Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

1 2

Original poster

Not to go to baby groups with my 4 month old?

42 replies

MD1803 · 14/07/2022 13:17

How do people feel about baby groups. My main point is about the benefit to the baby, or the lack of by not going? My baby is just under 4 months old and we haven’t been anywhere, yet.
What age so people feel we really should go. Again, thinking about benefits for the baby, not the parent.

OP posts:

Overthebow · 14/07/2022 13:19

you don’t have to if you dont want to op. It probably doesn’t really benefit the baby until they are old enough to start learning to socialise around 1 year. It’s more for you at 4 months old. Are you managing to take baby out and about for walks or to meet a friend?

Selinna · 14/07/2022 13:20

At this age I don't think it's necessary whatsoever. From maybe 7-8 months old I think it's nice for the baby to see other babies and other people, and things like baby sensory can stimulate their development. But still not essential even at that age! Your baby's bond and interaction with you is much more important.

AryaStarkWolf · 14/07/2022 13:20

I never brought either of mine to baby groups, not really my kind of scene

SpiderVersed · 14/07/2022 13:21

Baby groups are for the parents, not the babies. They are a chance to see other human beings and drink a cuppa you didn’t make yourself.

Harridance · 14/07/2022 13:21

They're nice just to get out of the house and meet other parents if anything

SleeplessInEngland · 14/07/2022 13:21

At 4 months it makes pretty much no difference to the baby. It's only something to do for mother (or father). If they don't interest you to go.

Icanstillrecallourlastsummer · 14/07/2022 13:22

Do what you like, but generally they are a good way to meet other parents to (1) stop being isolated and (2) building up a support network with people who have children the same age as you (which becomes handy further down the line).

RedWingBoots · 14/07/2022 13:22

Baby groups at that age are more for the parent, normally mothers, to make sure they don't feel isolated staying at home.

LIZS · 14/07/2022 13:22

By six months I felt ds needed to get out more and definitely by nine months. You may find there are waiting lists for activities starting in the Autumn like swimming or music already.

AliceW89 · 14/07/2022 13:23

Your 4 month old won’t care either way. I went to a few as they got me out of the house, gave me an option to chat to other mums and gave structure to the day. DS was happy at them but I’m sure he would have been equally happy not at them. I think toddler groups are beneficial to DC over 1-1.5 maybe.

WarrickDavisAsPlates · 14/07/2022 13:24

You don't ever have to go to baby groups if you don't want to.

I went to baby groups with all of mine from about... 3 months probably.

I felt it was very much for my benefit as I found maternity leave so lonely, I also didn't have any friends with children so it was nice to spend time with people at a similar life stage. As the babies got older it was nice for me to see them play with other children and for them to be around people their own age.

If you don't need any of that then I probably wouldn't bother as it can be a bit of trail and error to find the right group for you.

LunchPoems · 14/07/2022 13:28

Oh, I took my boy to baby massage, a mums and baby group, and a little baby singing group in a church hall, and it was lovely for him: I was really surprised how his face would light up with the music and his chilled he was with the massage.

I really went to start with as my house was freezing 😃 But it was great, plus we’d get out in the air to walk there, and get new ideas.

The benefits to mothers are also good for babies.

Yodaisawally · 14/07/2022 13:33

I didn't go to anything until DTs were about 6 months old, getting out with them seemed like an unsurmountable challenge. Looking back I had PND.

Getting out was the best thing I could do.

Movingsoon21 · 14/07/2022 13:33

I think there are some benefits to baby if they are your first (maybe not so much if they have older siblings around), but not essential.

socialising, getting used to new environments, focusing on new skills etc. But equally if you don’t like baby groups you could create all of these opportunities yourself, e.g. by arranging meet-ups with other parents and babies, by taking them to the pool yourself, by singing to them and googling various sensory activities to do at home.

Calphurnia88 · 14/07/2022 14:17

I went to my first yesterday (my LO is also 4mo).

I signed up because I've been super anxious about leaving the house with him. I do long walks everyday as it's one of the few ways he'll nap, and we also do lots of trips with daddy, but I had been very nervous about venturing too far on my own or with others so the class was a way of pushing myself now he's a bit older.

The class went really well but I would say it's more for the mums than the babies. The activities were good in that they were more messy than I could do at home (so something different for LO), and it was also nice to see him see other babies, but I don't think he would have missed out by not going since he gets a lot of stimulation from me and DP at home.

RoundaboutRacer · 14/07/2022 14:21

I went for my own mental health. Especially with DC1.

Needed to get out the house and socialise.

Giraffesandbottoms · 14/07/2022 14:21

as long as you’re actually going out and doing stuff I don’t think it does much - I did all the classes with my first but with subsequent children didn’t have the time. I’m a bit sensitive to the idea of people not going out and doing anything though as my nephew is becoming very odd (it’s extremely sad) due to my brother and his girlfriend basically being shut ins. Very important for them to actually go out and see things and people. Just doesn’t need to be a class.

Sartre · 14/07/2022 14:32

I started taking DS when he was about 8/9 months and could at least crawl around and play with the toys. It seemed pointless before that and you’re right, it is more for the parents than babies.

Pollywoddles · 14/07/2022 14:37

My DD is 4 months and we’ve been doing Play group, mother and baby group and swimming with her since she was 3 months.

She loves looking at other babies and I’ve found the play group good for ideas to entertain her at home. The mother and baby group is more for me and it’s nice to meet and speak to people in the same boat. It’s run by the local HVs so can get advice and weigh the baby there too. She loves the swimming too and it’s something different for her to do. I really think they all help with her development and she’s such a relaxed and smiley baby with new people - for now anyway!

fyn · 14/07/2022 14:48

We did a baby sensory/massage one which my daughter really enjoyed, I suppose you could set it all up at home but I didn’t have the patience to buy and set up all lights and mirrors. The baby signing one was useful as she picked up the signs for a few bits but you can definitely do it from home if you want.

We did swimming from 11 weeks which has by far been the most beneficial class we’ve done.

MDevane86 · 14/07/2022 14:55

I'm going to go against what most have said and say going to baby groups was really beneficial for my boy. I took him from 12 weeks and found that he was really into watching other children play and starting trying to play with them from 6 months. I found he sat up really well at baby groups as he was too busy focusing on other children and is now working on crawling towards. After coming home from a baby group, i found he would have a good nap giving me a break too. The social side is great, I found all the mums to be very encouraging and non judgemental.

Hugasauras · 14/07/2022 14:58

I find they help give a structure to the week and a reason to get out and about. It's also nice to speak to other adults and have a hot drink! Sign language classes are good as genuinely quite young babies can start to learn and do basic signs. I did them with DD1 and will be doing so with DD2 after summer holidays.

girlmom21 · 14/07/2022 14:58

I did baby massage and yoga with DD1 which was really nice - that was from 6 weeks onwards - but was definitely more for me than her.

I met one mom friend but we don't talk now because we only really made friends as we had babies at the same time.

I didn't bother with DD2. I realised I much preferred our own company. I'm a bit like that generally though.

Hugasauras · 14/07/2022 15:01

When you say you haven't been anywhere, do you just mean classes? Or that you literally aren't going out of the house?

Kona84 · 14/07/2022 15:08

i started baby sensory class when my daughter was 12 weeks old.
I think it has benefited her, she is always tired afterwards and really enjoys the class.
I don’t think it’s advanced her development but gave me more ideas of how to entertain her, introduced me to other mums, introduced her to other babies.
she loves the instructor and gets sooo excited when we go.
she is 9 months now.
it’s also nice to have some routine to the week.

Flip

1 2

Swipe left for the next trending thread