How do you spend the day with a baby?

[CantCope]

My baby is 10 months old now and I have started spending more time at home because she is mobile and active and therefore its no good trying to lunch out or push her round too much in the pushchair as she wants to be crawling and standing up.

So today we stayed in. But I found the day really frustrating and maddening.

Was wondering what others 'do' in a typical day / week?

I try to intersperse playing with her, with getting on with jobs. But I feel I cant get anything done - its constant supervision, constantly removing her from places I dont want her to be, constantly removing things from her grasp before she eats or otherwise destroys them. Constantly responding to fussing.

Ok I know this is normal behaviour and this sounds like a whinge, but I cant even read in the same room while she plays or go on the computer because she wants to grab what I am doing.

It feels like I want to just go out more to get through the day. She likes chasing and crawling games. But other than that you cant really play 'with' her as such as she plays with objects.

I just feel like I am not a natural at just 'being with' my baby, it feels awkward and frustrating and I dont like these negative feelings.

I am totally with you CorrieDale, squarer and others in terms of general parenting approach/philosophy - trying not to say no, and just remove her where necessary and distract, make things fun and positive, babyproof - its putting it into practice thats not as easy as I thought

we also have a 'treasure basket' of household and natural objects for dd to play with, and anything else which isnt dangerous or she can wreck I dont mind her messing with (eg dvds off the shelf, pots and pans)

but I dont have space in the kitchen to give her a cupboard or indeed any other cupboards or drawers anywhere she can have

what games and toys do or did your 10 month olds like?

toys seem to keep her interest for all of 2 minutes at the moment - I know more active things are better for this stage, but I need new bunch of distraction ideas so that I can keep avoiding 'no' as much as possible

I find that she's starting to really like toys that make a noise, especially if she can press a button to make the noise herself. We've got a soft globe from Mothercare that she loves, because she just has to roll it to start the song, and a mobile phone from Early Learning Centre that rings and says hello when she presses a button.

She also loves material - I've bought some sparkly scarves (from Bombay Stores in Bradford if that's any good to you) and she loves playing with them.

and if you let them be, they'll amaze you.
I had no idea dd could pick up the dogs water bowl and drink out of it - or feed herself scraps out of the foodbowl.
Is she this nimble when offerd annabel bloody karmel in a bowl specially designed for babies? she is not.
Sigh.

and the dog likes the baby toys that make a noise... and neither of them are interested in the treasure basket i painstakingly put together.

Making things fun and positive babyproof CC? Nope. It was blimmin awful, but I just sort of got used to it. It isn't easy. Its accepting a whole new way of life in my opinion and that is what makes it so hard.
I can't really advise you on toys at 10 months as DS was only just sitting up at this point. He used to just look at stuff and get bored really quickly. What I can tell you is that the best toys are non-toys. When you are washing up, what about a plastic bowl with a cm of water and suds (baby bath if skin sensitivity an issue) and some safe things to clang about in it.. spaghetti spoon, wooden spoon, plastic colander. If she tips it on herself/the floor it's minimal water so no worries.
Adjust your way of thinking. Babies have no social conscience and you can't teach them any at this age. You kind of work round the anarchic blob throwing mud at you and then givng you a winning smile.
I think that you do know all this... is it just the acceptance and the realisation of the actual? Fair enough. You sound pretty damn fine and normal to me.
Whereabouts do you live btw?

DS loved his push along walker at that age. Also a trolley with blocks. Lift the flap books from your library. Balls, of all kinds. Try rotating her toys. I keep them in three boxes and rotate them every week. It's amazing how he plays differently with them on their reappearance. Ditto the treasure chest - variety is the key. Change the contents around fairly frequently.

Mind you, no matter what you have for her, she'll want the stuff that you use, especially if it's dangerous, and her concentration span isn't going to be sufficient for her to play with one toy for longer than, say, 10 minutes.

Lower your expectations! Of yourself, I mean. Sometimes babies are incredibly boring - even your own! - and only grandparents are blind to this. 'Good enough' parenting is what is required for the long haul, and that includes, IMHO, yawning as your much beloved baby hands you yet another peek-a-boo block for you to admire. And find other mums to whinge with. I always feel so much more positive after playgroup/postnatal coffee morning, and not just because DS gets to belt around in a safe environment.

I'm starting to think you are me in an alternate time Corriedale....

Squarer and Corrie you, and others who have replied, have given me a real kick up the butt (but in the nicest way) on this thread.

I have found a drawer she can have in the lounge and found miscellaneous kitchen items to put in - she gave it 20mins of attention which enabled me to make our lunch. I will change the stuff tomorrow. Ditto I had never thought of changing her treasure basket. Or thought of doing watery type games outside of bath.

An injection of ideas like this is great. Also, petitfilou, I am going to get one of those waterproof overall things for outdoors - why didnt I think of that?

Pinky we have similar toys to you and I think its just that the novelty has worn off for dd but I hadnt thought of putting them away and then reappearing them in a few weeks. I think material is a good idea. Glad this thread has helped others feel normal as well.

am up in sunny north east btw squarer in answer to your question

Can't cope. Huge sympathy my DS is older now, but absolutley heaving with energy and still not walking and has been for months now. He's never been happy to sit still in his buggy, well not since about 4 months. I do one thing outside the house every morning and something else outside the house every afternoon. These have to involve getting out of the car or buggy otherwise he goes mad. So I admit that I reckon i live in the day of the washing machine and bugger everything else, it's only dirt. I let him out EVERYWHERE, including Tescoes. Mornings are quite often shopping somewhere, even window shopping where he can crawl on the floor. This means, Ikea, tescoes, B&Q, Mothercare or Toys R us (to play with the toys, bookships and the library, shopping malls, and M&S. At least we're out of the house and in places that reckon to cate for families. Afternoons are parks or anywhere with toys that don' belong to us, we're in London so there are quite a few I go to, varying them makes a change for you and them. Some have sand, some have good slides or climbing frames, or swings. Also playing with a ball in the park, which he loves. Add to that friends, play dtaes, playgroups and the occasional class and we manage something all the time. Oh yes, we also go to places to look at trains, buses, horses, animals or whatever. I'm slightly dreading the winter if he doesn't walk, because crawling on the ground is fine in the summer because it's just dirt, but what about when it's wet and cold? Am preparing to buy waterproofs so he can do whatever he needs to as often as possible and thinking even more about indoor places.

At home I find he calms down if I give him some attention for ten minutes and then try and cook, clean do the washing. Also works a bit if I try and focus his activities rather than giving him access to all his toys all the time. So books, balls, things with wheels, building blocks, crayons, shapes instruments (kitchen pans and things that make a noise is what really mean). I also allow telly and without balamory in the mornings I wouldn't be able to have a bath1 I also have a baby gates, big Babydan ones dividing up rooms. They are as safe as they can be and so I can let him run riot a bit and not have to correct him all the time. he loves cupboards he's not meant to be in, but that I've secretly designed for him. (vids and DVD's in the living room and pans and mats nad plastic int he kitchen. It's good for him and Me! the more i say you're so cheeky the more he thinks it's exciting and makes the other nos easier.

You have my sympathy though, it's exhausting sometimes, I console myself with the fact that it won't last forever!

Yay! Drop the "t" from your name CC and you will join the legions with babies older than 10 months
I really wish you were closer. I (and a thousand others) could drop by and say "blimey, I wish I had thought of that when my LO was 10 months. How do you manage to stay so sane?"