What entertainment do you provide for 3mo?

[cheekychiquita]

I am at home alone most days with my first baby 11wo. What do you do to encourage their development/prevent boredom? I have playmat, Gant play nest gym, and a couple of baby books, and though I go for a daily walk it is more for my benefit than his I reckon. I am the first of my girlie group (and they all work, like I used to, FT) to have a baby and so our coffee and cake meets cannot provide me with the appropriate advice! I feel that even though 'out of sight, out of mind' applies to them at this age for toys, I am missing something that when I (finally) meet another first time mum will be left feeling my child has been seriously deprived of proper stimulation etc.?

try going out to groups, they don't need much at this age but a change of sean and nursery rhymes.
Try your local library, for a baby sinning group they are free. Your local Children centure they often do baby massage classes. You may also have a local NCT branch who have a bumps and babies group, very good for meeting new mums.

I'm doing baby yoga and swimming and lots of walks which he loves.

An 11 week old baby's needs are quite basic in terms of entertainment - you and your daily comings and going with a few things dangling in front of him is plenty.

Your needs are important too, especially for human contact. Have a look round your local area - there are probably baby groups, library sing alongs, NCT events etc.

I'm no expert (DC1 has not yet arrived) but I would have thought the main thing is just chatting to them and giving them objects (of any safe variety) to play with/look at. walks and other babies/people are more for when he is a bit older, no?

Thankyou for the reassurances from all of your responses :) Have now looked into a swimming class though daunted by fact I have to get into one tent of a swimsuit since having him- gained and yet to lose- a LOT of weight! And with this September sunshine, walks a plenty absolutely 'cause yah never know how long the sun will shine here for!

Do things which are good for you - anything which will help you make friends with other mothers. An 11wo really doesn't need anything apart from you talking to and cuddling him. Honestly, my dd didn't really take an interest in toys until about 6mo.

Smiles! When they're in the mood. They love a bit of smiling and goo goo gahing. My ds2 is 11 weeks too. I have three days with his older brother (nearly 3) and two alone with him. Today is an alone day.

So far today, it's gone like this:
6am - boob, then back to sleep
8 am - boob and some smiles. Put him back in his cot with mobile on while I showered and got breakfast etc.
9 - 11 - I fiddled around on the internet doing some clothes shopping with him feeding/watching patterns on the wall/occasionally cooing and giving him a rattle to look at/changing nappies/talking nonsense to him.
11 - boob
11.30 - 12.30 sat with him lying nestled on my knee and just basically smiled and gurgled at him for the hour. Sang along to some tunes on the Ipod for a while, making happy eyes and talking sweet nothings to him.
12.30 - his dad came home unexpected for lunch, he snoozed on his chest
1.30 boob
Snoozing on and off ever since, now attached to my boob again. Has had enough of playing.

Honestly, less is more. The days we are here with ds1, I am not sure what happens. It mainly involves me keeping him alive by keeping ds2 off him and feeding and changing him without incident, with some time on the floor/on the playgym. Get out and about! Baby massage is fun and you can meet some people too.

Swimming is a great idea, my ds loved it from about 3 months old and so did I! Also second the bumps and babes groups, plus lots of churches offer mums and babies groups for local communities.

Walks in the park - my ds loves (now 22wks but always have) the park - think of all that stimulation - breeze, birdsong, dogs barking, sounds of other children, etc etc. He particularly loves looking up at trees - loves it!!

We do singing and other things but I think both our favourite thing to do is to go on big adventures - a trip into town involves a bus, train, tube, stations - al sorts of interesting things.

My son enjoys Bright Starts Buzzin' Around Bee. It clips nicely to the handle on his car seat and he likes to try to grab the dangling toys or stare at the faces as the toys sway around. I know that I will have at least 10mins when he will be distracted so that I can finish my meal when we are out etc.