to my enjoyment.

When I was at primary school we did a radio class called Music, Movement and Mime . We had to float round pretending to be leaves and suchlike! It was very arty farty ( in a predominantly working class area of Yorkshire) Whenever I hear of baby sensory I think it’s probably similar 😂 That said just getting out of the house probably helps mums .

I’m definitely NOT trying to be superior, if anything I thought the other mums were.

I am cool but not because I wear band t shirts 😂

Like I said I really enjoy the music one at the pub, everyone is pretty friendly and usually hang around for coffee or lunch after, whereas at BS I barely got DS in his coat before everyone else was jumping in their cars (I don’t have one, we walk everywhere and get coffee, so I was hoping at least someone else might do the same)

I don’t hate all baby songs. There’s one about a wiggly woo worm that I’m really into.

I did no classes and the more I hear the more relieved I am

I want to befriend you immediately! Where were my fellow sequin wearing eye rollers when I dutifully dragged my DC to baby classes which she absolutely hated.

One sensory class they made her sniff a fucking tea bag and then ask her permission before i gave her a massage. £7 a class!