What do you do with your days with a new baby? Share with Fairy Non Bio for chance to win a £300 voucher NOW CLOSED

[JustineBMumsnet]

As part of our partnership with Fairy Non Bio, we’ve produced the Mumsnet Babies podcast. There are ten episodes in the series, and episode 8 covers what you can actually do with your days when you have a new baby. Fairy Non Bio would like you to listen to the podcast here and then post on this thread with your experience.

A new life as a stay-at-home-parent may feel daunting and bewildering, and though you’d likely prepared for the ‘stuff’ you have to do with a baby, you may not have planned for how you intend on filling your days with a new baby, and potentially preventing loneliness now that you’re not at work every day?

Whatever your experience, share your stories of and tips for making the time you spend alone with your baby feel fun and fulfilling, and share any advice you have for when you’re out and about. Do you have any ideas about what you can do at home, when your baby is at different stages? Perhaps you have tips on making being out and about more enjoyable, despite the organisation it now requires with a new baby in tow? Maybe you have creative ideas for being able to do the tasks you need to be able to do around the house, while keeping your baby entertained?

Whatever your experience and tips, share below to be entered into a prize draw where one MNer will win a £300 Love2Shop voucher.

If you’d like to rate the Mumsnet Babies Podcast, please go to the iTunes store to add a review.

Thanks and good luck,

MNHQ

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My tips would be take a day at a time. Sleep when baby sleeps. Except help when offered. Batch cook. Don't stress over the house - the cleaning will still be there tomorrow. Try to meet up with other mummies with babies of similar age. Try to go out each day even if its for a walk. Last thing is enjoy it.

From what I remember, I watched a lot of films while breastfeeding constantly and ate a lot of Greek yoghurt. I miss those days...

Luckily my little girl is under 1 years old so she basically just goes where I go! I do try and get out and about in the fresh air all the time so she gets used to it though :-)

I made sure to get out of the house once a day. Even if it was only a quick walk to the local shop. It really helped

When my first daughter was two months old I started an Open University course, applied before I became pregnant. Well I remember reading a lot of it out loud to her as I fed her. Lo and behold she started talking really early.

it was lovely to get out when the sun came out, i put my baby girl in the carrier so i could still hold hands with my 2 boys and off to the park so they could let off steam

I used to have something on each day of the week that we could go to if I felt we needed to get out the house. Not pre-booked stuff that I felt I had to do, but things like Bounce & Rhyme at the local library, Tums To One at the children's centre etc. It meant I didn't feel isolated but also could relax at home if I wanted without feeling guilty!

My new baby hasn't arrived yet but I do intend to make a load of freezer meals before she does arrive so it is one less thing for me to worry about but would also equal more time with her and less time cooking

Force yourself to different groups to see what works for you. I hated stay and plays but liked the more structures groups such as yoga and dancing.

I loved getting out & about with my LO - I lacked confidence in the early days - so getting out was great for us both - everyone chats to you when you have a new baby! I found it so reassuring to meet other mums & share experiences.
I love reading & wanted to share that with my LO from day one - I found it really soothing & hopefully he did too!
I also found singing great & had CDs of nursery rhymes in the car which he seemed to enjoy (always soothed him when he got a bit tetchy) - I would end up singing them unintentionally all day though!!
In terms of toys - I had fun refreshing his toybox at charity shops, jumble sales & car boots - loads of great vintage (& modern) toys, books & games.
Library was also a joy - if I was going a bit stir-crazy - I'd just head off to the library to while away an hour - reading, playing, etc.

Live for the moment! Spend time enjoying your children, far more important than worrying about chores, they always get done.

I found having a baby very daunting. None of my friends had children and I felt isolated not being in work. Mother and Baby groups were an absolute live-saver. I joined a breastfeeding group, a Yoga class at a local nursery (where they looked after the babies for an hour) and a baby massage group. I made some wonderful friends and it was so invaluable being able to share my worries and experiences with people going through the same things that I was.

I can't say I felt much like doing anything for the first six weeks apart from sleep in! After that we got out a lot for walks, spent lots of time in the garden, joined a mums' group so we could both socialise and spent the rest of time on housework and messy play. Lots of fun if you're in the right mindset but I understand it can seem boring I to some.

I found being at home with my babies quite isolating. I didn't have any family or friends nearby and there were no activities around. I wasn't living in a particularly friendly neighbourhood either.

Still, I loved those early days and we kept busy with lots of singing, reading and playing. There was a lovely park a short walk away, so that had plenty of visits. At weekends we would travel to see friends who had kids, so they didn't miss out on playing with other children and it helped to keep me sane as well!

I tried to time it so I had special time alone with both my little ones. First thing 6am bottle and change with a little play for the little one, 8am ds up washed and breakfast with some quality time for play and cuddles. Luckily DS would play nice in the garden or with his toys, so 10am little one up for changing, bath, feeding and playtime with me and Ds and so on through out the day, It didn't always run to plan but it was nice when it did :D

I had twins and i had to make the most of their sleep time. To make my experience of being a mum fulfilling i made sure i rested when they did. I found i'd be at the end of my tether if i didn't get the rest and was constantly on the go. I realised throughout the tough times it was a phase and it would soon be taken over by a new phase that would be more pleasant. Everybodys kranky when they are tired so i found resting when i could helped loads.

I used to put my youngest DS in the baby carrier when I did housework as he hated going down. DS2 came along when DS1 was only 17 months old so I couldn't manage to do much so spent lots of time cuddling, but I did make sure I got out of the house so I wasn't too isolated. It was only when I had DS3 though that I felt I got the balance right. The housework wasn't so important and I got out loads. I made really good friends from baby groups so I had a good social life, and the children played together. We're still all good friends 7 years on.

I have 2 boys, one 13 and one 5 months

1st time round, I was so stressed and tired and worried what everyone thought if my house wasn't perfect or I looked tired or stressed etc.

This time I don't care nor notice what people think, I enjoy every minute with my boys now. If I have a rough night. I sleep when baby sleeps. Tummy time is funtime . Fresh air is always good for us both, even if it's just around the block. No need to get all dressed up. I go to bookbug for parents and baby to spend a bit of time with like minded mum's and dad's.

Always remember whatever you do as a mum/dad you are doing an awsome job..... Well done!

My little one has just turned one and the summer holidays has made me realise how precious our lazy home days are when I can help him interact and explore. When his big brother is home, in the nicest possible way, it stifles his exploration as I am constantly out and about doing things he wants to do and when we are at home I am trying to keep Lego away.

My little one loves to flick through picture books and gets particularly excited about animals. He also loves when we go for a walk on his trike - trees fascinate him!!!

Especially if it's your first... lots of snacks and Netflix and just stay on the couch feeding! I wish I appreciated that I was able to do that without any other children to think of.

Loved that sleepy gazing at each other when they were tiny and breastfeeding meant we got plenty of that!
Once they were a bit bigger and I was more reliable about the whole getting showered and dressed we went out daily for a change of scenery, (For me!)

lots of walks , sleeps for me too lol and meeting up with friends

Try to arrange a regular activity that will get you out of the house (obviously assuming you're able to to find a babysitter!)

i sleep when the baby sleeps and go for walks in the park when the weather is nice x

Try and get out to meet friends and not be stuck in!