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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I usually try to sleep when I can and ava is sleeping, housework as much as possible and sometimes I pop out to the shops but that is a monster exercise

find out from the midwife about free groups in the area, family centres are wonderful especially if you don't have friends with kids.

My tip is to simply enjoy your baby when they are little. Don't feel under pressure to be a put together super mum. Just enjoy every cuddle and relax with your new baby, cuddle up in the settee in front of the tv xx

The best thing I did was join a couple of baby groups in my area so I could meet other mums, when we moved when DD1 was 6mths old I did the same, and many of the children are now in DD1's class. It's the best thing to do to avoid isolation, get some great tips and just to let of steam once in a while.

foot massage

managing some sleeps when they are sleeping, going out for walks, some play time. there's lots to do.

For me the baby swing was amazing as this meant I could whizz around and get my chores done whilst both littlies were entertained. We then used to go on long walks with the pram facing me so that I could chatter away with them

I am part of a Facebook baby group, all our babies are about the same age, we were all feeling a bit lonely and unfulfilled and someone suggested we do a challenge everyday. They were really simple things, like take a walk and get a photo of your baby holding a crisp autumn leave, etc. Being part of a community made me feel better.

With my first, I found I got very lonely and isolated as I'd stopped working, none of my friends had babies and I had SPD (Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction) during and after my pregnancy which made it very hard for me to leave the house. When I had my second 17 months later, once I'd recovered from the birth, we got up and out every day to make the most of the days. Going to the local parks and we found some free parenting groups and playgroups so that I could meet up with other parents and not feel so lonely and isolated. It was really good to make some local friends and we often went to each others houses. We also liked to visit free museums (we live in London) which was educational and fun. If the weather was poor, then we had a huge box of drawing paper and crafts to do which the children always loved. I've kept this up with all my children since the first 2.

Go for walks and talk to them, even if they can't talk back yet.

In order to get things done around the house, I used a combination of Baby Einstein and a baby bouncer - he absolutely loved it! It meant I could have a quick tidy round etc. (or even just brush my hair!).

Make the most of what little free time you have when baby is asleep.

I am not a fan of staying in the house and I was always out and about with my children in their prams. I always had baby facing me and would constantly chat to them. We woukd go to parks, museums, the beach. Sometimes I did not even know where we we going when we set off!

If we did stay in we would look at books and play or I would simply take them around the house whilst doing jobs, constantly chatting to them or singing or being silly!

Just don't worry about snuggling your baby, everything else can wait! Enjoy bath times, feeding and cuddles. Go out and about for walks to get fresh air and not go stir crazy!

I remember it being a lonely time. It was so exhausting but at the same time my mind craved something challenging and creative to do.

I now have hobbies i really enjoy including baking, cooking and blogging but at the time I remember feeling isolated and bored a lot of the time as i'd never had time for a hobby before when i was at work.

I'd encourage people to find a hobby - something that can be dipped in and out of to fit in with baby and with so much online too it's easier to stay connected and not feel so isolated these days hopefully.

I spent alot of time on feeds and changing nappies its how most of the day, everyday would go with any spare time spent on housework!!

Lots of sleeping when baby slept. Forgot the housework etc and just enjoyed being with my first baby. Walks with the dog, and meeting up with friends and family kept me busy.

I started by doing every baby group going, then I eased off once I found that I didn't need to try so hard! Motherhood isn't about how many baby groups you can go to.

Now I am much more selective. We love the local Children and Family Centres, we go swimming often, although not weekly (did that and really it was a bit of a waste of money), and go out to walk the dog twice a day.

We meet up with other mummies and their little ones for play dates and coffees. Although there's not that much chance to chat once the babies are mobile!

Sleeping when they sleep.

When DS was tiny I just spent as much time as I could cuddling him! i loved long lazy days filled with cuddles.
I also enjoyed popping him in the sling and going out for a walk in the sunshine (he hated the pram)

Thanks for all of your posts . The winner of the prize draw is @PinkUnicorn1990

Thank you Mumsnet that is amazing!