What exactly do you DO with your baby?

[SoLongAsItsHealthy]

In between the feeding, changing, bathing and sleeping.... can you tell me what you actually do with your babies? Mine is 9 weeks old now and very alert and communicative amd I feel really guilty if I'm not trying to stimulate him every minute of the day. But since he can't hold his head up and doesn't like his bouncy chair, he can pretty much only lie down all day so I put him under his baby gym for much of it - he loves this but is it a cop-out? Is there something else I should be doing? I play classical music and sing to him and show him books and gurgle at him as much as I can but there's only so much of this I can stand.

Tell me it's ok to leave him under there and read Mumsnet instead???

God yes As long as you are playing with him sometimes (get down under the baby gym with him, its great fun ) then leaving him to entertain himself for a bit every now and again does no harm. If anything its beneficial, or he'll just get used to you wanting him to entertain him every minute of the day.

There is a great book called 'The Social Baby' which shows you how they communicate with you even from birth. Get hold of a copy and try out some of the stuff in there.

BTW - don't think you need to stimulate every minute of every day! Though if I recall my DD was either feeding or asleep so can't remember what we did!

course it is, enjoy the first months when he isn't mobile!

Tiny babies don't need constant stimulation anyway, it can upset them. Talk to him, lie down next to him, but don't feel like you have to spend every moment of every day stimulating him (you'll just make him fractious anyway)

Make the most of the nice weather too, and the fact that he's still very portable

congrats btw.

You sound like you do more than a lot of mums!
A good thing I found was a large mirror, put down the side of the cot between the mattress and my babies would lie and coo at themselves for ages.

Wow! Sounds like you're doing tons! If your baby is happy to do his own thing then definitely let him. My DS1 - lots of attention, singing, bouncing etc - is far less self-reliant than DS2 - mostly just left to his own devices if quiet - and it's a right PITA now. He needs a lot of adult input even at 5 to play.

But a 9 week old baby is pretty dull, right? You could always take him out for nice lunches with friends, to a baby yoga class with friends, Singing classes with friends. You will get a lot more out of that kind of thing than he will at this stage but he will LOVE the singing and seeing other babies.

[Does sound a bit like you're sitting at home thinking "right, what shall we do next" a lot, in which case get out and meet people before you go stark, staring bonkers or start waking him up just "for someone to talk to". If that's not really the case then not to worry, you're doing a grand job!]

My happiest baby was my 3rd who was basically left to get on with it and watched what everyone else was up to. Over stimulated babies cry a lot

PS Forgot to add, 9 weeks is perfect age to start carting him around to do exactly what you want to do - shopping? They love it (or at least they can't escape and you don't need to pack all sorts of LUNCH and crap for them) - the gym? in the car seat next to the cross trainer is a great place for a baby!

I'm only half joking.

sounds like you're doing grand - only other thing i would suggest is when he's awake try popping him on his tummy for a few minutes at a time (good for his motor development and developing head control). If he's not keen being on the floor on his tummy try half lying on the sofa with his tummy on yours. (only when he's awake though)

I would second finding some groups to go to - we really enjoyed a sensory babygroup even at 9 weeks old - lots of singing, lights, feathers, crinkly toys etc which DS loved

hoik him around with me while I deal with everyone else
he seems to be growing up ok

They can be demanding / dull can't they??
I remeber posting a similar thread two years ago when DS1 was a baby. I felt we were just looking at each other wondering how to fill the next two minutes.
Now with DS2, life is more hectic. Just carry him round with you and he'll love to watch what you are doing (coo at him every few minutes). Yesterday DS2 spent ages on the change mat being dragged round the house while I cleaned.
Sadly, it's not great if you just want to put your feet up and read a book / watch telly - although I can leave DS2 under the playgym with one eye on the telly and saying 'boo' to him every few minutes.
And I agree, go to as many playgroups / mother groups as you can.

I felt the same but I guess they don't want you to stimulate them ALL the time. I can just imagine my baby saying to me.....for goodness sake mum can you just leave me alone for 10 minutes to play in my baby gym.

Agreed - I felt the same when my DS first starting being more 'interactive'. But now, he's 14 weeks, and I think prefers to be left alone for a bit. I find that if we've had a really busy day he gets overwrought - and just wants to sit in his chair and watch me wash up. Doesn't seem to be doing him any harm!