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Original poster

Tv and babies

39 replies

Ambn1 · 06/12/2023 08:52

My DD is 5 months old. We don’t use screens to entertain her and would like to hold off on introducing them until she is older.

When I get up with her in the morning, we go downstairs and I give her tummy time and time to play on her play mat and with her toys. During this time I don’t put the tv on, because I feel like this will draw her attention (and mine!) away from play.

My DH and other family members think I’m being overly harsh on myself and should allow myself to put the tv or radio on in the background to entertain myself while the baby plays.

IBU- it’s fine to have tv on in the background while baby plays.

INBU- having the tv on in the background is detrimental to the baby.

OP posts:
VivaVivaa · 06/12/2023 20:13

I can’t stand background TV. My parents have it on dawn until dusk and I find it quickly overstimulating and distracting. So neither DC have ever been exposed to that. Love the radio though, never even considered it potentially problematic.

DC1 didn’t sit and watch TV until 2ish. DC2 (4.5 months) is pretty regularly exposed to Octonauts or Go Jetters or Numberblocks when DC1 is having his tv time. I’m not so bothered this time round, life is too short.

Richie23 · 06/12/2023 20:25

Pop the radio, an audiobook or podcast on and enjoy listening to it whilst playing with your baby/singing along. It’s great for a baby’s development. That’s why basically all baby classes are so music based. It’ll help you enjoy your time at home with baby and will help baby with their development. Enjoy!

LambriniBobinIsleworth · 06/12/2023 20:37

Do what you want in regards to the baby tbh, but I do feel like you're being a bit tough on yourself. I would have gone mad with small kids if I hadn't had Radio 4 or LBC or some other talk radio on in the background to keep me company. I still alternate between these in the day when I'm home alone to feel less lonely... if you want some stimulation while you're with the baby it's absolutely fine to have something on. You won't be failing the baby and you won't go mad.

Mmmm19 · 06/12/2023 20:46

At that age mine would still breastfeed
and cuddle for a significant amount of time in mornings and evenings so i definitely had tv or audiobook on for myself to keep me entertained (not kids tv). Even when playing they didn’t show any interest at that age - can’t remember exactly but imagine i also sometimes had it on with them turned the other way from it. I am a person that likes background tv or audiobooks but have stopped the tv completely once they were interested in it to avoid them seeing too much - put it on at nap time whilst doing chores. Over about 18 months they started watching some in the mornings due to the early starts and sometimes while we are cooking dinner.

HousePlantNeglect · 06/12/2023 20:57

Give yourself a break and put the TV on if you want to. It's not like you're sticking a tablet in your baby's face.

I am strict with screen time for my older kids, they hardly have any during the week and are allowed to watch some at the weekend....but the TV is basically always off, never on in background.

But if I'm home with my baby I'll sit and watch TV for a bit. When she was little she'd roll around and do tummy time etc. Now she can sit she plays with toys while I sit with her in the floor and watch TV. She's completely disinterested in TV.

All my babies accompanied me through hours of box sets when they were newborns and I was feeding them as well.

MeinKraft · 06/12/2023 21:04

Yes people have managed without screens for millennia, but those people were doing work around the home and looking after multiple children. Babies were often dumped in a safe space (pen type thing) and left there without as much as Blippi to watch. Or they'd just watch their mothers cook and clean the home. Wealthy mothers just got a nanny to look after the children. At no point over the last 2000 years has it been the norm for mothers to feel they should spend all day every day lying on a mat playing with their baby.

Your baby's future education isn't going to suffer if you stick on This Morning and have a coffee.

CrispsandCheeseSandwich · 06/12/2023 21:04

I frequently had the tv on while on maternity leave. I've never watched so much of the news! It wasn't baby tv, it was for me, DDs never gave it a second glance. I think I'd have gone a bit mad with only my own voice to listen to. I still talked to DDs, I tended to have the news on so it wasn't a drama where I needed to follow the story. So I'd listen a bit, then tune it out, then go back to it etc.

notforonesecond · 06/12/2023 21:48

She’s 5 months old, she doesn’t give a shit whether you’re staring at her or at Netflix.

I’m well impressed you’ve lasted this long without watching a bit of telly or whatever while she has a roll around on her playmat to be honest. I’d have gone mad.

I used to tell mine “you have a bit of you time” and sit on the settee next to the playmat and pop a bit of Friends on. Bloody miss mat leave!

curaçao · 06/12/2023 22:32

She’s 5 months old, she doesn’t give a shit whether you’re staring at her or at Netflix.
what the heck? of course it makes a difference!!

curaçao · 06/12/2023 22:43

Richie23 · 06/12/2023 20:25

Pop the radio, an audiobook or podcast on and enjoy listening to it whilst playing with your baby/singing along. It’s great for a baby’s development. That’s why basically all baby classes are so music based. It’ll help you enjoy your time at home with baby and will help baby with their development. Enjoy!

Nurseries do not have 'audio' wallpaper. i am horrified by the number of people who have tv or radio on in the background all the time .i do not think it is good atall

Angeldelight50 · 06/12/2023 22:48

I wouldn’t worry about having your attention pulled from baby.. what do you think happens if you have multiple DC? It is not physically possible to give each one your undivided attention at all times. She will be fine, give yourself a break and stick an episode of your fave show on.

IBE45 · 07/12/2023 06:00

I think there is a happy medium. A short burst of TV or radio while your baby is happily engaged on their playmat is probably fine. Sitting your baby in front of the TV hour after or hour or constantly having the radio on is not. If you are directly engaging with your baby (reading, playing, singing etc.) there shouldn't be other background noise as they supposedly can't cope with this. From what I've read the issue with TV is more to do with what it replaces rather than it being detrimental in itself. For example, an hour of television might replace an hour of reading and playing together so your baby will start to miss out on hours of interaction if this goes on long term.

hjytrjulykuyh · 07/12/2023 16:00

MeinKraft · 06/12/2023 21:04

Yes people have managed without screens for millennia, but those people were doing work around the home and looking after multiple children. Babies were often dumped in a safe space (pen type thing) and left there without as much as Blippi to watch. Or they'd just watch their mothers cook and clean the home. Wealthy mothers just got a nanny to look after the children. At no point over the last 2000 years has it been the norm for mothers to feel they should spend all day every day lying on a mat playing with their baby.

Your baby's future education isn't going to suffer if you stick on This Morning and have a coffee.

It's great for babies to sit and watch daily life going on, mum cooking, dad cleaning, siblings playing, whatever. Far better for them than being sat in front of a screen.

Wolvesart · 07/12/2023 16:05

You have the right idea. How is tummy time in the morning though? Afternoon always better for us

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