Entertaining a 4 week old

[Ginaxx]

I just wanted to know how other people entertain young babies? My DD is 4 weeks old and I've been visiting family members on weekends and odd days when they are off work and then try to take her out in her pram most days. I just feel guilty on rainy days like this just staying in the house and putting her down all day, she does have a playmat that I put her on but should she be out and about everyday? She's too little for swimming, soft play etc. Is it just me feeling guilty for no reason or should I do entertaining her all the time when she's not asleep?

At this age all the amusement they need is keeping you awake. ...

You don’t entertain small babies, you entertain yourself and they tag along.

You don't need to entertain a 4 week old! Just do whatever you want or need to do for yourself.

Just get up close (new babies can only focus the distance from your boobs to your boobs) and talk to them. You can sing if you want. Cuddle your baby lots and lots.

She doesn’t need entertaining! She needs food, sleep and cuddles.

They don't need entertaining. Even at 7months my babies are just as happy being walked around the house and talked to as they are at the zoo or wherever.

You smile and talk to them and interact with them. They don't need anything else other than attention, and some tummy time.

You entertain them by watching box sets and eating chocolate

What the others said. Can you put her in a sling? I have always just strapped mine on and gone about my day. You don't need to ignore them - for a 4 week old just being awake is learning, and you can chat to her about what you're doing so she hears language (even if it's just describing how you put the bins out), as you are cooking you can show her vegetables and put them on her skin etc. Mine used to love going to the park all rugged up and just watching the light through the trees and birds overhead, or if it's rainy it is definitely easier in a sling as you can have a big umbrella for the two of you - or you can make an exciting excursion to the supermarket if you prefer indoors.
If you love culture and she's not too screamy, now is a great time to go to galleries and things that get harder with time, or if movies are more your thing, to a mum and baby cinema session.

Mine had a whole load of trashy novels read aloud to them at that age. I was too sleep deprived to concentrate on anything else and I felt bad if I sat there reading with DD just held in my arms. We were also planning a new kitchen so I would show her kitchen magazines & we would "discuss" them. It was so tedious and I was bored out of my mind whilst also being exhausted & wondering why the hell I wasn't managing to achieve anything. Luckily, at about five weeks, I told a person I'd met through NCT how I felt, she felt the same and we met for a coffee daily just for something to do. We both ended up knowing for too much about the other person's baby's feeds and nappies.
I hated the newborn days with DC1! DC2 was a different story as I was too busy entertaining 2yo DC1 to have any time to worry about what to do with DC2.

Talk,cuddle,sing,feed...repeat.Maybe all at once!

You are her whole world right now and all the entertainment she could possibly want.

It'll change when she gets older- though cuddles and talking are life long needs. The singing gets less popular for some reason -or was that just me?

Cuddling, feeding, bathing,changing, napping. And repeat. That's it really. No "entertaining" required. That comes later on. At this point just focus on entertaining yourself if you can. Meeting with other mums for coffee, baby friendly movie showing etc. Once your child becomes mobile it's another story.

BTW, you can start Waterbabies swimming lessons from birth x

You really just go about your day. Take a walk, go for lunch, do the shopping, sit and watch tv (you will literally never get time to do that again). Then talk and sing to them, read a book, so tummy time. That’s it. I spend days when I just have the baby watching tv and talking to him and holding him and sometimes we have a nap together. You’ll have years of entertaining them. For now, pretty much you entertain yourself!

Thank you so much for all your replies. I'm glad it's normal and yes I suppose I do have years of entertaining her ahead! I'll look into water babies and I do have a sling so I'll get that out today. I'm still a bit nervous taking her out in public places and needing to quickly find somewhere to change and feed her but I'm hoping that confidence will come soon. My partner is in the military and away for a few months so it's nice to get reassurance here that I'm not doing it all wrong. Once the weather is nicer going for more walks will be nice.

At 4 weeks just going to a coffee shop with all the stimulation was enough for DS. He's usually have an epic nap afterwards which was nice.

I started baby massage at 6 weeks which I loved and helped with DS and his colic.

Milk and box set on the sofa. Simples.

I don’t think I left the house for the first two months so I think you are ok!❤️

Stick a film or series on TV and cuddle her that's all she really needs at this age, enjoy the time to just relax and cuddle. The first 3 months is also referred to as the fourth trimester, they benefit a lot from being close to you.
When shes awake talk to her/smile, try some songs and rocking her but you definitely don't need to worry about getting out every day or entertaining her overly yet.

She doesn't need entertaining!

I didn't start entertaining my child until they were 6 months.

You don’t.

You do whatever you want to do and just take them along with you. Make the most of it. Soon you will only be able to do things that they want to do!

I just wanted to know how other people entertain young babies?

Do what now? I don't think thats even a thing that is possible?

An activity for a newborn is having a nappy change, looking at your face and copying the expressions or maybe a black and white pattern book. You don't want to overstimulate a newborn with to much activity remember they've just come from the womb and the world must be pretty overwhelming without needing soft plays or crazy play mats

I think I just felt bad with her not getting fresh air for a couple of days but it seems I was being a bit dramatic. I just put her on the playmat when she's awake sometimes and she seems to enjoy that. I'll feel less guilty having a few lazy days then!