What do I do with a baby…

[Led9519]

All day?
my baby is 4 months. We don’t live near family. We go to one baby club a week but I’m not keen on them as it’s always a bit of a stress as it always clashes with her feeding or napping.
I’ve arranged a buggy walk on Mondays with other local mums on the peanut app but that’s only been for last few weeks, I’ve invited them round tomorrow afternoon with babies for tea but… what do I do?

Walked into town this morning did some shopping and we were home by 10:15am. Also washed some clothes and tidied round a bit… So what do I do the rest of the day?! She’s in her bouncer or on the baby mat most of the time 🤷🏻‍♀️… or napping obviously!

Personally I’d get out more but if that’s not your thing…Enjoy the peace! Baby will be on the move soon enough!

I second PP with getting out more. Look for free classes etc to see if you / baby like them. Singing nursery rhymes , playing peekaboo and letting them play with shakers can be things to do. Going for a walk or to a farm and pointing out things and chatting to them can use up time and be a good activity. I googled things to do with mine quite regularly to give me ideas. They change so quickly that it will feel like forever now but soon enough you'll be running after them and there will be loads to do

So I go out for a walk every morning.
On Monday I do another social buggy walk 1:30-3:30. On Tuesdays I have a baby club and pub lunch (my favourite day) 12-2pm. Wednesdays I had baby sensory but dd would always be tired and nap 10 minutes in so now it’s a free day! Thursdays is a drop in 10-11 at a children’s centre which I go to if I can… but I’m still home by lunch time. Fridays DH is off.

At home between feeds and naps we do bbc iplayer baby club and a sing and sign dvd.

Just seems like still plenty of hours to fill and generally I go out shopping and spend money on stuff we don’t really need! I guess it might be different if family was closer?

Sounds like you have a very happy and settled baby!
It won't feel so quiet forever, trust me. Things naturally get a lot busier the older the baby gets. As they grow you can play and interact and teach them things and suddenly the days will be flying by.
Maybe try to get out more and make the most of having a baby that is happy to chill on their mat or in the buggy. Or if you want to stay home are there any projects you could start like a bit of gardening or furniture up-cycling etc.
Before you know it they'll be crawling, into everything and you can't take your eyes off them for 1 second!

What do you like doing? I used to go to art galleries with DD1, meet DH near his office for lunch, go for long walks listening to a podcast.

She rolled at 4mo so time at home was mostly spent trying to remove her from under the TV stand or the dining table.

It is hard, this bit will go quickly but it won't feel like it now when you are in the thick of it. Mine is a toddler now but I found trying sensory activities, reading books , even things like giving them a lemon to look at or the washing machine, in summer water play is quite good. I took my little one to swimming classes which took up time and we made friends that way that we then would meet up with? We didn't make friends at every class but we did make some eventually and that helped as you can chat whilst the babies looked at each other and played with toys 😅 everything is new to them and exciting so try to find things suitable that you want to do or as lovely as babies are it can be a bit monotonous. Look on Facebook groups for ideas of places to go and things to do in your area. They can sit in the buggy whilst you wander round the shops or a museum or anywhere that interests you.

How close are you to your nearest shopping centre/complex? Any free museums or galleries nearby?

Read a good book while she naps/batch cook some meals.

It's a crap time of year to be on maternity leave.

I think this is the golden period with a baby - you're past the newborn shock, but they're not on the move and in reality just need feeding, a nap and something to look at in between. What do you like to do without a baby? Do that! Baby can come too.

We started classes at 3 weeks old and we’re doing music, gymnastics, baby sensory (and probably more) by 4 months old!!
There’s loads out there we’ve done gymnastics, music, swimming, baby sensory, baby movers, baby massage, baby yoga, adventure babies, messy monkeys and children’s centre stay and plays. We also went swimming and to soft plays/other play areas.
Mine is now 18 months old and we still do gymnastics, stay and play and music and have moved up to toddler sense and little movers so it is good to start now as you often get to move up and be with the same teachers (and sometimes families). We also go swimming regularly, to parks and play areas.

Make the most of it. It really does go too fast!!

At this age, I used to spend a lot of time chilling on the sofa, cuddling baby DD or letting her play on her mat, watching box sets or reading. it was a very relaxing time! We used to go for a walk most days but I hated baby groups, found them really boring, so only went to one which I enjoyed (baby massage).

These are all great suggestions but they are quite expensive. Where I am based (London) one term of baby sensory is >£100, and that is just one class. I know stay and plays, rhyme time etc are cheaper/free, but it isn't always possible to do all the activities where cost is a factor...

I’m exclusively expressing for baby which means it’s hard to get out. I do have a wearable pump but it’s not like I can express anywhere as it is odd to whip your boob out and turn the pump on! (Baby had tongue tie, weight loss, expressed bottles then refused to nurse).
I need to express every three hours so we do have to boomerang around where we live a bit.
Possibly just a bit disappointed the mums I’ve met aren’t more sociable! I have a toddler but she’s at childcare during the day and was a lockdown baby so we had no choice but to do nothing.. though it means I’ve already done baby club and sing and sign dvd to death!
I know the time flies but come on spring!

I get it OP - I had DD during lockdown so there was literally nothing to do other than go for walks. In winter.

And I felt guilty watching TV or playing on my phone and not interacting with her which was hard because they have the attention span of a goldfish and don't really play.

Spring will be here soon, and weaning always seems to take up time....

I could have written this! My little one is also 4mo but has colic, reflux and generally high needs so I don’t get any peace 😂 constantly attached to me!
because of colic and reflux we only started doing one baby class a week a fortnight ago - up until that point we went for a walk every day and met my folks for Lunch on a Friday. The rest of the days were spent with baby napping on my while I watched tv, feed and change, play mat then repeat. Wake windows used to be an hour max until recently too so it did feel very monotonous. They are now stretching out to 1.5hrs. I too am looking forward to spring and the baby getting a bit older - sitting up, weaning and being able to actually play is just around the corner!

I did wonder if I had been “wasting” my mat leave so far but with the colic I really didn’t have the strength to meet people for lunch or coffee incase they kicked off. It was very intense. It’s easing now (I think) so I’m hoping to be more social soon….

At that age I was going to at least 2/3 baby groups and either out for a walk or into town nearly every day, or out with dh on weekends

Housework took about 30 mins so other than feeding and changing daytime TV and playing a bit

No idea what these parents that say they are busy all with a newborn/baby are doing but when I was home not much really