To take baby to classes at 4 weeks old?

[elm26]

I've signed up for a 6 week course.

Each week is different from baby massage to baby first aid to tummy time and sensory.

It says anyone is welcome to bring their babies from birth but they recommend 4 weeks and upwards.

It says on the welcome pack that they are laid back and if baby is crying, needs feeding, changing etc it's all part of the group and we can do what we need to do.

I thought this would be a great opportunity to mix with other Mum's and get my baby involved in some developmental bits and bobs.

Told some friends who told me it's ridiculous I've paid £65 to take a 1 month old to classes that she won't gain anything from.

I'm a first time mum, DH thinks it's great especially as I would have never done this before as I don't like to go somewhere unfamiliar without somebody I know.

Should I cancel? I can get my money back if I cancel tomorrow latest. I'm questioning now whether it seems too much.

It just seemed like a reasonably risk assessment to me, not exposing them to a wider range of germs and viruses until they are a bit older. That doesn't mean you have to be a hermit, I met up with antenatal group friends, and family before then but didn't start classes until they were 4 months. The first one we did was baby yoga, really lovely.

It's definitely more for you but it's a great thing to do.

My DD is now 9 and I still have 2 close friends I met at this type of class. My DD is actually in the same primary school class as one of the other babies and it's nice they've known each other since being so young. If I hadn't gone to those classes they'd probably not have met til they started school

I'd say the point of those classes (particularly baby first aid, baby massage) is for YOU to gain something from it, not your baby. So your friends comments are pretty ridiculous really, as well as being rude! Plus it gets you out and meeting new people, which is great for your mental health.

Go for it!

We did bloom from 6 weeks with my little one. Yes she slept through them for the first few weeks but it got me dressed and out of the house and meeting other parents. My daughter is now thriving and hitting milestones that she shouldn't be for months and the baby classes have definitely helped with this.

Do it. As you say, the socialising aspect for mums is really important. I've never made playdate / coffee friends from these groups but just the regular basic level chatting is enough to get me out of my head. I WISH i had done them sooner with DD as I think staying in and not doing these things because I was scared massively contributed to my PND. And if your friends can't see the benefits of you doing a baby first aid course they're morons,

We waited until ours had had their jabs.

It's not teaching your baby anyway, that's not the point of these classes, it's for you. It teaches you massage suitable for baby which is great, first aid is priceless, any age baby enjoys sensory stuff but yes you will meet other mums and babies which is really important it all sounds great.

Absolutely go!! It's a great place to meet other mums and to get out the house for an hour/few hours and it might lead to some long lasting friendships.

Your friends are being silly...its not like you've signed your little one up for French lessons or horse riding! 🙄

Enjoy xx

Oh definitely go! First of all, because you want to!

But also, I went to classes when my first baby was that age and it really helped to break up the day and made me feel a bit more human (probably because I was getting to exchange words with other adults, even if briefly!)

Important lesson as a first time mum: everyone will judge you for every decision you make, whether it's about feeding, childcare, sleeping, classes or otherwise. Best thing you can do is shut it all out - remember, if there was a best way to be a mum, there would be a single, government-approved textbook on it.

I would have loved this opportunity with my first. He was born just before covid so I didn't get to do those things. And for £65 for the 6 sessions is pretty good going.

Go and enjoy every minute of it. Those early months are lonely as hell and it's so good to have a little focus each week and if you meet some lively mum friends even better.

Your friends are dicks.

The class isnt for the baby, its for you.

I started taking DD to classes from 9 weeks because I was bored shitless. I went for me, not her. And I have been to classes with babies as youing as two weeks, and everyone has loved it, cooed over the newborn, praised the mum for getting out and about as it can feel hard.

Good on you! I bet you have a great time. Its nice to have some routine in the diary.

It will be good for you to socialise if you feel able to get out. No, your baby won’t get much out of it but clearly “baby first aid” isn’t intended to be for the baby! That on its own is worth going for!

