Entertaining clingy baby?

[whitelanner]

I am looking for tips and ideas how to entertain a 6 months old attention-seeker baby girl with the least effort. For example on those mornings, when you didn't sleep well and you don't function before your 3 coffee.

What I tried:

• Give her teether toys.
• Give her other toys.
• Show her books.
• Play with musical toys.
• Tummy time, gym time.
• Jumparoo
• Seat me up
• Building blocks
• Standing up - sitting down - standing up on a loop.
• Call the cats...

These things only entertain her for like 30 seconds (well the cats would do so longer, but they get bored of her...), so even if I do all of them, after like 5 minutes she is asking for more. It's exhausting.

What I can't do when I am this tired: sing and dance and be silly. (This is what she most enjoys though)

HELP!

Ceebeebies
Another older child (worked wonders with my youngest)

Go for a walk. Its mindless and you can get coffee on the way.

Second CBeebies. Honestly JoJo and Gran Gran shuts both mine up for a good 15 mins.

Alternatively go for a walk. The movement is good for you both and you can get a coffee to walk with. If you time it right they might fall asleep too so you can have a sit down in the sun somewhere

Baby same age here. He’s a bit fussy about being put down right now

Baby bouncer is a life saver. He goes in that with toy bar, and can be bounced with my foot whilst I wake up or if I need to get something done ie important phone call

He also likes mirrors at the moment

Bubbles! And a disco light (around a tenner on amazon I think).

@Letsallscreamatthesistene
We go for a walk usually in the afternoon. I don't like coffee on the go. I like to check my emails and stuff with my coffee in the morning, in peace. I am old.

@Fatted @Twizbe
I checked out CBeebies. She wasn't much interested in it.

@Caspianberg
Not enough space for another baby item. LOL.

@ivelostmytrousers
Bubbles? You mean that you blow from soapy water? It would make a mess in a second. We've got a disco light kinda thing. But it doesn't entertain her either.

Anything else?

I mean this in a nice way but I think you may just have to lower your expectations. Babies have incredibly short attention spans and your days of sitting having a relaxing coffee are probably over (unless their napping). Pop her in a sling and get on with chores? Otherwise I’d just recommend what pp have said!

We do a baby disco when all else fails. He’s either in his highchair watching me dance and act like a crazy person, or I hold him and dance. He loves it

I agree with the lower your expectations... sling might be worth a go as baby can fall asleep in it/you are free to do other things.
My baby never had any interest in cbeebies or TV. I'm always puzzled that people manage to use it as a babysitter....
Nothing worked for me.

Mirrors are amazing for babies.
Also there's a YouTube channel called coco melon that is all music with a little cartoon family.

My 2 love it so much that if I need half hour to do stuff then I can guarantee peace with coco melon!

Get a bubble machine, just a few pounds from the works or something and cheapie batteries work better than good ones!

I don’t have much in the way of practical advice as my 6 month old DS is the same but I do remember with my older DD that this was a phase she moved out of which does help me.

Baby sensory videos on YouTube. Wonderful stuff!

I think at 6 months old that's just how it is! I found around 10 months dd got better at entertaining herself, watch tv, stack blocks etc

@whitelanner my LO loved youtube horse videos. Just pure jumping, dressage, as long as there was a horse. Did not try with other animals, I am sure he'd like that too.

High chair, something to chew and a video on youtube gives you that 15min coffee break! Good luck. [make sure she can't reach the laptop and start eating the keys ...]

@Napqueen1234 @Lalapurple
I don't have expectations. I am trying to make my life easier and asking how more experienced moms have done it. There are always some tricks that worked for others.

I can't wear her in a sling, because I have a bad back, and also because I cannot do anything if she is on me. I tried. But once I am ready to do chores it is not a problem anymore... it's only the first 2 hours in the morning that is a struggle.

@user1493413286
Thanks, that is helpful!

I'm not trying to be unhelpful- I'm just saying that because in my experience with my baby none of these things people are suggesting worked with my baby at that age...all babies are different though- so maybe you will find something.
Did get better as he got older though (but still not interested in tv/youtube etc)

If it's only 2 hours in the morning you have this issue - sounds like you are doing very well to me...!

Little Baby Bum on Netflix or YouTube.

I think I just carried my babies on my hip for the first year of their lives. My 5yo still follows me around the house like a duckling.

Pinkflipflop85

Yes - my baby is obsessed with the disco dancing fruit and veg!

High chair toys
Food took forever at that stage so a slice of toast could easily take the same time as making & drinking my tea
Treasure box to explore
Floor rolling/unsuccessful crawling practice
TV (but I used to watch what I wanted rather than Cbeebies!)

My 6 year old loves the dancing fruit and veg 😂

Another vote for the baby sensory videos on YouTube - Rainbow Dance party always worked when I needed to trim his nails and I loved the music! I just put him in his baby gym while I had my coffee! I’m not a big fan of giving young babies loads of tv time but sometimes needs must. He gets Hey Duggee now watching in his playpen while I make meals (currently the kitchen isn’t in a fit state to let him practice his walking).
Agree with the other posters saying lower your expectations - don’t mean it nastily at all but I’ve just completed year one of parenthood and I’ve pretty much had to accept that nap time or when he’s with Daddy is when I get 5 mins to myself if you accept things as they are it’s much easier to make the most of the windows you do get. The first year also goes SO quick. Try to enjoy your baby’s Clingyness because as soon as she’s managing to move around they’re a lot less interested!
DS is very much Mummy’s boy but still complains if I want a cuddle because there’s just so much he wants to do now!

Disco lights
Bubble machine
Projector night lamps
In the night garden on cbeebies
Colourful scarves
Rattles / bells
Sling

I don't think there's a silver bullet...

Sorry, but your days of email checking and coffee sipping are over for a good few years.