5 week old DD

[pilchy]

So my DD is now 5 weeks old and is really starting to seem bored when awake, now awake for usually 2/3 hours at a time.
We have a play may with a piano which she like the lights on. We go on walks and I talk to her all the time!
She isn't really interested in rattles or teether sort of toys atm.
Just wondered if anyone had any ideas or advise on how you entertained your baby? 😊

Do you have YouTube on your tv? Search for baby sensory videos. DS started to show interest at 6 weeks but don't forget they can only see 12-18 inches ahead right now so they need to be close to the tv.

Rest assured she is not bored!!

According to the Wonder Week's app, a baby at this age - his/her world is still in 'soft focus' not too dissimilar from being in the womb! This is a brilliant app if you haven't downloaded it already - it explains all their developmental stages and why perhaps they're fussing or behaving crankier than usual.

Also lots of ideas to help stimulate their teeny brains according to what age they're at.

I used to worry whether or not my LO was bored - then realised she didn't have the capability of getting bored in the first place lol.

I'd just enjoy the snuggles for now and make sure she has plenty of naps

By the way babies this age usually are only awake for 30 - 60 mins max, with 3 to 5 naps, each 15 minutes to 3 hours long??

Please don't try to stimulate your baby using YouTube or the tv. At 5 weeks - and for a lot longer - she needs to be exploring the world around her. Take her for walks, sing to her, hold her, lie her under a tree so she can see the light coming through the leaves. Carry on with your life - there is plenty in it to interest her.

Cuddles, kisses, singing, narrate your day is all they need at that age. Xxx

Yes - awake for 2-3 hours at a time is generally too long at this age. Usually it’s one hour awake time max at five weeks, extending to 1.5hrs around 12 weeks. You wouldn’t normally get 2-3 hours of awake time until 4-5 months old. Is she settled or clingy? If she’s clingy, is this giving you the impression she’s bored? If this is the case, no. She’s awake for too long!

Pleeeeeease don’t put her in front of a screen as Token suggests! Latest advice is ZERO screen time before the age of two and definitely none at all for a five week old. Let her explore her fists, your face, her surroundings, talk to her, shake toys for her - or don’t feel you have to ‘do’ anything if she’s settled and gazing. As a PP says, she’s definitely not bored!

She's not bored. Just narrate your whole day. She'll love to hear your voice all day long.

I agree with you all, defo no tv or screens don't worry!
I know 2-3 hours is quite long for her age but she has been really alert since she was born, even the midwives picked up on it in hospital!
The health visitor just said some babies stay awake longer so apparently it's nothing to worry about

It was the doctor who told me that baby sensory videos at this stage help to develop their eyes because they're following the shapes around the screen.

I'm hardly suggesting putting them in front of Bob The Builder for 3 hours.

Pressed post too soon.

I only do it in 5-10 minute slots every few days, not every day. Interested by the responses on here though if it's not recommended, since the doctor told me to do it. A little bit cross something has been suggested to me if it's not good for them.

My baby was awake for that long by then.

She quite enjoyed singing. Baby massage. Her play mat. Lying under a cot mobile

Mine quite liked the black and white picture books or the Lamaze toys with the black and white wings

Doctors aren’t always the best sources of developmental information Token. They like to think they are (I work with many...) but they really aren’t. Paediatric associations, made up of a multitude of professionals including people like psychologists who are the real authorities in this area, around the world pretty much agree zero screens before the age of two. They are of no benefit. Shapes in the form of toys are far better as they get multimodal input - not just visual, but hands-on to feel the shape, the sounds they make as they manipulate the toy, the smell of it etc.

www.popsci.com/zero-screen-time-for-toddlers-babies-kids/

Screen time isn't inherently bad, the thinking is that if a baby is in front of a screen they aren't doing other things which are good for them (crawling, physical activity, getting outside, interacting etc etc). I don't think we should demonise parents who sometimes need to use CBeebies in order to be able to cook, go for a wee, have a shower without their child become distressed! Obviously just plonking a child in front of the tv all day isn't good but a little bit here and there in the context of lots of other stimulation, play, trips out to the park etc is absolutely fine.

@ElphabaTheGreen in moderation there is nothing wrong with a bit of screen time...my 4 month old DS loves ‘Horrid Henry’ thanks

My DD loved her play arch at that age, she would lie there happily trying to hit the dangling toys until I moved her. Also I would put the bouncer on the table so she could watch and talk to me while I cooked etc.

@TokenGinger don't worry about screen time; if your doctor has recommended these sensory visuals just got for it if you feel it's right?

Personally I don't agree with zero screen time before the age of two. My 13 month can have anything up to an hour some days and her favourite movie, Sing, just happens to calm her down if she's feeling cranky or unwell.

She's a very alert baby; dances and sings along to the tv, recognises characters. I just think everything in moderation and the tv has managed to be a god-send if I need a trip to the little lady's room!! 😄