How much do you play with a 9 week old baby?

[yaimee]

I have a lovely 9 w/o boy, who seems generally quite happy and content. I just want to know how much I should be playing with him? And what I should be doing. I try to stimulate him pretty much all the time that he's awake by reading to him, singing to him, bouncing him, making faces, shaking toys at him, talking to him etc. Sometimes I get distracted and then feel bad that he's been entertaining himself for a bit, even if I'm cuddling him (I know that's stupid)! And sometimes I run out of ideas! I really just want to know how much others play with their babies (my Mum says I'm playing with him too much and he needs to be left alone to explore his own thoughts and just to look at stuff) and I'd also like to know what people do with their babies?
Thanks!

honestly really at 9 weeks just being alive with eyes open is stimulation enough! Lay him on a mat with an arch over it and let him get on with it. Until he is at least 3-4 months and able to maybe hold a toy there's not a lot else to do. You can buy little rattles that velcro round their wrists at that age too. Please relax and just enjoy your beautiful newborn. (and congrats on that BTW)

At that age, I spent 6-10 hours a day trying to get him to sleep - I'm not sure I 'played' with him at all by the time I'd added in feeds, nappy changes and things like dressing & feeding myself.

Just talking to them while you get on with things is enough, although baby gymns are good too if you need to put them down for a while.

Thanks everyone, think I probably just need to relax :) I don't know anyone else with young children, so I don't really know what I should be doing!

Just looking at you talking and smiling at him will be stimulating enough. Those baby gyms are good as are mobiles in the cot. He's incapable of boredom at this age so chill and enjoy him.

everythings new to a baby so there not going to get board at all, maybe start to do things at certain times of the day eg, storey time before last feed, tummy time before dinner etc.

My first has just turned 4 months and to be honest its only in these last few,weeks that she is genuinely interacting back with me. Before this it is really just a round of feeding, nappies and sleep. I think it's important to provide lots of physical contact in the first weeks so you baby knows you are there but trying to play will just be lost on them. Are you breast feeding? I found that was the most enjoyable interaction between us.

Mine spent lots of time on the floor on / under his baby gym. Loved it and was content. He was mostly there when awake and I wasn't feeding or cuddling him. Personally I would give your DS plenty of floor time but talk to him while doing it even if you are busy with something else (you don't have to keep this up every single second, obviously).

P.s - don't feel guilty for leaving him to entertain himself! It's really important over time that he gradually learns to do for himself. My biggest realisation / tip at this point is that you do not need to run to their side at the slightest murmer / winge / ect. Letting them have a few mins often sees them sort themselves out and go back to sleep. finding something like the arches that everyone else has suggested is key - you will eventually need to get on and do things and putting them under something like this is a life saver - they love it and you get 10/15 mins to do a job/ have a cuppa or go to the loo!!! I found once we hit the 3 month mark it was all becoming easier - I could start to identify routines / her likes and dislikes ect. I think up until this point it is all a bit of a whirl with both of you getting to know each other. Hope it all goes well x

I didn't play with mine, I think being alive is enough, like trixie said :)

I'd hold them and talk to them and sing, but mostly just try to get through my day with one hand IIRC :)

I found out that Baby Goo would easily go to sleep if I left her a few mins, but I had to be up a ladder in the loft to work that out! I'd been rushing into her all the time, and overstimulating her.

ooh, you are making me feel so guilty OP! DC3 is 8 weeks and I never ever play with him. I played all the time with DC1, just like you. I wonder if they will be different because of that...?! Scary thought.
I will let you know in 20 years time...

My Mum had 4 children altogether and she says that her first got loads of attention and play and he never left her side and then when her second came along 11 months later she obviously couldn't give him the same attention and he had to fit in more around her and the rest of the family. Then I came along 16 years later and got all the same attention as brother 1 and my sister came 2 year after that and got the same attention as brother 2 and me and brother 1 are very similar in temperament (possibly a bit domineering and high maintenance) and my sister and brother 2 are very similar (chilled out)!
Thank you all for your answers, I feel a lot better now, it's just reassuring to know how other people managed and what they did because I have no experience of children at all (even with all the siblings, no nieces and nephews).
Thanks again.

do what you enjoy and imagine you had a toddler to look after too. i've only got a baby but my friends with toddler and baby all say their second gets WAY less attention than their first did - if anything makes for better less fussy child - the difference is how you feel about it. its much easier to justify ignoring your baby when you're stopping your toddler from falling, than it is if you are alone trying to catch up with stuff and have a break. a lot of working mums say you miss your child so much when apart that when reunited they are v committed and nice to kid - point being having a break or time to yourself can make you a better mum (maybe working not the best example as that isn't exactly a break!) - i def am better mum if i have a break from my baby - even just a bath while her dad is with her. if you are really enjoying playing with your baby great! take your baby to baby groups and toy shops - show baby things and see if any response (though you prob won't get loads at 9 weeks) - my baby really responds to some stuff and not other stuff (but favourite is still mum and dads face!). I really found that it helped if other people held her and gave her attention - that way i got a break, but I knew she was getting love and attention nonetheless. I think its good for kids to learn how to be happy on own, that said, at this stage if you are happy your baby is happy so just do what makes you feel happy!

Mine's exactly the same age OP; we've just, in the past week, started getting smiles and he's happy to be left for around 20 mins...so that's what I do.

As he's being breast fed, and we're co-sleeping, (and he doesn't sleep in the day) he gets a lot of me, and so 20 minutes at a time on his change mat, or on his play mat is great for him, and allows me to get the odd bit of housework done!

Just talking to them when you're changing them, etc., is enough, and making sure that they know you're around when they're not 'on' you is grand. They're taking in so much at the moment they don't need much extra.

Ah, the joys...!