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Parenting

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Original poster

What am I supposed to do all day

36 replies

PebbleTTC · 27/01/2016 10:42

It's 10.40 baby is bored and I'm wrecked! How do you fill your days between naps ? Baby is 6 months old, I'm not very good at playing

OP posts:

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PolyesterBride · 27/01/2016 10:44

I always used to go out as much as possible - playgroups, story time anything! It's tiring but I always found staying at home more tiring.

BendydickCuminsnatch · 27/01/2016 10:46

Good question! DS is 8 months and just this week I'm getting boooored! Thursdays and Fridays we go to baby groups. Otherwise we go to the co-op or walk around the lake thrilling. There are always errands to run. Can the baby go on the swings yet? If you have local acquaintances with kids then invite them round and get to know them. I've also just started doing a bit of work in naptime and the evenings, now that he's sleeping better. Weaning + crawling seems to be helping his sleep.
But now when he's awake he is SO demanding, he's climbing everywhere so I have to spend all his awake time right with him! It gets old ha.

Original poster

PebbleTTC · 27/01/2016 10:51

We went to a sleep consultant yesterday so I'm trying to make sure the two morning naps are in cot so I'm a bit afraid to leave the house in case he falls asleep! I'm going walking with him and a friend at 4.30 but that's a life time away!

It was easier all along as he slept mostly and was fine entertaining himself on play mat, now nothing keeps him happy for more than 3 minutes

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Artandco · 27/01/2016 10:52

Just do what you did before a baby surely? Travel, shop, exhibition, baby cinema slots, walk, bake, paint

Think of what you like to do and how to do it with baby and go.

Original poster

PebbleTTC · 27/01/2016 10:55

I went to work!

OP posts:

Artandco · 27/01/2016 10:58

Well yes, so do I, went back after 3 months maternity. However surely you didn't work 24/7? What did you used to do at the weekends?

It's far easier to think what you like and evolve them to suit with baby than suddenly do everything different. Key is to get out the house at least part of the day.

eatsleephockeyrepeat · 27/01/2016 11:34

Pebble I have no idea either :/

My lb's days shy of 7 months and this last month in particular has been haaaard. I go back to work on Monday and I'm looking forward to doing something I'm GOOD AT all day again, and leaving the baby-care to the professionals :( Is that terrible??

Original poster

PebbleTTC · 27/01/2016 11:42

No not at all! I'm back soon and I can't wait although when I say that to people I get the your an awful mother look

OP posts:

Dangermouse1 · 27/01/2016 12:07

Feel your pain,it's a hard work age. I also spent a week at home getting ds to nap in the cot and nearly drove me mad. When stuck inside I did the following - I had a nursery rhyme tape and used to do a lot of singing with actions. Also getting different (safe) household objects like wooden spoons for him to play with. If you're lucky, some babies will watch you do housework if you prop them up in highchair / cushions. Stretch out mealtimes by giving foods like carrot sticks or toast as finger foods. Read books which are touchy feely or have flaps / pop up. Jumparoo was a lifesaver for 15 minutes peace. Encourage crawling by balls and annoying noise making toys just our of reach. It will pass, they get more fun honest!

Original poster

PebbleTTC · 27/01/2016 12:16

Thanks Dangermouse! I will try that

OP posts:

BendydickCuminsnatch · 27/01/2016 12:49

Yes I also did all the Danermouse says! Good suggestions.

ODog · 27/01/2016 12:55

I second the going out as much as possible doings a mix of baby groups and stuff you like. Once they start walking shopping trips and nice lunches/coffees stop being fun for everyone.

Also, I know this isn't what you asked I honestly don't buy the nap in a cot thing. My DS was a terrible sleeper for months. He's average now at 20mo but because he was so unpredictable he got used to falling asleep in the buggy/sling/car and eventually let me transfer him about. It's a lifesaver now he has 1 long nap around midday as otherwise I would be tied to the house most of the day as there wouldn't be much time either side of the nap to do much. Friends that went down the strict cot napping route are rueing it a little bit now for that reason as DCs won't sleep anywhere else or in noisy environments. I would just get out and have your DS learn to sleep wherever.

Disclaimer: I don't want this to turn into an argument about sleep/sleep training and appreciate all babies are different and some will sleep everywhere regardless of how/where they normally sleep. It's just my experience and that of friends.

BikeRunSki · 27/01/2016 13:14

Parent and baby groups, activities, story time, swimming, singing, yoga etc are much more for the parents' benefit than the baby's.

GoldPlatedBacon · 27/01/2016 13:26

My dd is 6 months too so I feel your pain!

I walk a lot (miles!)
Jumperoo so I can eat my lunch
ipad in front of dd for tummy time. Lots of black/white baby sensory videos on YouTube which keep her amused for 10 minutes
she will generally be happy to sit on chair/mat for half hour so I can clean
cot with mobile on
swimming on occasions (bit of a faff but good to do to keep me busy on quiet weeks)
museums on occasions
softplay
traipsing round charity shops looking for clothes for dd.

If dd is exceptionally grumpy and I'm bored in the afternoons we have a bath together. She loves that!

Artandco · 27/01/2016 13:37

And many say museums with babies doesn't work, but for me they were perfect. Small babies that age are in sling or pram, and a large museum gives you somewhere to walk when it's raining. And they usually have cafes!

