Mum life is hard work

[Usedtobechilled]

LO is almost 16 weeks and entertaining him is EXHAUSTING.
He currently sleeps great at night so im absolutely not complaining however he doesn't nap for long during the day so daytime is constant entertainment. Every 2 hours is like ground hog day. Wake up, feed, play with every toy, music, singing, talking, sleep for 20 mins... rinse and repeat. From 8 til 8pm.
I've been on 2 walks today just to break it up. I walked in the pouring rain the other day just to get out. I don't even get to do housework really (probably should be thankful for that...)
Thats it really. I just wanted a moan 😂

Go to groups?

Yep, groups, seeing friends, watching TV for you.

To be honest, they don’t need that much stimulation at that age, it’s more what you get out of it & keeping you sane.

Don’t put too much pressure on yourself at this age.

If you can go to groups.
Leave DC to entertain themselves a bit too. Mine enjoyed watching the washing go round in the machine.
If you make some other mum friends you go to to each other houses/cafe. Helps to pass the time.

I do 2 days a week but because he feeds every 2 hours and I fully express, leaving the house for long periods of time is stressful

16 weeks? As in 4 months?

Yep, 4 months. He's not content to lie by himself on his play mat for very long or be by himself. Is that not normal?
Honestly I'm not complaining, it's just been a particularly long day and I think I'm losing my mind to the wiggles 😂

At this age he doesn't really need entertaining. Watching you do some dishes is pretty fascinating for him. As is cuddling with you while you get into a good box set.

I used to really enjoy baby groups which were focused on tea, biscuits and chatting. Things like bumps and babies and baby cafe.

Oh man, save yourself from the wiggles.
At this age, TV is still for you. Save the kids stuff for when they can understand what's going on (big tip to watch Bluey)

I completely sympathise, I was bored out of my mind. Mine wouldn’t lie on his own on a playmat or in a bouncer either. I would have to be sat with him all the time. I’m still jealous when I see a baby who is happily chilling with no input from their Mum. It was also 2020 so there were no baby groups. Everyone told me it was the easy part and it would be so much harder once he was mobile. The good news is that once he started crawling life got loads easier. He would happily just follow me around the house whilst I got on with things. Hang in there!

I hear you, OP. I was clock watching with DS1 at this age and upset if DH was home late…so yes, I walked and walked and walked. DS2 was a dream by comparison as he would lie nicely on his baby gym mat and gurgle for 20 minutes. I couldn’t believe my eyes…they’re still very different boys.

Did you think having children would be easy ?

@Twizbe I wish that were the case! Cuddling with a box set will not fly with him, he always wants to be doing something. I'm lucky if I get 15 mins of tv time when he has a cat nap. I am grateful for the groups i do go to dont get me wrong but it feels like there are so many hours in the day to fill up right now🤦‍♀️

Yes OP I found this age really hard too. It will get easier in a few weeks when he's not feeding so often. Hang in there!

Get a decent carrier (highly recommend the ergo 360) and crack on with your housework, go to groups.

It’s a bit like anything, you’ve heard about it from other people but you don’t know what it’s like until you try it yourself.

Yes. I thought it would be an absolute walk in the park 😑
Of course I knew it would be hard. Am I not allowed a minute to say entertaining a baby for the majority of 12 hours is hard work?

Ah I get you know.

One thing that helped me in the early days was the 7pm toilet time lol.

As soon as DH got home he'd have a cuddle with baby / kids while I 'went to the loo'. We both knew I was sat there scrolling through my phone but it allowed me to decompress from the day. DH would say he had his commute to decompress, I had this time lol.

🎶 Do the propelllorrrrrrrr 🎶

This wasn't my experience of a 16 week old at all. Although I wouldn't have been willing to constantly entertain DS, or watch kids TV, at that age either. I basically used to just put him in a sling and carry on doing my own thing, whether than be chores around the house, a bit of gardening, or a walk. He'd also happily sit in his rocker and watch me do things e.g. cooking. Suppose it depends on the baby you get.

I LOVE the Wiggles.

You’ll get lots of people telling you OP that your 4 month old should be entertained by clouds or the washing drying while he lies nicely in his bouncer or play mat. I had one like yours. When not cat napping he wanted to be marched around, outside, facing forward, being presented with an ever changing vista. He would scream within minutes of me trying to do a household chore, even if being worn forward facing in a sling so he could see. It is exhausting. All I can say is give me a million toddlers over a baby like this any day of the week! My only thought would be to start packing in expressing so you aren’t so tied to the house? Getting out and about to anything was how I survived.

Are you exclusively pumping? If so I did too (although undersupplier so had to supplement with formula) and it does make it so much harder to go out! DD was also not happy left on her own, but she would be happy enough in the baby carrier whilst I did some dishes. But I found maternity leave so much better when I went out every day. I fitted it around pumping and it got easier as I dropped pumps. It used to be church playgroup monday, baby gym class Tuesday, free library song class Wednesday, baby sensory Thursday and park or library or swimming on Friday. It got a lot easier the older she got.

I have started to drop pumps because I was exclusively pumping. Today is day 1 of 4 pumps a day so I'm hoping each day will now not be so centered around pump times..
Going to take the advice too to try and do a group every day 😊
Honestly, hats off to you all, especially the ones with multiples! Absolutely one and done here 😂

honestly I thought your thread was about teenagers or toddler tantrums when I saw the title... Enjoy this time, truly bliss compared to what lies ahead...(lots of more bliss still to come don't worry!)

Some babies are just like this and its truly exhausting. DD1 was exactly like this. She's now 32, an eminent professional in her field and I'm so proud of her and love her more each day - but she's still exhausting!