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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be finding this mind numbing…

26 replies

Minnierose11 · 19/12/2025 17:20

I want to start by saying, my DD was/is very wanted, planned for and very loved, I adore her.

Shes 1, recently. And I am still on mat leave, return back to work part time (3days) in February.

But I’ve found the whole experience so far of motherhood, mind numbing. I have moments of pure joy, milestones, firsts etc. But otherwise, I just find the whole experience of it very very mundane and boring..

Shes walking now, has been since 11 months, albeit still abit clumsy. Shes not talking bar mama and dada.
Does it get better?

I feel abit ashamed saying this. Like I’m complaining about something I want and tried for, but it hasn’t been the experience I think I was expecting.

I’ve also posted on the parenting thread but it’s pretty quiet - zero response.

OP posts:
Brightbluesomething · 19/12/2025 17:36

You’re not wrong here. Babies are dull.
I find they get interesting at about 2 to 2 1/2 when they can talk properly and their personalities show. It’s also tantrum time so you get the good and the bad. It then gets a lot better as they get older. Dips and gets stressful as teens then they move out and you miss them like crazy.
Hang in there, you’ve got better times to come. Get out to baby groups and you’ll find plenty of like minded mums who don’t pretend to be earth mothers and you can meet up on your days off when you go back to work. I found that helped me stay sane and DC’s made good friends there too.

Clarabell77 · 19/12/2025 17:39

Totally normal. I loved getting back to work to break the monotony and to get more adult conversation.

youalright · 19/12/2025 17:53

Yanbu i love babies but they're boring and its long days you will feel better when you are back to work and around other adults.

parietal · 19/12/2025 17:56

Babies are cute for 5 minutes and then it gets dull. Meeting up with other mums who have babies is one of the few ways to make it bearable.

Blankscreen · 19/12/2025 17:59

To me nothing beats the banality of working. .
We're all different but in honesty cherish the last couple of months as before you know if you'll be juggling everything and rushing to drop off/pick up etc, wondering where did the carefree days go.

mindutopia · 19/12/2025 18:00

The first year especially, yes, is really boring. They do get more fun once you can actually do things together. I’d say from 5, it’s easier and more interesting.

But going back to work helps a lot. I pretty much went running back to work after both of mine. It was nice to still have a day or two off with them, but I was very happy to be at work the other 3-4 days.

CandyCaneKisses · 19/12/2025 18:03

I don’t think it’s boring at all. Babies being so much joy and happiness

I would seek help.

BogRollBOGOF · 19/12/2025 18:25

Different ages suit different people (parents and children!)

I liked the subtlety of baby then getting beyond toddler when they can articulate themselves rather than just screaming at you for no obvious reason. Currently enjoying teenagers

Pavementworrier · 19/12/2025 18:30

Babies are very boring. Some people have the compensating cute reaction. Unfortunately that's how I feel about cats not humans. And even cats get dull after a while.

It's fine to be bored sometimes we are designed for it and personally I think it does the brain good to have a reset.

museumum · 19/12/2025 18:34

I wouldn’t have enjoyed as long as Mat leave as you’ve taken. I loved my days with dc so much more when I was back at work 2-3 days a week. It charged my adult battery just enough to really enjoy my days off and be a much better parent.

mynameiscalypso · 19/12/2025 18:34

Babies are extremely boring. I started doing my Masters during maternity leave because I felt like my brain was turning to mush. I tend to forgot about how boring they are until I see someone with a small baby and then it all comes flooding back. DS was basically just an extremely cute potato for years.

greglet · 19/12/2025 18:35

I found parenting a drag between three months and 18 months, to be honest. The newborn bit was fine because it was a novelty and DS was a weirdly good sleeper (initially - it went to shit at 13 weeks and has been up and down ever since 😬), but the baby stage is BORING.

He's now 3.5 and an absolute joy; I genuinely love hanging out with him and have done for the last year or so. There are still challenging moments but on the whole it’s great.

Of course I’m now 7 months pregnant and gritting my teeth for the tedium again 😂 But at least this time, I know what to expect and that it does pass, even if it feels interminable at the time.

CombatBarbie · 19/12/2025 18:37

Some folk hate the baby stage, others love it. Same is also said a toddler stage. Whilst I loved the baby stage, I enjoyed the toddler stage more when their characters start to develop and start talking.

ReignOfError · 19/12/2025 18:37

I always thought babies were boring, and having my own, and a passel of granddaughters has done nothing to change my mind. I like them increasingly from about six months old, when they can at least do a couple of things, but they are generally interesting only from about 18 months.

kenadams5 · 19/12/2025 18:38

Tbf I think the routine of life is quite mundane be it having children or having a typical job or just generally having to have some routine. I find life monotonous with random bits of joy/happiness thrown in.

