Okay routine for 4.5 month old?

[TakeMeToTheFresh]

Bed at 7.30pm, shortly prior to this a calming bath with Mum and breastfeed to sleep

Wake up at 9, feed and then babble to self whilst Mum has breakfast and showers

Various things going on during the day, varies.

Naps for about 2 hours total.

Then bath again with me at 7.30, feed and sleep for the night.

Do I need to be encouraging more naps?

Family insist I must take him to more activities, but we do swimming etc and are always shopping.

I didn't like the baby groups, found them a bit boring

@usercantsleep no, I doubt it's all down to my parenting: genetics definitely played a part and then yes, social influence and education.

I also doubt that all children who are just dragged around shopping all day are less intelligent than their counterparts but I do think it's a shame that OPs child is missing out on some wonderful experiences because she finds baby groups 'boring.'

I wonder how on Earth the human mind developed before baby groups then?

Baby groups are a bit boring at times. OP and any other parent for that matter can provide plenty of stimulation and social contact without attending groups

OP, I think you might get better answers if you a) asked on the parenting boards and b) didn't mention how long your baby sleeps for at night. I'm having to wait to very hard not to be so seething with jealousy that I end up being sarcastic in my reply! Sleep deprivation brings out the worst in people and it's very hard not to resent someone whose baby sleeps so unusually well!

@Passmethecrisps you think that a child who is not taken to any age appropriate activities in as stimulated as a child whose parent can be arsed to sit through 'boring' singing and sensory etc?

Oops, this IS in the parenting boards! Sorry, I thought it was in AIBU. Like said... sleep deprivation!

You know what, actually: fuck being polite about it - when my children were that age, come hell or high water, I made sure that they had a range of fun activities to do throughout the week. Seeing their little faces light up when they discovered a new activity or something they liked which I couldn't replicate at home was reward enough for sitting around with women who I wouldn't necessarily have been friends with at 'boring' baby groups.

As they got older, I did a shit tonne other bloody boring, irritating and time consuming things like trying to mark students work while DD did gymnastics in a cold church hall every Saturday morning and taking DS to millions of rugby games and freezing my tits off but I did them all because my children were worth the effort and I love them more than I care about my own boredom levels.

Bugger off with your 'a child can get plenty of stimulation between four walls with only one person for company' because that's a crock of shit and you know it.

Did you join today just to make that point?

No, I've been on mn for 10 years

Have the courage of your conviction then and use your ten year old nn rather than one you appear to have created to post on this thread.

If you want a fight head to AIBU.

Of course children and toddlers need stimulation and to socialise; and activities and sports are fantastic for their development, but I don’t think any of this is needed for a 4.5 month old baby! Watching the sun in the trees, being sung to by their parents, being talked to and read to and cuddled lots is enough I reckon. Completely different from being stuck in the bouncer in front of daytime tv between every nap. Baby groups are great but as PP says aren’t they more for the primary caregiver? So you don’t go totally mad?

When I had DD1 a woman (who ironically ran a very expensive baby activity) told me I was massively over stimulating my baby and that was why she cried lots and slept badly. At the time I thought she was a mean battleaxe and cried when I got home, but in retrospect maybe she was right? I was forever bouncing between monkey music and baby swimming and baby sensory and playgroup and I think we both may have been happier and less stressed chilling at home/in the park.

At first I took my now not-quite-4-month-old to every class going. There seemed to be an expectation of this/competitive class attendance. I soon realised it was crap for his routine, so I stopped. We have a lovely time now with plenty of naps and walks and songs and stimulating activity together and lots of meeting up with friends. And no pressure.

There will be time for swimming in the summer and sensory/creative classes at a later stage.