How do you spend your days with the baby?

[TrippleBerryFairy]

Most of my days are more or less the same since the baby was born.

I spend lots of time indoors, in baby's room especially.

I wake up, feed him, give him a cuddle. When he falls asleep I take the shower and make myself breakfast.

After that my day is filled with hours on the internet while he's asleep alternating with feeding him. I carry him around and talk/play with him if he's in the mood. Take loads of pictures with him. Make myself loads of fennel tea. Occasionally I clean the house and do the laundry. I watch tv, usually some crappy shows I would never watch otherwise - e.g. America's next top model

I do get out to the shops if the wheater is nice, 1-2 times a week ...

I'm not complaining just wondering whether I should get out more (don't really have a reason to do that unless I have an appointment with GP or am running out of breast pads!). Maybe I should do something more exciting (not quite sure what that could be )?...

So...are your days as slightly boring as mine? I am on maternity leave by the way.

Yes, at first I hardly left the house. The first couple of weeks I spent mostly on the sofa with DS asleep next to me. I watched hours of daytime TV, read about 5 books in a week and didn't do much else.

Don't worry, things will naturally becomeless boring as your LO starts to be awake more and will demand to be entertained!

How old is your DS?

If you are bored maybe you should try to get out more. Not because you have to though. If you are happy doing what you are then carry on but a happy mum makes a happy baby. Trips to the shops, the park (When not raining obv) a local cafe, the local mums and baby groups (sure start do sessions in my area), lots of cinemas to parent and baby sessions and if all else fails you could post on here to meet other mums in your area. But as I said only if you want to.

We go to Rhymetime at the local library (which is free), sometimes make a point if walking to the supermarket which is 20 mins away for a pint of milk (rather than the shop round the corner), walk to the park or into the city centre for a mooch round the shops and a coffee, go to the HV clinic once a week to catch up with the other new mums, meet up with mummy friends at each other's house, and have just started going to playgroup (our local one has a separate area with toys for babies, where they don't get trampled by the toddlers!)

Like others have said if you're happy with your status quo then great, but if you're looking for activities then your HV might be able to give you a list of baby / mother & toddler groups in your area.

Google family info service and look under find your local FIS.. gives you a number who you can ring and they tailor make a list of all groups local to your postcode...

How old is your baby? Chances are (unless you have an amazing sleeper) he will demand more of your attention as he gets older and more alert and interactive.

My first few months with DS (now 6m) were as you describe apart from weekly coffee mornings with NCT ante-natal group. Since September we've been doing some mum & baby activities - Rhythm Time, Baby Sensory and baby massage - so we have something on 4 mornings a week. In the afternoon I play with DS, MN do housework when/if he naps and go for a walk if it's nice. I feel a lot better for getting out and about more and having some structure to my week.

Your HV may have some info on local classes. Baby Sensory and Rhythm Time have classes across the country - google to find their websites - they do charge about £5 a session but I find it's worth it for my sanity - oh, and DS seems to enjoy himself too!

When I had my first baby, someone told me to make a point of going out somewhere every day, even if only to the supermarket and I think that kept me sane.

That sounds just like me! At least at first. Now I try and walk into town with DS in the pram, on the pretext of needing fresh break or milk, or whatever. I don't always NEED to go but it's nice to have an errand to run so you get to feel busy. I think what others have said is true though - if you are happy, no need to change things.

When your baby is a little older you might find taking them to the park to crawl/toddler/run around to wear them out looks like a good option. Ditto the library, beach, or whatever you have near you. It sounds like you've got a nice routine going, though - do you have people visit you at home in the day to see you, have a cuppa and play with the baby? My mum comes round once or twice a week and that's nice as it gives some variety and keeps DS occupied

BBC iPlayer is good for naptimes too, you can go back and watch programmes where you last left off if you get interrupted by the baby.

For much of the first 12 months of my baby's life I did hardly anything as my DD napped so so much and slept all night. I was bored but not much - I enjoyed nesting at home and slobbing around all day long (Mumsnet, TV, reading, napping, baking) and I saw it as a rare treat (as I have worked all my adult life). From 12 months she stopped napping so much and suddenly we had all this time to fill - it was great too - taking her out and about even though I had to go back to work.

Now at 15 months she's on the go all the time and napping has reduced to 1 hour (still sleeps through at night though).

Don't worry - enjoy the slobbing around. You'll soon be busy and active with your baby when it's older.

www.naomistadlen.com/what_mothers_do.htm

What Mothers Do

Especially When It Looks Like Nothing

You know when you're laying next to your bubba gazing into his eyes and you start streaming tears not hormonally but because you havbe a 'moment' where you suddenly understand what true love really means and how absolutely nothing can compare to this monent, well this book articulates such and much more such as what you are really doing when you think you are doing nothing all day with your baby! I love it.

Hi,

My ds is 4 and hald months old and we have days where we stay in and play, have his feeds then naps i usually catch up on here or do the cleaning ect.
But i also have joined antenatal swimming class an hour every wednesday he loves it, and a music movement class on a friday.
I think this has helped and gives me something to look forward to and meet other mums and babies have a chat and cuppa, (very rare i get chance for one at home ha ha). Aswell has spending time with my ds.
Im 2 on maternity leave and know i will be bk to it before i know it so trying to enjoy these special days with ds, your days sound great being at home with your DLO :-)
Enjoy it!!!