Do you entertain your baby all the time?

[testy1997]

As a FTM feeling the pressure to constantly entertain my baby during her wake windows. But is this necessary? If I leave her to sit in her bouncer unattended or her play mat she just grizzle's and cries but I'm worried about making her too clingy?

@testy1997 the guilt about not constantly entertaining him. They need time to themselves too to just process this crazy world

Mine both happily entertained themselves. I'd leave a loads of toys or objects around. When they seemed bored I took them for a walk. When they started to crawl they'd come see more or go away as they pleased. Think it's their temperament. They both loved being read to though. I think it's best ideally to find something that suits you both where possible.

Have you tried the telly? One of mine wasn't interested but one loves it. It's wonderful.

[quote testy1997]@soughsigh baby is 14 weeks

But what if she just always grizzles?? She's not a very content baby… and wouldn't be happy just staring at me folding laundry[/quote]
Mine was like this until I realised he just needed a running commentary. Then I talked all the time and he was pretty content.
Now he TALKS ALL THE TIME.
So maybe don’t do this 🤦‍♀️

Mine was like this. I had to be sat with him all the time. However once he could crawl it got so much easier and he would be happy exploring alone. Of course he needed constant supervision but I could move him from room to room with me and finally get some jobs done. Now he is walking and happily follows me around. All my friends with more content babies found the crawling stage and beyond much harder but for me it was a huge relief.

@Peppaismyrolemodel mine liked to be sung to all the time. Now he sings all the time 😂. He has been signing 'we are going on a bear hunt' all day. Not the whole song, just that one line. Even if I sing the rest.

Mine was like this, it was hard. Friends would tell me to pop her in a bouncy chair while I had a shower / put her on the play mat when I made lunch and I just couldn’t convey that she would Scream. The. House. Down

She was, however, an earlyish sitter, crawler, stander and walker. And with every bit of movement she gained she became more content. By the time she was walking at 10 months she was so, so much sunnier. I think she just hated being immobile and seeing me move around doing things just frustrated her! At 16 months now, she’s more than happy to sit with toys in the bathroom while I shower, or sort out the pots and pans drawer while I cook. So in my experience it does come! And I think that frustration is what motivated her to get on the move sooner, so it’s swings and roundabouts I guess.

(There are disadvantages to having a baby who can run before she’s a year old but on balance I’d always take them if the trade off is getting rid of the grizzling!!)

I would agree that they become more content the more they can do. I found mine more difficult when they were on the cusp of crawling/walking. Then when they achieved it, it was like cloud lifting.

I have a 13 week old. I will
-put baby in carrier
-put baby in bouncer and face to the tv if desperate
-lie on the bed with sibling playing. Baby listens to his sister and is enthralled
-play mat
-prop up with a pillow and do tummy time

I did the constant entertaining with DC1, never wanted her to be bored. Very draining, you've sometimes got to have a break from all that.

One that I found really good for my DTs was popping them in front of the washing machine whilst it was on. No idea why, but it entertained them for the entire wash cycle, and DS cried on occasion when it had finished!