6 wk old DD - what do I "do" with her all day

[Iamamumma]

Sorry for posting what could be the stupidest thread ever! My DD is 6 wks tomorrow, but I am worried I am not doing the right things with her. I am worried that when she is awake I hold her too much and she is bored (yes I know she is only 6 wks old!) What I am asking is if I put her on her activity mat for a short time in the mornings and the evenings, and put her in her bouncy chair so she can look around is that enough stimulation? We are getting out for walks and to baby groups too. Any other suggestions? Or am I just being ridiculous?

Sounds like she has plenty of stimulation etc - don't beat yourself up about it.

Do what makes you happy. She'll let you know if something is wrong!

At that age, everything she sees is stimulating! Don't worry, you are doing plenty. Just enjoy being together and cuddling and looking around at the world.

You sit and gaze at her in wonder

Seriously, you don't need to do anything with her. Don't feel pressured by anything that you have read or heard about needing to do baby yoga or baby swimming or anything to stimulate her.

If you want to go to these kind of classes to get out of the house and meet other mums, great. But don't feel you need to.

Babies don't actually need a lot. They need food, sleep, warmth and love.

take advanage that at this age she is happy doing whatever you want to do - walk round the shops, go and drink coffee and eat cake (might want to get her decaf though)

Before you know it, you'll have a toddler who wants to go to the park/softplay/swimming etc, and you'll long for the days when you could stick the baby in he pram and do as you please..

Gotts go... off to soft play..

Just chat to her. If you have anything nice for her to look at, that's a bonus, and she might like quiet music. But mainly she probably just wants to be cuddled by you, hear your voice and smell your body near her. I don't think a baby of this age needs anything more than that, tbh. I imagine the baby groups are probably more important for you than her atm!

Don't worry
I remember worrying about the same things.

I'm a believer in carrying babies, so I don't believe in holding too much.
As for stimulation, if she's bored she'll let you know! They usually don't hold back about things like that ;)
If she's in her bouncy chair and can see you moving around (doing laundry or whatever) that's fine.
Sounds like you're doing well - I'm sure I hadn't quite managed Baby Groups at 6 weeks!

dont forget some tummy time
other than that being held all day is baby heaven, or so my 6wo tells me

Go out shopping and to restaurants - babies love the stimulation!

Thanks ladies, I am such a panicer, every day I find something new to worry about - am going to try and relax and enjoy her!

Why don't you try doing whatever you feel like (in between usual domestic and post-partum stuff) and seeing whether she is happy to go along with it? That's the best way of finding compromises to suit the two of you. It's harder for her at her young age to take the lead, but she'll let you know whether or not she's happy

Cuddling her and making eye contact is stimulating her. What you are doing sounds lovely, just relax and enjoy getting time with her that you don't need to do things in.

A social worker friend told me when dd1 was born that she actually found it quite 'odd' to be around a baby who made good eye contact and made sounds in response to what you said to her etc. She had worked at that time with quite a lot of babies who didn't make eye contact because their parents didn't have the skills to talk to a baby and encourage them to respond. Something so basic and those babies weren't getting it, they were just plonked down in various locations and ignored I've never forgotten that and when I meet mums worrying about not doing enough with their baby I remember it and think that we really don't appreciate these basic essential things that most people can do even without knowing it. Your baby will be doing great - as are you!

feed her when she is hungry

put her down when she is sleepy

take her out when you feel like it

show her off to lots of people

make sure you get plenty of rest yourself

thats about it really

and enjoy it !!!

When my DD was 6 weeks old I used to spend hours and hours in Starbucks feeding her in and reading magazines.

I enjoyed that bit when I didn't really have to 'do' anything to keep her entertained.

She's 14 months now and nightmare, managed to spend all of 10 mins with her in starbucks yesterday distracting her with fruit salad before she wanted to run riot in the place.

Seriously, make the most of being able to go shopping and just having her lying there rather than dragging clothes off the rails, screaming and trying to escape the pushchair.