Pregnancy and Baby Advice Thread: From Conception to Birth, and Beyond!

[PrincessPeach]

Ok this may sound a stupid question but what do you do with your babies on an average day? Do you play with them lots? They play on their own? Let them watch tv? X

Most of the time I try and let Amelia play on her own on her playmat or in her bouncer...get used to her toys, let her look at them, try and grab them etc and she seems quite happy! (Plus it enables me to get on and do stuff!!) Baby TV is usually on in the background and so she'll have a watch as well. I know all the fecking songs now so I end up singing them to her! ha ha. Then I will make sure I take some time out in the day to play with her. Show her toys, give her tummy time etc. I chat to her a lot anyway.... it might sound awful but I literally wouldn't get anything else done if I sat there all day trying to entertain her! I find she gets herself off to sleep when she wants to sleep, usually she'll have a nap for about 30 mins at the most somewhere between every feed. I don't mind leaving her on her own as I want her to not have to rely on us if you know what I mean? xxx

 

[Danni86]

Thomas usually has play time on his mat once or twice a day, he loves things that hang above him and likes to grab them.
Feel guilty about letting him watch telly but he does watch a little bit now.
I try to give him tummy time each day but he still hates if lol
I try to keep him upright for 5-15 mins after each feed so u normally speak and play with him then too.
Yesterday he had a lot of fun lying on our bed playing with his teddy lol

 

[Dubchick81]

Éabha lays in her mat in the front room while I'm in the living room. She can see me but we're in diff rooms r if I'm in the kitchen r out the back ill take her with me but she'll b in her bouncer r swing.
I get down with her for tummy time n we'll hav a play if the sofa for a bit too
TV is a def no for her in this house. As much as I can anyway. If its on she'll strain to try watch it, little monkey!!!
I want her to b used to her own company n kno how to n feel comfortable, playing in her own.
We also have family play time when J gets in n we're all on the floor with her. Giggles are the cutest!!!!!

 

[pjallen1982]

Thanks everyone. That's really helpful. I think I spend too much time with Oliver. He will sometimes spend 10-14mins on his own on his playmat but most the time I'm actively playing with toys etx with him.... Hence I get nowt done.

When I'm in the kitchen I put him in his bouncer and keep talking to him and singing.

I'm trying not to do too much tv but sometimes like now I put baby jake on which he loves so I can go to the loo or make food....

Think I need to get him to be more independent.

Thanks girls. I just wondered what people did. Wish babies came with a manual hehe xx

 

[PrincessPeach]

Thanks everyone. That's really helpful. I think I spend too much time with Oliver. He will sometimes spend 10-14mins on his own on his playmat but most the time I'm actively playing with toys etx with him.... Hence I get nowt done.

When I'm in the kitchen I put him in his bouncer and keep talking to him and singing.

I'm trying not to do too much tv but sometimes like now I put baby jake on which he loves so I can go to the loo or make food....

Think I need to get him to be more independent.

Thanks girls. I just wondered what people did. Wish babies came with a manual hehe xx

Hi hun, I don't think there's a right or a wrong way. Everyone does things differently. The flip side is I sometimes feel very guilty I don't spend enough time with Amelia. I feel bad that she's put on her playmat or put in front of the tv. That said, I think there's only SO much you can do with an 11-12 week old, and she never complains. Most days in the morning we'll have a long cuddle while she's napping too so I make sure we have some "bonding" time. She's on her playmat pretty much all the time, apart from feeds, the morning snuggle, and when we're out. When I play with her, I go to her playmat or bouncer chair and chat to her, show her toys etc. I feel a bit bad now :\

But like I said, there's no right or wrong. All babies are different, and Amelia seems fine with playing on her own, watching TV etc. In fact, she's obsessed with the TV! She moans when you turn Baby TV over :\ lol x

 

[Jess<3]

No right or wrong way for babies. With jacob the routine we started was mainly bedtimes. We would always calm down, bath, bottle, cuddles, bed. Just by his timing and when we knew he was starting to get sleepy. As bath helped him even more tired.

During the day would depend what plans I had but almost always had some tummy time. Play on his play mat. Maybe kids tv... Basically just what everyone else has said x

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[pjallen1982]

Hi hun, I don't think there's a right or a wrong way. Everyone does things differently. The flip side is I sometimes feel very guilty I don't spend enough time with Amelia. I feel bad that she's put on her playmat or put in front of the tv. That said, I think there's only SO much you can do with an 11-12 week old, and she never complains. Most days in the morning we'll have a long cuddle while she's napping too so I make sure we have some "bonding" time. She's on her playmat pretty much all the time, apart from feeds, the morning snuggle, and when we're out. When I play with her, I go to her playmat or bouncer chair and chat to her, show her toys etc. I feel a bit bad now :\ But like I said, there's no right or wrong. All babies are different, and Amelia seems fine with playing on her own, watching TV etc. In fact, she's obsessed with the TV! She moans when you turn Baby TV over :\ lol x

Oh no I didn't mean to make you feel bad. Just look at Amelia. She is super smiley. You must be doing something right Hun.

Like everyone has said, all babies are different. I just wanted to know what other people do during the day. I do a lot of classes so that Oliver can mingle with others. Also gives me a chance to speak to other adults. Oliver loves staring at other babies. He is just a general nosey Parker I think!! X

 

[PrincessPeach]

Oh no I didn't mean to make you feel bad. Just look at Amelia. She is super smiley. You must be doing something right Hun.

