Pram time and mum guilt

[Rawrsome13]

Apologies for the slightly neurotic post but I've tried to find information on this via all the usual sources and not had much luck. Does anyone know what is a reasonable amount of time for an older baby (6 months plus) to spend in a pram during the day?

I ask because I'm suffering quite a lot with "mum guilt" as well as massive sleep deprivation. Baby born on the day of the first lockdown, lack of family and general support ever since due to all the usual covid stuff bla bla. Anyway... The thing that seems to save my sanity is getting out of the house and going for a walk with bubba in the pram, however I'm sometimes spending the majority of the morning with him seated in the pram e.g. will walk to nearest town centre (40 mins) then might get him out to sit on my knee while I have a coffee somewhere/feed him. Then back in the pram while we run errands/do the shopping. Then 40 mins walk back. Sometimes we then go back out again in the afternoon - I just get so stir crazy sitting in the house (I have a very active job usually).

The only contact we've had with health visitor is by phone where she just kept talking about the importance of 'tummy time all the time' and I've now got this niggling doubt that what I'm doing might somehow be harming his development? I should add that he is facing me in his seat in the pram and I talk to him as we walk (if he's awake). He seems really content there and plays with his toy/looks around

Someone please just tell me to chill out 😂

Chill out, fresh air is important as is seeing others.
Maybe you could put him in a sling facing forward for some of the walk so he sees more or face the pram outwards so he sees other things?

You’re doing great, I couldn’t imagine having my first baby during lockdown. Supermum!

Well by six months Babies can usually sit so I wouldn’t worry if your baby is sitting? Or at least showing signs of starting to.

You do need to keep an eye on this head shape if staying in one position though

Chill out, you're doing a great job.

It sounds like you have a nice routine going. I understand you are anxious but I've never heard of pram/mum guilt he is outside experiencing sounds and sights how could that be a negative.

I have a 10 month old and if things hadn't gone the way they have been he would have been in his car seat and pushchair everyday for at least 2 hours as we like to get out. He spends minimum of an hour in his pushchair everyday for walks and always has done. He hated tummy time before he could roll/army crawl across the floor so we rarely done it. Fair to say now all he wants to do when he's out of a seat is try to walk so it hasn't done him any harm! 😊

You can do tummy time 8n the evening if you are worried.

You’re doing great. Tummy time is literally 10 mins on their front to strengthen up their muscles. If he can roll and rolls onto his front that’s basically it. If not put them on a mat or rug for 10 mins while you make a cup of tea- job done. Honestly I totally forgot about tummy time with this baby (now 8 months) as she was my second and we had no HV involvement due to covid. Somehow...amazingly... she is complete fine. You’re doing great!

It's not like newborns car seat time. if he was fed up he would let you know. !!!

I bet your baby loves having some many varied surroundings. Sounds like you are doing a fab job 😊

I wish my little girl would go in her pram at that age! Unfortunately she screamed the minute she got in and I had no life whatsoever because we couldn’t go anywhere.

You’re very very lucky. Enjoy it while you can!

Sounds fine - we'd go out for hours at that stage. DD would sit on my lap or in a high chair when we went for lunch/coffee. I always gave her loads of floor time when we were at home.

It sounds like you are doing a great job! I think if he was unhappy he would let you know, but he sounds like he is content and happy!

It's fine ! Remember that a baby with at least 1 older siblings spends a lot of each day on the school run whether in a park or a car seat. If there is a midday pre-school pick up as well, they're hardly in the house.

My baby was also born at the start of lockdown (25 March) and I also spend what feels like A LOT of time walking. I go for maybe 1hr walk to the woods in the morning where DS gets put in a forward facing sling (1.5hrs total if you count up the car seat time on the drive to get there). Then come 5pm we go on another walk for maybe 45mins or so (in the pram this time). I understand what you mean when you say sitting in the house in boring. It is! For me and my DS!

Honestly I think you just need to keep going if its making you guys happy. Having a baby in lockdown has been so hard.