HighLadyofTheNightCourt · 19/12/2025 18:48

CandyCaneKisses · 19/12/2025 18:03

I don’t think it’s boring at all. Babies being so much joy and happiness

I would seek help.

Don’t be ridiculous. Just because you don’t think it’s boring it doesn’t mean those that do need help!

I hear you OP. I found maternity leave boring and isolating. I was happy to return to work.

I love DS to pieces but I missed my job and adult conversation.

Not everyone find babies fascinating. I much preferred it when he started to show his personality and we could go things together.

Original poster
Minnierose11 · 19/12/2025 18:50

youalright · 19/12/2025 17:53

Yanbu i love babies but they're boring and its long days you will feel better when you are back to work and around other adults.

I Loved the newborn stage. Newborn to like 3 months - then I started to find it all abit dull and mundane, the same (within reason) routine day in/day out, aswell as the long nights. I took extended leave thinking I’d be loving it, and not that I won’t miss her like crazy, but I think going back to work at 9 months probably would have suited me better! (Never thought I’d say that about work ha!)

OP posts:
Original poster
Minnierose11 · 19/12/2025 18:51

Brightbluesomething · 19/12/2025 17:36

You’re not wrong here. Babies are dull.
I find they get interesting at about 2 to 2 1/2 when they can talk properly and their personalities show. It’s also tantrum time so you get the good and the bad. It then gets a lot better as they get older. Dips and gets stressful as teens then they move out and you miss them like crazy.
Hang in there, you’ve got better times to come. Get out to baby groups and you’ll find plenty of like minded mums who don’t pretend to be earth mothers and you can meet up on your days off when you go back to work. I found that helped me stay sane and DC’s made good friends there too.

I keep thinking this - when we can have little conversations and go out for the day and they’re genuinely interested in things, well everything really! At this stage I feel like I’m trodding around and she’s not the slightest bit interested really in anything. I’ve ran out of ways to keep my brain stimulated …

OP posts:
Original poster
Minnierose11 · 19/12/2025 18:53

museumum · 19/12/2025 18:34

I wouldn’t have enjoyed as long as Mat leave as you’ve taken. I loved my days with dc so much more when I was back at work 2-3 days a week. It charged my adult battery just enough to really enjoy my days off and be a much better parent.

In hindsight, I probably shouldn’t have taken extended leave, but hindsight’s a wonderful thing! But my husband often says to me that I’ll probably enjoy my days alot more when it’s not an everyday thing, having some time out to appreciate it all abit more! So I’m hoping I feel like you! X

OP posts:
Original poster
Minnierose11 · 19/12/2025 18:54

CandyCaneKisses · 19/12/2025 18:03

I don’t think it’s boring at all. Babies being so much joy and happiness

I would seek help.

What sort of help do you seek for boredom? 😂

OP posts:
Original poster
Minnierose11 · 19/12/2025 18:55

ReignOfError · 19/12/2025 18:37

I always thought babies were boring, and having my own, and a passel of granddaughters has done nothing to change my mind. I like them increasingly from about six months old, when they can at least do a couple of things, but they are generally interesting only from about 18 months.

Few more months then and hopefully it’ll start to become abit more exciting… also think returning to work will help, hopefully. X

OP posts:
IndigoIsMyFavouriteColour · 19/12/2025 19:02

YANBU, they are boring as hell and then just get better. Currently they are my favourite and they are 15 and 13! My 8 year old is fun too but still a bit tedious, I like them older

Mamabear487 · 19/12/2025 19:15

I love my children but I found it so boring as well! It definitely gets better around 3 when they can (usually) fully communicate and have their own little personalities. Mine are 7&4

Starsea · 19/12/2025 19:25

It gets better. Babies are boring and very dependent. As they get older you can hand them over to others more and have a break and they also get more interesting and rewarding.

Original poster
Minnierose11 · 19/12/2025 19:46

Mamabear487 · 19/12/2025 19:15

I love my children but I found it so boring as well! It definitely gets better around 3 when they can (usually) fully communicate and have their own little personalities. Mine are 7&4

I love her so much! She is my absolute pride and joy, but it’s just so dull. I think that’s what I’m missing, the conversations, I can’t wait to be able to have little chats with her and go on little adventures where everything and anything is fascinating to her!

I'm thankful i did this post, because I thought there was something wrong with me that I wasn’t finding all this ‘joy’ in it that I felt you should.

I’ve absolutely loved watching her change and develop and hit milestones, but I’ve also found this stage rather dull.

OP posts: