4 1/2 month old - what should we do all day?

[chibi]

I am wondering what I should be doing with my 4.5 month old all day. I play with her, sing to her, read to her...do I need to be stimulating her all the time? Should I be constantly giving her attention? I would ask the mums in my antenatal group but their babies have all cured cancer or invented perpetual motion machines by now and so I don't feel that comparing my lo to theirs is helpful.

Any advice is welcome!

Sounds like you are doing loads! If your baby will sit in a bouncy chair or lie on a mat under a baby gym for a while then be happy about it! I think we went for loads of walks at that age. I don't think they need all that much at that age - looking at the trees or all the exciting stuff in the supermarket is fascinating for them. I would make the most of the time when you can do things like go shopping and your baby is happy to go around in the pram, because before you know it you'll have a stroppy toddler yelling "Out! Walk!" and you won't be able to get a thing done. Sorry, this sounds bitter and twisted! My dd3 is 19 months and great fun but I look back so fondly on the days of one little baby....

Swimming! I go about twice a week, it's great. Meet up with family/friends once for lunch/ maybe shop another day and - if you are brave- a toddler group. Have at least one activity planned a day and I find it makes for a happier mummy!

I try and do an activity out every day - gets us out for a good walk and there are some great sure start activities like baby massage and sing and sign. then at home in the afternoons we play a bit, plus she has about 15 mins a day in baby gym and 10 mins under musical mobile. dr sears says sling time is good thinking time for babies - so some quiet time also important. but just do what feels right. only you know how much your lo needs and what you feel up for.

Mine loved doing anything outside the house - shopping or going for coffee with one of my friends seemed just as fascinating to her as doing something specifically aimed at babies.

Now she wants to be where she can roll/crawl, and I am starting to look back on those days with a degree of fondness .

My DS is just turning 5 months and I'm starting to enjoy the fact that he will entertain himself for a short time. I lie him on his mat with his favourite toys within reach and he happily lolls around for half an hour. I like to think that this is also helping him to become more mobile too. I'm always close at hand in case he wants me though. So I suppose I'm saying that I don't think they need constant attention any more.

I take him for a walk in his buggy too most days, he loves looking at trees and we go to feed the ducks.

Drag them round with you - shopping, coffee, walking. Mine always hated indoors - of course - which made chores quite hard, except for the ones you can do on their level or with them.

Chores for babies to share:
Hanging up washing
Folding washing
Sorting out stuff
Preparing food at their level

Go out - a lot!

my dh tries to stay indoors and play with our 10 month old, hence he is bordering on insanity by the time I get in

agree with others about being out and about - stimulating for mum and babe without having to think about it.

Also supervised time on their front is sposed to be good and also if you can remember (I never do) do some pelvic tilts with them on you - get your pelvic floor and tummy back while entertaining them! So easy to advise others... can't say I do the same...

This is a great age as you can put them in a sling or buggy and go anywhere, most of the time they nap anyway. When DD1 was this age I used to go into London a lot of the train during the day (always made sure out of rush hour) and we visited lots of places, sat in cafes etc met a few other Mums for lunch that sort of thing.

It gets more difficult once they are toddlers and walking or you have more than one so enjoy.

Thanks all, I pretty much do all the things suggested (except swimming).

I don't have a lot of experience with babies, and it has been hard to follow my instincts - I always feel like I'm not doing it right which is silly, really.

DD is 5 months and we pretty much make it up as we go along. Sometimes she wants to be on her own under her gym or in her chair and sometimes she wants interaction with me- we play, sing, dance, physical play (throwing her in the air etc), read books, tickle, cuddle, "talk" to each other etc. Other times I stick her in the sling and get on with things or go for a walk. We try to go to more activities now as she's showing an interest. We go to sing and sign, baby music and baby massage.

Believe me, if your lo was bored you'd know about it. Try and follow your instincts, ignore those frankly lying mothers that have genius babies and be lead by what makes your baby happy.