What to do with an 11 week old

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Not the practical stuff, we feed nappy change, sleep etc fairly effectively. I mean the rest of the time. Mostly at the moment I go about my business, cleaning, running errands, meeting friends etc while she watches and I narrate what's going on to her. We do a bit of lying on her play mat, some tummy time etc but that's about it for activities. I've been to some stay and play groups, but she mostly slept through them. Friends we slightly older babies seem to spend all day every day inventing complicated activities to do with their DC, and I'm beginning to feel very boring and lazy, but I just don't see what she would get out of such things at this age. Am I missing g the point? Should I be making more effort to do baby specific things, and if so what!?

Its the perfect age to start joining baby classes.
Over the first year we did baby massage- great before they starting rolling away from you, baby yoga, swimming and the odd play groups. Got to admit i loved our days spent just chilling out , though.

I think baby groups with a tiny one are more about socialising for the Parents than the baby doing much.

I think singing to them and just talking to them is good. I used to spend ages reading to my older two when they were newborns not just children's books, any book I was reading I read aloud with them lying next to me.

Swimming is nice if she is old enough.

DSIS did a sensory class when DN was a newborn. They did massage, put the babies on different textured things etc.

I've never done anything particularly complicated, just simple stuff.

We do go swimming once a week, at the moment she just stares, no splashing or anything! (she does splash in the bath) but I enjoy it. We are about to move, but I will look at massage/yoga classes in our new area. What happens at baby yoga, who does the yoga, you or baby!?

Cuddle them. Then cuddle them some more.

Then maybe show them things that are brightly coloured and different textures to feel.

Then cuddle them again.

Man I love squishy tiny baby cuddles.

flanjabelle do you have a camera in my house!? That's pretty much what we do, but others are starting to make me feel inadequate aand that I should make more effort to do more complicated and structured activities with her.

notso reading sounds lovely, we will definitely try that.

I havent found the groups very sociable tbh, and I prefer to socialise with my existing friends who have older children, or none, who I can't talk to about something other than babies as that seems to be all anyone wants to discuss with me now!

Read books.

Sing nursery rhymes and listen to music.

Take her for walks in a sling and stand under trees to look up at the leaves.

Go swimming.

If you like art galleries and museums then take her along (much harder when they get a bit older and want to crawl/run about).

If you have an aquarium nearby then your baby might really enjoy that (or just go and look at the fish and other animals in Pets at Home).

Yep. Cuddling. Reading. Singing. Swimming. Can't think of much more. Enjoy this lovely time.

We did exactly the same - stay in all day cuddling and slowly waving toys around in wonderment - until dd hit a week shy of 5 months and suddenly it WASN'T ENOUGH. (May have realised this when she started enjoying Asda rather than crying the second she was put in her pram ).

For now, enjoy being able to have pyjama days. She'll let you know when she needs more by being a grumpy fuck until you take her out

Now she's 5m she loves baby sensory and sing-along sessions but I would have begrudged paying for them before now TBH because she wouldn't have responded at all in the same way

My ds is 8 months now and loves going to see the fish at the garden centre. Try it, even as young as 11 weeks she may love it.

We did baby massage which was lovely and groups which really were for my benefit.

Just do simple things. Lie her on the grass so she can feel it, lie her (supervised) on some tin foil or bubble wrap for a different texture. Tummy time in front of a mirror is good roo.

As the weather is improving, find a nice park, take a flask of coffee, park her where she can look at the leaves of a tree blowing in the breeze. Lovely :)

Actually from about 12 weeks DD started enjoying Baby Sensory classes, and slept brilliantly afterwards.

DD is six months now and we go to sensory classes once a week. I started when she was about 12 weeks, she's always enjoyed them but used to fall asleep or get overwhelmed in the early weeks. Used to sleep for ages after though which meant a peaceful cup of tea when I got home .

Other than that same as pp, dangling toys in front of her on mat, reading, singing, lots of monologues about everything I was doing... and lots and lots of cuddles. I like to go out for a walk most days too, just window shopping or people watching. DD used to sleep in the buggy during our walks mostly but now enjoys people watching too.

We did a few baby sensory classes but the one in our area wasnt that friendly. Its worth going though even if its just to pick up tips for at home. DS loves playing with an empty pop bottle that have beads in, light in his hands and a good noise. If you google how to make tummy time fun you will find lots too.

Thanks all, you've made me feel a lot better. We walk the dog in her sling everyday, and go out and about shopping and visiting in her pram 3 or 4 times a week. I guess I was just worried that as it wasn't a "baby activity" it didn't count! I agree with pp that paying for classes seems expensive at the moment when I don't really see what she will get out of it this early. Also, everywhere seems to need you to sign up a term at a time and we are moving soon, I will see what there is in our new area as she will be a few weeks older then and perhaps more interested!

We used to go to baby groups most mornings as it got us out the house. The music group at the library was (and still is) our favourite.

Go out on a smelling trip. Smell everything, flowers, grass, lemons and oranges. Sounds nuts, but is actually quite fun

A lot of tiny-baby groups are to stop the mums from going stir-crazy as much as they are to ~stimulate~ the babies.

Sit on the sofa and cuddle and chat to her. Read her books. Have her in the crook of your arm while you quietly read your own books.

This period doesn't last long, so enjoy it while you can. You will be belting round the park after her soon enough!

I'm with ArcheryAnnie- the groups are for mums at this age (I did loads and loved them). At 11 weeks everything is novel for your baby so just do as you please whilst you still can. I miss sitting in cafes chatting with friends without the "No! Don't touch! Please get down! Not in your mouth!" soundtrack that seems to accompany our get togethers now our babies are toddlers!

Babies love being cuddled, being in the sling is like one ginormous, safe, wonderful cuddle! Your DD will think that is the best.

Other than that if you enjoy being with your existing freinds then I would carry on, you being happy is a good thing (I was hit with PND, big time, so I would say keep seeing your freinds who you enjoy being with).

I really do think at this age you should focus on doing what you enjoy with her rather than what you think you should 've doing. The happier you are, the better your interactions with her will be and the happier she will be. Please dont put so much pressure on yourself.

Years ago when my DS (now 8!) was a baby there was a mumsnetter who used to recommend putting together a baby treasure chest. I think she called it that anyway.

In it she suggested collecting lots of different objects; everyday items of different textures, sizes and functions. Things like old keys, wooden spoon etc.

I did it, to be honest until then I'd felt a bit lazy and then felt like I was one of those mums for a bit. DS had a proper treasure chest for him in the end by his carpenter grandfather and it now stores his coin savings.

As a baby ( though not at 11 weeks!) he used to enjoy rooting through it and making lots of noise banging the keys against the wood.