I started classes at 6 weeks. It's good to get out and socialise x

I personally didn’t go to classes until my kids were atleast 12 weeks old. It’s a waste of money and pointless they will probably sleep the whole class anyway I made the most out of cuddles on the sofa with my newborn

My baby has just turned 5 months and we've done classes since about 4 weeks (she was 5 weeks prem too so not even a usual month old). Honestly, before about 6 months the classes are for parents rather than the babies!

Exactly as you've said, it's a chance to meet people, get confident going out in a safe space where babies crying etc is expected, and find your feet/ask lots of questions!

My little girl loves the massage class, and is beginning to engage more with swimming, but otherwise she just chills on the mat/eats a bottle whilst I grow as a Mum!
Worth the money a million times over!

We went and had a great time, baby loved the massage, plenty of other babies the same age or just a month or so older. Swapped numbers with other mums, so pleased we went 😊

Plenty of classes such as baby massage are aimed at babies as young as 6 weeks so definitely not.

Some nurseries also take babies from as young as 6 weeks. Mine started nursery at 12 weeks.

Absolutely go! I wish I’d gone with my daughter! I did all the classes with my son from about 6 weeks old and was best thing I ever done, not only did it strengthen our bond but it was nice to talk to other mums! If you don’t like it you don’t have to go back but I honestly think you will enjoy it xx

Do your friends have children of their own? If they do maybe their circumstances are different and maybe the couldn’t afford it themselves.

I did baby sensory and baby massage with my baby very young. It was great for me to practice going out on my own where no one cares if your late, baby screams the whole time, get ya boob out to feed and not have to worry about judgement.

massage was great for helping with wind and relaxing her and sensory was great for giving me ideas to do at home with her.

if you want to do it then do it! Baby will probably sleep most of the time and you can have a good old chat with the other mums and get out the house!

@Catspyjamas17 I asked the instructor as the day we do first aid training is the same day as her first jabs and she said the only thing they can't do on that day is massage 😊

I'm not sure I understand the waiting until they've had their jabs idea. Do people do that with second and third babies too, and keep their toddlers at home for several weeks too during that time!? Everyone with second and subsequent babies that I know has taken them straight to groups with their older siblings.

OP, I've read all of your posts but not all of the PPs, so just in case no one's mentioned this - you don't need to "do" tummy time with your baby at all. The important thing is that they don't spend all their time flat on their back, but time being held, lying on your chest, in a sling etc all count as "tummy time". You don't need to lie a baby on their front for any length of time, especially if they don't enjoy it. (My cousin didn't realise this, thought "tummy time" was somehow crucial to childhood development, and spent twenty minutes every day for several weeks lying her tiny baby down and waving toys at her as she cried. You don't need to do that!)

Ah, what a great update! Well done! Great to hear you swapped numbers too.

It becomes second nature after a while, but I remember those first times going out with the baby on my own, seemed like a mission and a half!

Now you have some potential mum friends, do you have somewhere you can go that's baby friendly and you can have a leisurely coffee with the babies in tow?

When my first was really little, surprisingly that was our local pub! They had huge windows, lovely comfy sofas, and zero custom in the daytime so they were really welcoming to several mums with babies in tow! Very happy to make us coffee and for us to lounge about chatting and BFing the babies. We used to meet there every couple of weeks.

With my second, we'd moved, and the place to meet with DC here is a lovely cafe in the park, the owners are very welcoming to DC and mine have practically grown up there 😁

No need at all to keep babies in till they've had their jabs.

It's a rumour started by people who have confused babies with kittens!

Absolutely go! It’s the perfect way to meet new mums and feel sane when you may be struggling. One thing I will say is that between weeks 6-10ish, babies can cry A LOT! I did a baby massage course in that time and I think I only managed to do his legs in the whole 5 week block because he just cried and cried, but I still made new friends who I now see weekly, and I just needed to get out of the house and talk to people who were in the same situation!

Glad you enjoyed it OP