5 week old baby and I am so boring

[Babyboree]

My baby is 5 weeks old and obviously I spend all my time (minus a few appointments) with them and I love it!

We have had people over or met friends for lunch and have more planned over the bank holiday. l a few times and I feel like I have nothing fo say. All I care about right now is whether my baby has burped, pooed, needing feeding etc. That coupled with being tired and I feel like I am very boring company and have nothing to add to the conversation. If the baby is stirring or fussing I can’t even properly follow the conversation.

Is this normal? I just felt like I had nothing interesting to say and no one wants to hear how pleased I am my baby has done a big burp.

Essentially I feel like I have lost my social skills!

Ha ha! Perfectly normal. It's so hard to focus on anything but the baby straight after the birth. I think that's an evolutionary, protect-the-offspring thing though, so totally not your fault!

Totally normal. You're only five weeks in, give yourself a break!
At some stage, you will be able to think and talk about non-baby related things again 😀, but at five weeks you’re still recovering from the life-changing bomb that's just exploded. Don't be too hard on yourself!

Completely normal. You’ll find your way back to things that interest you in a new season. Don’t apologise for it or feel guilty about it; it’s a privilege denied to many.

Congratulations on your baby.
I felt much the same tbh, my baby is 11 months now. I was pretty obsessed by breastfeeding and pumping too. I think it's normal really, it's such a massive change. I also had a sense that I just couldn't be bothered by talk of politics/celebs/news etc when I had so much else to talk about like every little detail of my baby.
I think this is why hanging out with other new parents is good, did you do NCT or similar? If not join Peanut app or go to baby groups and you'll meet people at the same stage as you.
Hopefully the people you're meeting are understanding.

Congratulations on your new baby @Babyboree 😊 It’s perfectly normal! You’re adjusting to a whole new chapter in your life 😊

This is why new mums find fellow new mums to hang out with, you can talk about all this stuff to your heart's content!

It's totally fine for now, don't worry. Nobody will expect anything different. In a few months I would start making the effort to pay more attention to your friends, not talk about your baby all the time etc. But you're less than two months in. You're barely functioning at this point. So don't worry about it.

Completely normal. That’s why you get mum friends - they care and understand, and can have entire conversations about broccoli puke. Whilst being interrupted several times by a fussy baby or demanding toddler, and jumping up taking something from the baby… then continue. No one else can quite appreciate it.
so once you feel up to it, meet up with NCT friends, baby groups, whatever - it’s not for the baby, it’s for you

You’re doing a lot better than most OP because you have insight that other people aren’t as fascinated in your baby’s habits as you are! 😁

(and I say that as someone who was probably guilty of wittering on about the tiniest details of my baby’s development).

I agree, and also you are managing to get out and meet friends for lunch! I probably would have just fallen asleep face down in my food 5 weeks after my first was born.

Sounds Iike you are doing great, if you can't think of anything to say about yourself, just ask other people questions about themselves. They'll love it and won't notice if you don't listen to the answers

Very normal! Congratulations op :) is a lovely and special time. Just enjoy those burpy breaths :)

Totally normal!! Tbh I have limited memories of the first few weeks of having my first baby, the only thing I remember clearly was having lunch with my BIL who was on paternity leave with their second child and seemed to be a normal human being. We’re both quite engaged with politics and normally that’s a main thing we talk about with each other. This day he made a point about something said during PMQs, and I said “I’m…mind blank…the prime minister…is who?” then burst into tears. I just remember feeling too tired to even form a proper sentence, and also like I used to be this intelligent person who opinions about the world and that was all gone.

I also really wanted to make some friends with similar age kids but I would go to baby groups and be incapable of holding a conversation.

You’re very very tired and also you’re biologically programmed to be obsessed with this tiny person right now! If it makes you feel uncomfortable or boring around company just be up front about it - I’ve said to friends “I’m sorry I’m feeling really spacey today, I might not be great chat but I’d really like to sit here and listen to you guys for a bit.”

Not only is this normal at this stage, but it’s also essential. Babies are 100% needy and someone needs to be permanently tuned into this need.

I’m impressed you’re bothering with socialising at all, I don’t think I did at this stage.

Completely normal. You have created a human that is absolutely dependent on you. As your baby grows and develops that dependency will reduce and before you know it you will have a social life again. That may be limited to daytime social interaction like soft play/coffee with other mums etc, or it might be back to work and juggling everything.

In the meantime enjoy your new baby.

Congratulations.

You spent 10 months making your baby with your body. Of course you are obsessed with them.
Totally natural and normal.

5 week old babies are pretty boring TBH. I felt like my brain was slowly leaking out of my hears when DS was that age.

Totally normal! And it gets better :)

Totally normal and probably biologically hardwired. Your baby is entirely dependent on you. It makes sense that you are laser focused on your baby.

mine is a teenager now. She has a virus and was sick in the middle of the night. I asked if she had a bucket and went back to sleep. Somewhere along the way they become independent and you cease your obsession. You still would do anything for them when they actually need you, but they aren’t your focus every single second.

Oh this is so so true! Mine just turned 4 months and it does get better but I think in those early weeks especially I was just in a wee blur of love and cuddles and timing feedings and nappies and not believing he was actually here! I've definitely also had many times where I've been so sleep deprived where I had the same conversation 3 separate times with my husband with no memory of the other two! It was like a wonderful haze! But you do come back to yourself a little more, the crazy demand of early days sleeping and feeding etc starts to fall into a routine-ish and you'll start to feel a little more 'with it'. And remember your baby and caring for your baby is a huge part of your day when you're on may leave especially and friends who have kids already will totally get this, the others will just need to be patient! And as baby gets bigger they're better company in themselves, I remember being amazed at all 5 week ds did, now at 4 months I'm like he was basically a wee potato by comparison, now he laughs and plays with toys etc its so fun. Just enjoy each little stage, each one goes but you get lots of lovely new moments and memories in return. Congrats on your wee bundle!

Yes. Normal. Enjoy!

Yes it’s totally normal. Very young kids is like 50% drudgery - conversations about laundry, colour of poos, teething, sleep.. there’s also really nice bits and lots of ‘firsts’. You’ll to claw back bits of your personality in time but don’t worry too much about it for now.

@Babyboree Is someone telling you you're boring?

Quite normal, it will pass.

Ah this is lovely! Congrats on your beautiful baby. Mine are heading for 9 and 10 and still obsessed 🤩 they are my world

that said, you will find you will be in a baby bubble for a while but that passes (don’t lose yourself is what I say)

Oh please cut yourself some slack. Maybe if the baby is still all you are talking about or interested in in 18 months time, try to change a few things…. But your baby is a newborn.

Completely normal! And temporary.