Like everyone has said, all babies are different. I just wanted to know what other people do during the day. I do a lot of classes so that Oliver can mingle with others. Also gives me a chance to speak to other adults. Oliver loves staring at other babies. He is just a general nosey Parker I think!! X

Oh no you havent made me feel bad lol dont worry x Its just me worrying myself that I dont spend enough time with her after writing it all down! Ive been meaning to find some mummy and baby groups so I think I'm going to start doing that x I promise you didnt make me feel bad xx

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[pjallen1982]

Oh no you havent made me feel bad lol dont worry x Its just me worrying myself that I dont spend enough time with her after writing it all down! Ive been meaning to find some mummy and baby groups so I think I'm going to start doing that x I promise you didnt make me feel bad xx Sent from my GT-I9100 using MiniMins.com mobile app

Good good

Do you have any children centres near by? That's where I do most my things with. One baby group is free and the other is 50p. You play with toys and then each week tere is a theme. Today first aider is coming, some weeks is to do with sensory, messy play, make Mother's Day cards or Easter stuff.... I enjoy it.

Then baby massage was £3 a week. Baby yoga is £5. Baby sensory is £2 a week.

Look to see if there are any because they tend to we cheaper than other courses and you get to meet other mums in your area x

 

[Jess<3]

Jess have a look if you have a sure start nearby?

That's where I go with Jacob, and there is baby groups they do also. It's all free too!
They also do a toy library and can book different toys out for as long as you wish, again all free. It's a fab center! X

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[Susiew2001]

I agree with the others, no real set routine! When she was little she played in her baby gym/playmat thing and in her bouncy chair and we would play with toys,sing, talk to her etc. I used to bring her with me when I was sorting washing upstairs or cooking dinner in the kitchen, but would leave her playing whilst I had a wee or made a cuppa or lunch. As she has got older it's harder to leave her as she would move/topple over and now she's crawling I can't!
We go out for a walk most days, playgroup once a week and meet up with friends the other days, or if Benn is off we will play as a family for a few hours. She now has her own cupboard in the kitchen which has pots/pans/plastic stuff in that she can pull out and play with.
I have always talked to her, we sing in the car and at home and she loves making a mess of my nicely folded washing!
Re tv it's on more than I would like if I'm honest, more so with Benn than me. When she was little I would watch tv in the morning whilst she was in her gym etc and now she plays with her toys while I have a cuppa and watch the news. It's sometimes on during the day but it's usually baby friendly. She loves pointless though so that's our after dinner stuff before the cbeebies bedtime hour.

 

[Nellylou]

Really helpful reading this post - I am constantly feeling guilty about putting Bella down to entertain herself but I know that she needs to be able to. We get up about 7.30 and open the curtains and I tell her what we are planning on doing for the day, feed and cuddle then I put music on and put her in her chair or on her play mat. Bella is rarely up for more than an hour and a half at a time, she usually has 4x30 minute naps a day. I always make sure we go for a walk and I try not to put the tv on until around 3pm at the earliest (but often do put it on to entertain her if i need to get something done which can't wait until she naps) between 5 and 7 Disney Junior saves my life as its all that keeps my very tired baby entertained.
At the moment she isn't enjoying being on her play mat where as last week she loved it, I think she gets bored so will bring it out again in a week or so. X

 

[Jess<3]

It's good for them to entertain themselves. It's stops the clinginess... Which is good as I've seen parents who litrually cannot get on with anything as they have to be held all the time!
And then ask/wonder why they are like this.... Xx

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[Danni86]

Susie I love the idea of their own cupboard, I'm gonna do that when he's older x

 

[Jess<3]

Pelvis pain... Does it go away pretty much after baby is here?

Im housebound. I can just manage hobbling around the house for a little while but then it's major sore and I'm kind of having to drag my leg around with me and not use leg/hip because of the pain

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[Dubchick81]

Pelvis pain... Does it go away pretty much after baby is here?

Im housebound. I can just manage hobbling around the house for a little while but then it's major sore and I'm kind of having to drag my leg around with me and not use leg/hip because of the pain

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Mine went as soon as baby was here but mine was minor x

 

[Jess<3]

Mine went as soon as baby was here but mine was minor x

It was minor but after not even 5mins walking I'm having to drag my leg around instead using my hip/leg to walk as it's so painful x
Falling to pieces now! My feet are like balloons too! Ugh so glad I'm not going through the whole summer been pregnant x

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[slimming-girl]

I had reflexology last night and she massaged all round my heel area which is pelvis and hip and it felt amazing maybe try some light massage of the foot. My friend had really bad pelvic pain spd and she was fine post birth so I'm sure you will be too. Xx

 

[Jess<3]

Thanks I will try... Oh I hope so. It's awful pain.. but I can't keep sat down all day with Jacob, and I'm nesting!! Hehe

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[Dougal1983]

Sorry to hear about your leg Jess- I've been really lucky in not suffering with swollen hands/feet but I'm totally with you on the hip and pelvis pain.
I can walk but it takes me twice as long to get anywhere!!
And baby is so low it feels like its gonna drop out at any moment!
Nesting is a sign that labour's imminent!!
I've not had it, hubby is disappointed, I think he was secretly hoping I'd go on a mad cleaning spree- nope haha I don't do cleaning!!
All I've wanted to do is bake cakes, etc lol instead!