Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Parenting

For free parenting resources please check out the Early Years Alliance's Family Corner.

Flip

1 2

Original poster

Where do you put your babies when busy?

50 replies

hodgeypodgey · 10/02/2022 14:47

My DC is now crawling and getting up to mischief whenever I put him down. He's strong and heavy handed so will just pull himself up to almost standing but then has no balance and will fall over. I've resorted to lugging our high chair up and downstairs so I can keep him in my sights for when I want to get a shower/nip to the loo. Was considering getting a cheap high chair to keep upstairs but I wondered what everyone else does? I would put him in his cot but he hates it (whole other story) Any recommendations?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Peasandcabbage · 10/02/2022 14:50

Play pen. Travel cot. Or yes high chair, but mine started rocking it. Bouncy seat strapped in. I have like a toddler one. Jumperoo?

Play pen has worked best.

Yaty · 10/02/2022 15:03

We had a playpen and jumparoo doqnstairs and a bumbo upstairs.

DogsAndGin · 10/02/2022 15:04

Grandparents’ house

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

Families General parenting

Jellllybeeen · 10/02/2022 15:09

@DogsAndGin

Danikm151 · 10/02/2022 15:12

I gave up going to the loo alone, he crawled in after me. Still runs in now haha.
Toddler chair could work but one they are crawling, there is no stopping them so travel cot may work better- can see you through the mesh

Marblessolveeverything · 10/02/2022 15:14

Travel cot with a lot of the play balls - and then swap in and out with toys to provide variety!

I had two travel cots one upstairs one down! they were very reasonable from Aldi/Lidl and met all safety standards etc.

Later they were turned upside down as dens or as places to practice throwing teddies in!

GrendelsGrandma · 10/02/2022 15:14

Busy with what? From this point on until they're about three you need to watch them closely, and they won't always be happy to be plonked in a chair. This is why most parents go back on all their good intentions not to put the TV on much!

If you babyproof stuff then it limits the mischief. I used to have a highchair in the kitchen and then put DC in a sling on my back for other things. Baby gate at the top of the stairs helps too.

You can limit the hazards by babyproofing but realistically they're going to fall over a lot and it's going to be how they learn not to fall over! They need to learn to judge risk for themselves.

Poppins2016 · 10/02/2022 15:14

Playpen, cot, jumperoo, high chair (plus interesting snack or activity). The (empty, dry) bath also comes in handy... place baby on a folded towel inside the bath with some bath toys (as long as they can't climb out or accidentally turn on the taps) or in their bath seat.

mathanxiety · 10/02/2022 15:15

Exersaucer plus reins.

allfurcoatnoknickers · 10/02/2022 15:19

Jumperoo! DS was obsessed with his. We had one with a really passive aggressive alarm which went off when he'd been in there too much.

We also babyproofed the bathroom and just used to shut him in with some toys while we showered.

Jellllybeeen · 10/02/2022 15:33

Thanks everybody

We do have a travel cot with the balls so maybe I could pop that up again, it just got in the way a bit so I'd taken it down at Christmas

@GrendelsGrandma
You are absolutely right, I do need to do some baby proofing, it's definitely that time. And you are right he will hurt himself and that is how they learn. I'd only really be busy for 15 mins tops, literally just to get a shower. The rest of the time I do watch him closely as he is just so mischievous. Will have him in the sling to get on with things and the next think I know the curtains are coming with us or the clothes airer is getting pulled around the kitchen!

Will have a look into maybe getting a second cheap high chair or a toddler chair.

Just good to ask what others do. We do have an activity table he can sit in and walk around but I worry about him being in it downstairs and me upstairs and something happening. Im not sure what that something might be mind. I'm definitely an overthinker and sometimes wonder if I'm being too over cautious. I'd just rather have him in my sight or earshot when I'm using the bathroom

Doje · 10/02/2022 16:34

I did stuff when they slept! Easy for DS1 who slept a lot, not so easy when DS2 came along and DS1 dropped his nap... I showered before DH left the house.

Soundwave · 10/02/2022 16:41

When i had a shower, i used to put DC on the landing. We used to have a step down between the landing and the bathroom and the stairgate was at the top of this step. Then I shut all the bedroom doors and shut the stairgate.

When DS2 was born he was happy to just go in his cot.

I will stress my DC were both late crawlers and walkers and never went through a daredevil climbing stage.

