Tv time for babies

[kidsareok]

Hi! Mum guilt alert haha. I try not to let my 5.5 month old have too much tv time but he's obsessed with a nursery rhyme channel on YouTube. I play with him, take him to baby classes, we go on day trips and go for walks etc and I'm always talking to him. I just sometimes put these cartoons on so I can get stuff done like washing and ironing etc. I would say I put them in for like 30 mins a day and he's pretty much silent watching them 🙈. I feel awful but also a bit relieved I can just have a bowl of cereal and do some things I need to do. Is there a rule for screen time for babies? Or any advice? Just seeking reassurance I guess haha xxx

I think the advice is no screen time before 2. I think most Mums start out pretty militant that they won't use screens with their babies, but like you most end up using it so they can stuff done. My DD is a year old and I would say I use screen time as a distraction for around 15/20 mins a day on non-nursery days - usually so I can prep a meal, or get dressed etc without her whinging. Nursery days I don't need to as I have plenty of time in between my meetings (WFH job) to get stuff done.

Turn it off and get a baby gym

If you want reassurance then it won’t do any major harm. If you want advice, babies don’t need tv and there are better ways to keep him occupied while you get things done.

I used to play a certain dvd (it was a farm one with music) and mine were glue to it for 30 mins. Only for it I don't know how I would have got through the day. I had two babies.

30 mins will do no harm op.
We have all done it to get something done.

We really haven’t.

He’s only “obsessed” with it because you’ve shown it to him - at 5.5 months he’s too young to ask for it and he won’t miss it if you don’t put it on. There are lots of other ways to entertain him so you can get stuff done - baby gym/jumperoo/pile of toys on a mat/bubble machine/balloon etc etc. Google “treasure basket” - that was my go to for grabbing 30 mins here and there.

The official guidance is no screen time before 2. My 3 year old watches cartoons for about 30 mins most days but he didn’t watch anything until he was about 2.5. I have a 6 month old and she hasn’t watched anything yet.

the guidance is no screen time before 2. It’s entirely up to you if you choose to use it before 2.
I’ll admit that I did every now and then when DD was under a year and once she turned 1 she def watched tv most days. She’s 2.5 now and isn’t really too bothered for the tv. She likes to watch it when she’s tired but otherwise she will choose toys or to play outside instead.

Is this babies watching TV, or the TV being on in the same room as babies?

30 mins won’t do any harm. I didn’t put baby tv on for DD when she was that age but I definitely used to catch up on Love Island with her around I was on mat leave

Despite what mumsnet forums will tell you there is no harm in babies watching TV and please don’t beat yourself up for it. If baby is happy, healthy and enjoys his YouTube show whilst you’re getting other things done- great! Yet to see the so day terrible effect of TV in babies in the general population over a series of generations

In reality (not in skewed Mumsnet land) most people let their babies and toddlers watch a small amount of TV so they can get jobs done and stay sane. It's absolutely fine in moderation alongside all the other stimulating activities we all do each day. If sitting them with a pile of toys or treasure basket had the same effect we would obviously do that, but it doesn't. No one can be a perfect no TV, home cooked fresh meals, pristine house kind of mother 24/7. Stick little baby bum on the telly for 20 mins, grab a cuppa and don't feel guilty.