5 week old needing stimulating activities! Ideas please!

[mamabrownbear]

Our little BOJ is thrilling us every day with 'new tricks'. She is locking in on us, tracking us with her eyes, smiling a bit and showing lots and lots of interest in the world around her. I'm wondering what I can do to encourage her developments and/or if we are doing enough?

We have the black/white contrast books. I pop her in a vibrating chair with dangling toys for a bit each day. She has high contrasting colour rings attached to her basket, toys on her car seat handle and we talk to her as much as we can and mimic her ohs and ahs...is that enough? We have a playmat which I haven't broken out yet in case the dog thinks its for her...

I'm not expecting we should be reading her the a-z encyclopaedia or anything but its such a joy to see them change every day, I'm wanting to encourage her all the way...top tips so very welcomed

Um... RELAX???!!! She's your beautiful newborn not a project and she will develop perfectly in her own time. You want a happy baby who can take in the world have moments of alertness and moments of peace too...

Talk to her, snuggle her, go out and about with her.. that's what she needs most:)

ps you sound lovely and your post makes me broody!!!!!:)

I agree with the PP. The whole world right now is stimulating. Just putting her in a bouncer and having her watch you put on some clothes is stimulating enough for them.

If anything, try not to stimulate her TOO much as babies this small can only handle small amounts of stimulation before they get overtired.

My suggestion, at 5 weeks, is to:

Cuddle her.
Feed her.
Cuddle her some more.
Feed her again.
Cuddle.
Feed.
Let her sleep.

And chill out!

Agree with PP's!

Babies of that age need to cuddle, feed and sleep. They love to look at you face and hear your voice - but don't maintain eye contact once they start looking away. It's very easy for them to get overstimulated and distressed. Don't think about books and toys for a while yet.

What tee said.

There is plenty of time for stimulating as they get older

Pop her in a sling and take her around with you.. This is your opportunity to do lovely things for you - go for walks, go out for coffee, visit galleries and museums if that's your thing. Believe me, in 6 months time she really will need entertaining, and your life will start to revolve around child appropriate activities. Just enjoy her being snugly and portable- that will be plenty of stimulation.

(PS you sound like me with DS1. He use to get horribly over stimulated, and I got stressed. DS2 spent his first few months just hanging out with us and watching the world go by, and it was so much nicer ).

Yes, what they said! At 5 weeks, she needs all the cuddles you can give her, hearing your voice and looking at the world. No further stimulation required!

she doesnt need any extra stimulation

hth

Cuddle and watch entire SEASONS of tv series. I watched Greys Anatomy in love film. Anything up to 6 episodes a day when DS was tiny. It was lovely cuddling and feeding and chilling out.

Congrats on your lo, mine is the same age, it's a lovely time isn't it?

My DS loves looking at our faces, smiling and laughing. But he can only cope with that for a minute or two tops. Then he turns his head away or starts crying.

I've been watching lots of tv - the whole 2 seasons of modern family- bliss! Soon we won't be able to do that so let's enjoy while we can!

Feed, cuddle, take a bath with her.

Put her in a sling and go places YOU want to go - make the most of this, it doesn't last for long.

Make some maternity leave friends and go for coffee. Go for a walk/shopping/to a museum together.

Find out if anywhere near you does baby cinema.

Really, you need to back off from the little mite. At 5 weeks old they just need to 'be', sleep, feed & cuddle. They are more at risk of over stimulation than under stimulation.

I know it's lovely & fascinating - but really, you are going to stress her out. Just snuggle.

I agree with those saying too much stimulation is certainly not good for a baby of five weeks.

As others have said. Every time she opens her eyes, she's being stimulated. She's seeing everything for the first time and is learning about the world. Put her in a chair and let her look outside at the garden, or watch the dog, or just watch you pottering about. My DD was a similar age this time last year. I used to just put her in a baby carrier and take the dog for a walk. She stared up at the sky and the trees and that was enough.

Take her outside, show her trees with leaves blowing in the wind. Let her hear different voices as you chat to people, smell different smells, see the world - the whole world is new and stimulating to her.

Really, just enjoy until taking her along with your normal life until around 4 months.

oh but make sure you talk to her, a running commentary while you do stuff, its amazing how much they are picking up now.

Agree with other don't pressure yourself too much everything she sees is interesting :) but my dd has always liked being led on my legs and me playing with her hands and feet :)

Super, thanks all. That's reassuring. Definitely don't want to over stimulate but had enough guilt trips about other issues so don't need to feel I'm neglecting her either. Will relax knowing this brave new world is enough just now :)

I think you sound brilliant. I would relax too.. she is obvious she is very happy. I did hear of little things like to tie a balloon to ribbon and attach to ankle of baby. Tummy time activities etc. but at 5 weeks I wouldn't be in any rush. Have you heard of Gymboree? There are 0-6 month classes if you are still looking for something. Mum and baby yoga??

Congrats on your little one!

Smile, cuddle, talk, sing, feed, go outside and let her feel the wind on her face , that should be fine. ALSo let her have some chill out time.

Careful you dint overstimulate her or you'll soon have tired grumpy baby rather than happy content baby. Just letting her watch the world go by is enough for now

Have you got a sling? Both mine loved going for walks outside at this age. For five minutes, then they fell asleep :o.

Even going into a different room is stimulation, so take her for a walk around the house if you think she is getting bored.

FWIW my DD was a very alert baby too, didn't sleep as much as others and seemed to need/want more stimulation than her peers. So don't worry if your baby isn't exactly the same as everyone else's!