9 week old wake window activities?!

[LivinTheDream7]

I’m basically at my wits end. I have no idea what to do to keep my nine week old son occupied during his wake windows.

I let him watch a couple of minutes of a sensory video each day but I’m super wary of how much time he does that because I don’t want to allow ridiculous amounts of time watching a screen while young but he really enjoys following the little objects on the videos - it’s generally about ten minutes of a video each day on my iPad, usually in the morning just while we get ourselves together and have a cup of tea.

we try to make sure he goes down regularly for naps during the day but when he’s awake we really struggle with a way to keep him occupied. We have one of the play mat things with the toys overhead but he really just doesn’t enjoy being on it for some reason?

During his wake windows we obviously feed and change him, we keep trying him on the play mat, he has tummy time, we read him books (I know he technically doesn’t understand it yet but I feel it’s another activity 😂), we play with him and sit talking to him while he babbles and smiles, he has time in his bouncy chair, we use sensory cards. I’m just running out of ideas for things to do with him, it seems like it’s very repetitive and it feels like it’s dragging. Is there anything else we can do with him? I feel like I have no idea what I’m doing, I feel like I’m out of my depth honestly. It feels so difficult 😣

At that age ditch the screen and just go about your life as normal. Them watching you do daily things such as the dishes will suffice, no special thought is needed.

I went for really long walks with DS2 in the sling. Able to chat when he was awake, able to enjoy being outside when he slept in the sling!

Go to a coffee shop and have a coffee while they watch the world go by.

Thank you! A friend of ours suggested the sensory videos but I almost wonder whether they’re not helping our situation, so will give it a go without them 😊

i agree that small babies are generally quite happy just being with you, you don’t really need to do anything.

If you want to feel like there’s more interaction then introduce him to your life, get on with what you want to and just narrate it for him and show him bits and bobs.

I did used to love dancing around with the baby belting out some tunes - still do it now though I get rather sassily told that my vocal contributions are unnecessary

No videos. I’d do one of those activities each cycle but don’t try filling the whole time. Just lie him in his bouncer in the room you’re in and do what you’d normally do - housework, read a book yourself, getting ready for the day etc

Truly, if you’re worried about this stuff you’re doing everything right. But you’re all good with this one. You can do it.

I watched a baby today who was slightly older be amazed at a straw. I think we tend to over think as parents and that’s why kids love cardboard boxes! I can guarantee your baby sat next to you while you wash the dishes talking to them is getting as much stimulation as you reading a book.

if you clean the bathroom, let them watch. There’s all the noises from the water. You go up and down cleaning glass. Honestly they will find it interesting, just talk to them about what you are doing, play peekaboo while doing your normal routine.

This. I didn't do anything special with mine when they were small. Playmats, walks in pram, watching me from the bouncy chair whilst I do chores.

9 week old babies don’t need screens as others have said…in a sling or bouncy chair while you go about your day in the house, out for walks, this is the age when you can spend your days meeting people for coffee etc as they’re so highly portable!!

Just life as normal. If they were awake I talked to them and they watched me cook, clean and work. They listened to music and the radio. We went out to the shops and walked the dog and walked to school and back to work. Sometimes they sat in a bouncy chair. Sometimes they gummed toys. Lots of the time they were in the carrier or just on my hip or shoulder. Sometimes they rolled around on a mat at home or at a friends or in the fields or in the park. They liked going on buses and trains because they could look out of the window.

I can’t remember ever doing anything specifically to entertain a baby other than funny faces and waving a rattle here and there. It was all just regular life until they were able to engage in actual simple games like ball rolling, chewing a book, finger painting, block stacking etc.

Might I gently suggest you are overthinking it?

Personally I wouldn't give any screen time at this young age. I had my DD last year and we would go out for long walks, get on with daily errands inside and outside, skin on skin on sofa, used to love bouncer, play silly way with toys, singing, dancing.

I watched a baby today who was slightly older be amazed at a straw

@ThePoint678 dd used to love watching the washing on the line 😁

They don’t really need any entertaining at that age. Stick them in a sling and get on with your day, chat to them while you do things. Enjoy how much they sleep and have lots of snuggles.

At this age, take them out to do whatever you like to do - go to a museum or an art gallery or meet a friend for coffee.

