question about baby and crying, am I doing the wrong thing?

[crtujg]

Dd is six and a half months. Sometimes she will start crying when I’m loading the washing machine, mid cooking, running the bath etc etc. When this happens I try to finish the task before going to her. This can take 3 minutes sometimes if my hands are covered in meat from cooking/I have to wash hands and re set oven or hob to prepare to go to her. Is this awful? I mentioned it to a friend and she said she just wouldn’t begin these sorts of tasks until her husband was home… mine works abroad Monday to Friday so I’d be waiting a long time if I did that!!

Secondly, in the mornings, dd will play in her cot for half an hour when she wakes up, sometimes half murmering/very beginning of a cry for a few seconds then fine again until eventually she fully cries and I go in to her. Is this ok? Should I go at that second I hear her getting a bit bored?

Your friend is insane! I have 3 children, sometimes the baby had to wait a few minutes if I was dealing with one of the others

I agree, your friend is nuts! As long as your child is safe when you are cooking etc, then it's fine. She will change so quickly now so I really wouldn't worry about it. I am really envious that she will play in her cot. Mine used to wake with an earth, shattering scream.

Both those things are fine; your friend is odd and also think about when people have 2 or more; sometimes a baby has to cry for a few minutes because you’re doing something for the other child.

Also in those moments I imagine you’re talking to her and saying you’ll be there in a minute etc so she knows that she’s not alone

Of course it's OK to let a baby cry for a few minutes while you finish what you are doing, wash your hands etc. In fact, I think it is a much 'healthier thing to do, for both you and baby, than to respond instantly every single time they cry, as long as you know that they are safe.

You go to your baby as soon as you can. But sometimes there will be reasons why you can't. If it's occasional, then no harm done.

I'd always go as soon as you can too. I wouldn't pick her up with meaty hands, so I'd wash them, but tell the baby I'm just washing my dirty hands and I'm on my way so she is receiving comfort from my voice at least. I'd turn off the hob for a minute if I needed to. suppose it depends why she is crying. If she is hurt or scared I'd come faster. If she can't reach her ball or something then my pace would be less urgent.

I don't understand your friends mentality of not doing anything unless her husband is around. Surely she eats and drinks when looking after her child!?

As for the cot, I'd go for her as soon as she sounded unhappy and plonk her in bed with me. Half an hour sounds like a long time for a baby to be unsettled.

The mornings I think if she's not unhappy that's fine. My DD used to happily babble to herself for up to half an hour as well from being around that age. Once she started getting unhappy we'd go get her though.

First thing also fine if you go get them quickly but Im a bit in-between on this one. I think a few mins is fine but I'm like your friend in that I wouldn't start something I know it would take more than a few mins to complete unless they were asleep. As both my babies have been criers and want to be held and occupied all the time. So almost all chores would be done whilst baby sleeping or once DH was home from work/weekends. And cooking often wait til he's home from work too. That was harder second time around cos DC1 needed feeding at a reasonable time so it did mean DC2 was left to cry more than I'd want.