I don't know if you like running but that was an ideal time 6months-18 months as they would sit happily in pram whilst I jogged with it. Same with cycling, pop in baby seat and off. 3-4 years was awkward as too large for joggers and too small to cycle alone far

NickyEds · 27/01/2016 13:41

With ds (my first) me and my friend used to go to the pub on a Friday! It was lovely. It's much easier in Summer (ds was a Winter baby) as me and ds just spent ages in the park having picnics. Now I have a 2 year old and a 6 month old so dd just has to fit in. She spends a lot of time trying to crawl in amongst all of the toys that litter our living room, playing with various household objects. The jumparoo's great. If I need to clean the kitchen I pop her in her high chair with a piece of toast. I'd try and do what Artandco suggests and please yourself as much as you can- you're much more limited when they become toddlers.
I started trying to get ds to nap in his cot at around 7 months but only when we happened to be in, if we were out he napped in the buggy- he still does now.I'll probably do the same with dd.

TreadSoftlyOnMyDreams · 27/01/2016 14:05

Start weaning? That seems to take up an enormous amount of time?

Every guide seems to talk about starting them on solids around lunchtime but I found that first thing was much more rewarding. Bit of porridge or weetabix and then milk.

7.30am - 8am - up breakfast, shower and out by 9am
9am to 9.30am - baby sleeps in pram
9.30/10 to 10.30/11 - some sort of baby friendly activity
Then home, bit more gloop, a feed and then 2 / 2.5 hrs of sleeping depending on how long it took to settle.
At 6 months my DD1 was still a bad sleeper so a nap would have been good but she hated being left anywhere so if I was going to "achieve" anything like make a meal or do some housework it usually happened while she slept.
In retrospect I should have just co slept in the room with her for the 2 hrs.

I went back to work at 7 months. Life saver

There were a lot of NCT meet ups at peoples houses in the afternoons as the babies started to move and cafe's and pubs were no longer appropriate.

cornishglos · 27/01/2016 14:13

take baby the ride. When mine was that age we went on lots of walks, visited the library, went to friends' houses, went to cafes, did supermarket shopping, went swimming, did housework, read books...

cornishglos · 27/01/2016 14:14

Sorry, half my post disappeared.
Do what makes you happy and... see above

Original poster

PebbleTTC · 27/01/2016 14:19

bacon I just put YouTube on the TV with the black and white sensory video and he is mesmerised by it!

We are on solids which does fill a few mins!

We are learning to roll over which is getting better and he doesn't cry as much doing the tummy time now.

Thanks for all the replies, I do want to do the two morning naps in the cot I spent a lot of money on sleep consultant so want to try what she says!

I actually find he isn't that happy in buggy anymore, he will spend about 40 min on a walk before he gets cranky and wants out, last week I walked over a mile with him in my arms and pushing buggy at same time because he didn't want to be in it anymore! I'm hoping it was just a phase but don't want to go far again on my own any time soon!

I used to do lunches out with friends on their lunch hour when he was smaller but it's too hard now as he wants to be up in arms etc and gets cranky fast so I don't bother

OP posts:

Artandco · 27/01/2016 14:28

Do you have a good sling? Something like the boba 4g can go on your front or back. Easier if he won't go in pram as hands free then

GoldPlatedBacon · 27/01/2016 14:36

The YouTube videos are fab!

I should have said with walking that my dd can sit up so I usually pop into the park and put her on the Swings so she isn't in the pushchair for too long. I've also recently started to sit her up in the pushchair which she seems happy about

Headmelt · 27/01/2016 15:13

I would try to structure naps rather than waiting for him to fall asleep. I would change him, give him a bottle and place him in his cot in a darkened room. He may cry a little in the beginning but he will settle in to his routine quickly. There are several books (available online or at library if you don't want to buy) that give sample routines. You don't need to be very regimental but it will give you an idea of how to structure your day. I usually have the nap before 3pm so there's a gap between nap and bedtime. To fill the day, go to the park, play games indoors, read books etc

Dangermouse1 · 27/01/2016 15:55

To go back to the sleeping thing and pick up on a few other comments. I imagine that OP probably used a sleep consultant as she is exhausted and getting no sleep at night. They probably suggested (I didn't use one but did lots of DIY research when at the end of my tether!) that its easier to do gentle sleep training e.g. sush pat or pick up put down or gradual retreat, in the daytime when you are not exhausted yourself and have a bit more patience. Once you have cracked getting your baby to self settle in the cot in the daytime they will them sleep much better at night. When this is achieved, you can go back to daytime sleeps sometimes being in the pushchair/sling or whatever. But with the option that now your baby will sleep in a cot, they can have an in the house nap if you want a nap yourself or some time to get chores done (or watch TV with a cuppa!). OP, I think you are doing the right thing for you if this is the case, but once you have improved the sleeping and have a better naptime routine going, you might want to consider adding a couple of out of the house naps per week to your routine so your baby doesn't loose the knack of sleeping in noisy places. Best of both worlds and in my opinion well worth one quite difficult week in the house. Disclaimer - I know some people aren't comfortable with any firm of sleep training and it is personal choice and what works for you.

waitingforsomething · 27/01/2016 17:21

My 6 month old has just arrived at this stage. I try to go out for walks, got to a cafe and have a coffee with a friend - he likes the change of scenery- PPP him in his highchair and let him watch me cook/wash up/whatever. I tmemwber tgis stage with dd- they can soon sit up and crawl then they are cheerier!

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