It's fine for 6 months but would be too much for a mobile baby IMO as they're missing out on active time. Maybe rethink when he starts crawling and go out once rather than twice or go somewhere where he can get out and move around?

Plenty of walks in the fresh air sound great and important for both of you. Mine hated tummy time so got a few mins here and there - not much. They were also in pram plenty (youngest would only nap in pram so sometimes in pram in the house just to get a good sleep).

Is your 6 month old rolling and crawling yet? Mine crawled earlier so I can’t remember when they are ‘supposed’ to crawl!

Sounds like me with my son (well before covid as he is now a teen) but I left the guilt for others

Oh thank you all so so much for the replies! Honestly think I'm my own worst enemy sometimes but I'm sure the lack of exposure to other babies has made me more worried (he's my first, obviously!)

Yes we do floor time at other times in the day though he's not the world's biggest fan of tummy time. He's sitting with more and more stability and was quite an early roller but since then hasn't seemed that keen to move. In summer we'd walk to the park and I'd just stick him on a blanket on his front/back and that felt so much better be but obviously can't do that in winter.

The sling is a good idea - he hated it facing in so I've got out of the habit of using it but does actually enjoy facing out now though would definitely still need the pram as backup for my back.

Really appreciate the responses. I think the new restrictions are making me feel a bit wobbly.

I agree it sounds fine. I have a 10 month old and will usually go out for 2 to 3 walks per day with the pushchair. Getting outside does me the world of good.

I stopped deliberately doing tummy time when baby was younger because she would scream and was clearly unhappy. Now she flips over onto her stomach on her own all the time through her own choice.

Honestly, I’d enjoy the fact your baby is happy to chill in the pram so you can get out and about. My DS wouldn’t last longer than 10 mins without fussing, he was a nightmare!! Your baby would let you know if she was unhappy, and getting out for air and a change of scenery is important for both of you. As long as there is plenty of play and movement at other times in the day, enjoy your walks!

I think it sounds Ok to me. I used to do a good half hour walk with DD in the pram, do something and then half an hour back. I think this is a very normal thing to do.

Health visitors are trained to really make a point about tummy time. Fair enough, it’s great for them (if they cooperate...). You don’t have to be doing it all the time though! Holding them in different positions gives them opportunities to use different muscle groups, and if your child is sitting up in the pram I bet they are moving their head/torso to look around. If they’re facing you and chatting they are getting plenty of stimulation too.

I suppose if you are worried you could take a little blanket with you so that you can do 2 mins of tummy time when you get wherever you’re going e.g. if you go to a coffee shop, you could pop them on the sofa as long as you’re ready to catch them if they roll!

If it helps, my DD was an awful tummy time refuser. It was absolutely miserable trying to get her to do it. She crawled well after she walked, she just always wanted to be upright and looking around, not flat on her tummy. Early to sit, early to walk, very late to crawl. Hasn’t made any difference to her development in the longer term (she’s 4 now) - perfectly good upper body gross motor, no issues with hand strength etc.

When he's mobile he'll want to be on the floor more, experimenting and finding his way around but if he's not mobile yet then it's fine.

I’m a new mum so not much experience but just wanted to say it sounds like a good day!! You’re doing fab . I wish my little one liked the pram . Getting out is so good for both of you and it’s probably important with everything that’s going on in the world!

Perfectly fine, I do the same. The rest of the day he’s out on the floor doing whatever be wants, or in his bouncer!

I did this a lot when mine was this age- it was a sweet spot if I remember- he liked being out and about and would still sleep in the pushchair. Don’t worry you’re doing absolutely fine- there’s a lot to worry about but in my experience, babies are pretty quick to tell you if they’re bored/ uncomfortable etc.
And sorry that you’ve had such a crap lockdown time. Having a new baby was so hard for me in normal times, it must be monumentally difficult and crap right now. Keep doing what you can, I used to spend entire days in large supermarkets with my kid at that age, just to pass the time. Your sanity is definitely the most important thing at the moment!