My kids are no strangers to screen time but they are older - a tiny baby doesn't need videos

Just do whatever you want to do with them alongside. Tell them all about it. You do not have to do anything special. If you carry him in a sling you don't need to do tummy time. Lots of babies love music too- play whatever you like and dance with him a little.
I remember my mother saying to me "Don't worry- they grow up automatically!"

In the nicest way OP you are wayyyy overthinking this :) after a feed and change, pop baby in a bouncer chair to digest a bit whilst upright. Then move to playmat or buggy if you're going out. Then it's nap time again. I forget how long their wake windows are at this age but surely its no more than 1.5 hours at most? You don't need to be actively entertaining them, just leave them in the room with you.

Screens absolutely not needed. No babies had screens until v recently and we were all fine :)

Read a book especially those black and white picture books. You can also print out black and white pictures and patterns for fee

Thank you everyone for your help - I think I am just so desperately wanting to get it right as he’s our first baby and wanted to keep him entertained, I’ve come to realise that I’ve definitely been overthinking it all. I think because of how stressful it’s been and how I feel like I have no idea what I’m doing I’m just trying too hard and making life difficult.

I will definitely give the screen a miss until he’s older!

Everything you are doing is more than fine. I did videos too at that age but usually when I was getting dressed, cooking etc.

Its also completely fine for him to just chill in the bouncer too.

We used to show DC1 different kitchen appliances at this age. Blew her mind. I made so many cakes so we could watch the mixer going round (also bf=soooo hungry) she loved lying in the bathroom looking at the towel rail on one side and the water running down the shower screen on the other. We binge watched Taskmaster. We spent hours pottering sloooowly round garden centres looking at Christmas lights and any bright flowers. And when she was grumpy we jigged her gently round the kitchen to clubbing tunes - the thump thump of the bass seemed soothing

Just normal stuff really.

With DC2 he just kind of watched his crazy sister and that was all the entertainment sorted!

It really depends on your baby.

I had one of those babies who was only happy in one place for max 5 minutes. No matter how much I chatted, sang to her etc. She was NOT content just to watch me. And hated the sling. So the day was divided into a LOT of 5 minutes. (Also a terrible sleeper).

Some ideas if your baby also needs more active entertainment (some of these may be more for the 4-6 month period):

Hold baby up to mirror, make faces
Sit on lap, hold hands, play row row row your boat (if they have good head control)
Walk up and down stairs holding them, sing Grand old duke of york - also helps with wind
Put them in a buggy and go out. Anywhere there are people doing stuff. Library, park, playground, shopping centre, supermarket.
Door bouncer
Lengthy bathtime
Tummy time with mirror
Crinkly books
Squealy books

He definitely doesn't need any screen time at that age. When mine were 2-3 months old they liked
• lying next to a mirror that we stuck low down and watching themselves wave their arms and legs about
• lying on a playmat or baby gym and batting / grabbing at things hanging down from above them
• lying outside on a mat below some trees and watching the leaves - this genuinely kept them occupied for ages!
• "talking and singing" together
• walks outside
• dancing to music (that is, we held them and danced)
• bathtime or playing in some water in the kitchen sink

I also used to just lie them down on their playmat next to me while I folded washing, or on the kitchen table while I prepped dinner etc.

At this age the whole world is new and exciting and stimulating - even watching someone do the housework or feeling how their fingers close around a wooden spoon. So they really need very little in terms of sensory "activities". It's a lovely age in many ways as they start interacting a bit more 🥰

Echoing what others have said. General life is stimulating enough. DD hated being laid down at this age due to reflux so a carrier / wrap (if that is an option) saved us. Just potter around the house, wrap up and sit in the garden, go for a walk, shops, go for a coffee etc.

Actually, yes - this is superb advice! Those types of outings become harder different once they're more mobile / vocal!

You're definitely right to lose the screen time. A nine week old baby watching an iPad makes me feel queasy.

Everyone is right, just go about your day, narrate what you're doing, chat/sing to him, okay peekaboo, read books. Go for walks. Cuddle him. Visit friends/relatives. Go to a museum or whatever you fancy. If he likes watching things move, sit him by the window and he can watch the trees blow in the wind or he can watch the washing machine go round or hang some things out of reach and twist/knock them to make them move.