Babadook76 · 10/02/2022 16:43

I didn’t put them anywhere. I baby proofed the best I could and let them crack on. You can’t keep them retrained the whole time you’re busy

BertieBotts · 10/02/2022 16:53

In the crawling stage most of the rooms are babyproofed and I just bring the baby around the house to the room I'm in, keeping half an eye on them.

There is also a jumperoo for things like when I'm in the kitchen but TBH at that age they didn't really want to go in it much any more.

There is a certain level of busyness you can't really sustain with a crawling baby around. I used to wait until they were asleep, or someone else was around. If you are attempting to work/study from home you will need to arrange childcare.

BertieBotts · 10/02/2022 17:07

Showers defo taken when baby is asleep, wees I just got really fast, you can always come down and wash your hands in the kitchen sink so you're within earshot. A poo is a bit more of a pain. If not appropriately timed then I would stick them in the bath (dry) like a kind of playpen or just let them crawl around in a bedroom with stairgate and be within listening distance.

Poppy709 · 10/02/2022 17:11

I stopped showering in the day once my DS could crawl, has to wait until DH is home! Big playpen downstairs for when I just needed to answer the door/make a quick drink/go and rock in the corner for 2 minutes

Jellllybeeen · 10/02/2022 18:12

See DC is a nightmare for sleeping, will only contact nap or will sleep in the pram, he's getting very slightly better at sleeping when you put him down but usually as soon as he's down he wakes even in a deep sleep. We are still co-sleeping for our sanity so we all get some sleep. I find it difficult to get much housework done, we do chores little and often and DH and I take turns watching him. DH pretty much does all the cooking.

He will be in childcare when I go back to work. It's literally just for a quick shower as it's difficult to guide him away from things when you're in the middle of a wash. Maybe I will just do showers in the evenings or before DH goes to work then. All other times I do usually just let him play and I keep an eye.

I've posted about DS before. He is just always on the go and wants to be involved in what you are doing all the time. When he was smaller and immobile I would put him down on his back with a toy or in his bouncer and he'd scream blue murder if I left him. He's always wanted to be held up or cuddled. I'd just have to let him cry for a bit so I could eat lunch or make a cuppa. I wouldn't change him for the world but it is non stop. Obviously I know that's what most kids are like but for example at baby classes all the other babies would lie down, look at the lights and toys etc, they'd ask a mum if they would help with some of the toys now and again and the baby would bay an eye, they learnt to never bother asking me haha as DS would spoil the ambience!

Caspianberg · 10/02/2022 18:17

I just take Ds in with me if needed, but try and time baths or showers when when dh is home if possible.

I wouldn’t use a highchair without watching 100%. Ds managed to half climb out of his when my back was turned 30seconds in the kitchen at about 7months. Now 1 1/2 he just climbs in and out himself.

tothemoonandbackbuses · 10/02/2022 18:20

I baby proofed the bathroom for showers.
The travel cot when cooking/answering door or anything where you have to dash out of the room.
Baby proof as much as possible

Ragwort · 10/02/2022 18:26

Play pen. Loved it (so did DS fortunately ).

TyrannosaurusRights · 10/02/2022 19:30

For a shower I used to just stick mine in the cot and dash through. Once he out grown the cot I’d stick the stair gate across his room and let him play of just bring him in the bathroom. Not relaxing options but the aim is just to be clean.

I’ve added a baby t the mix. I suspect I just won’t shower now

lucie8881 · 10/02/2022 20:17

If time isn't too much of an issue I will take her in with me, let her splash about whilst I shower. If I want to go in on my own she'll play in the landing and in the bathroom (the upstairs has been baby proofed).

LemonDrizzles · 10/02/2022 20:48

Invested in a playpen, used it indoors and outdoors.

RS29 · 10/02/2022 21:11

@Jellllybeeen I definitely wouldn’t leave him in any kind of high chair/activity centre etc unattended at all. Like @Caspianberg, my DS has been climbing out of things since he was under a year old. My DH works away from home for 4 weeks at a time so it’s just me and my DS here. At that age I’d have 5 minute showers while he slept or take his activity centre into the bathroom with me and put him in that. He’s now 15 months and still just comes to the bathroom with me. He tends to wreck the place and use the spare toilet rolls as building blocks etc but it keeps him content for 5 mins while I wash!
Mine also loves his ballpit and Galt Baby Nest (even now at 15 months!). He’ll happily sit in them for 10 mins with other toys and books while I cook/clean etc.

Flip

1 2