How do I take a newborn to baby classes?

[KimchiLaLa]

I keep seeing classes advertised for "newborn to 6 months" etc. My newborn can't stay awake longer than an hour (and it's usually at night). Does anyone go to classes like sensory with a newborn?

I started going around 8 weeks but would often end up with a napper during classes! They're just as much for you as the baby to be honest.
I would have loved a newborn that couldn't stay awake more than hour in done ways, mine had to be rocked for 45 minutes just to sleep for 20 and often still does at 4 months!!!

Just go :) all other babies will be the same, it's more for the mums than the babies. I went to a few and always found that most of the babies were either feeding or asleep by the end.

Just take her! If she's asleep it doesn't matter, just enjoy the coffee and the adult company!

I took DD1 to some. Got me out of the house, baby completely indifferent. DD2: put baby in sling and went to a museum or round the shops or something else I found interesting. Just as sensory for them... .

To be honest I enjoyed them most when DD was asleep!! Go to the ones where you can chat (stay and play type rather than sensory) and meet other mums.

We did loads, just so I could get out of the house. Doesn’t matter if they sleep, it’s more for your benefit than theirs anyway!

Definitely more for you than baby! After 6 months it gets more baby focused until about 1, then they start wandering off to play and you can chat again in between stopping your child from snatching toys while chanting "share, we share!"

Just go and if they sleep they just sleep. We go to bounce and rhyme every week at the library and my 6 month old still sleeps thought most of it and my eldest was the same but it's nice to be out!

Definitely pick ones that are an opportunity to meet other parents (ie involve coffee, biscuits and free play for toddler siblings - not ones that are 100% structured singing etc). I am still friends with people I met at baby & toddler groups - my kids don't remember a thing about them.

I agree with Lt my personal choice for groups are ones very local where I can (and have) meet local parents.

My son is 14 weeks and ALWAYS falls asleep at activities even whilst in the pool swimming . Everyone gets it and in fact will tell you how good your baby is whilst theirs is screaming the place down. Nobody really expects the babies to do anything, its all for the parents' benefit at this stage!

For the first few weeks I met people for coffee or went to the groups for £2 where you can meet people and drink tea which she slept through.
Then when she started being awake for longer periods around 6-8 weeks I started going to baby sensory and swimming but anything before then would have felt like a waste of money so aim for groups rather than expensive classes at first.

I go to ones where you pay on the day rather than a block so I'm not obliged to go. Was lucky with one this week with my 8wo who was awake for half of it and slept for the chat bit.

Its just so you can get out of the house and meet other parents.

I would say sensory classes are better for your child after around 12 weeks but there is no harm in taking them earlier for yourself!

My baby always needs a feed, cry and snooze half way through. But I keep going anyway. I had no ideas on how to play or talk to babies - I tend to run out of stuff to do and say fast, so the classes are good pointers for me for things to do at home. I guess you can get a lot of ideas of youtube too though.

You should look at baby social classes which are really just a chance to speak to other Mums and have a cuppa.

Babies dont need classes...mums need them!

I agree with PP to start with classes where you can pay as you go rather than have to book a block and also local and free or cheap.

Toddler stay and play groups are hell on earth so I'd avoid those as long as you can! See if there's a Facebook parent/mums group for your local area and ask for ideas on that; there are often bumps and bundles type groups that are for new parents and mean you won't have toddler (like my three year old!) trampling around near/over your lovely little newborn.

Congratulations!

Do things that you want to do, walks, coffee and cake meet ups, breastfeeding cafes, mum groups, lunchtime cinema
/reading magazines/ Netflix but forget the classes.
In a few months time you with be able to do what you want, as your little person will be more demanding and it won't stop, by two you'll be visiting the sandpit/park/farm/toddler classes/megabricks on the carpet everyday, so enjoy a few months of hanging out and cuddling your baby whilst doing stuff that you enjoy, soon enough your interests won't get a look in!

Under one, classes are for parents, and social media sharing if you are that way inclined.

I wouldn't take a newborn to paid for structures activities like baby sensory as they likely will just sleep through it or they are too small to interact much. I started baby sensory with DD when she was 4 months and she stays awake and seems to enjoy it. Much more worthwhile IMO than if I took her at say 8 weeks.

When she was really small I used to take her to free groups or play groups where they only wanted a couple of quid for you to attend (pays for the coffee and biscuits). Like PPs say, these groups are mostly for you, rather than for baby. I used to have a coffee and chat to other mums and DD would often just nap in the buggy. it was really good to get out.

I highly recommend going to an outdoor exercise class like Buggyfit if there's any in your area. Baby can nap in the fresh air while you get some endorphins from thrashing about with other mums. I love it!