Internets (or at least those of you out there with children), can you help me?
Matteo is 8 weeks old on Sunday. During the day, when he's not sleeping, I talk to him, read to him a bit, sing nursery rhymes to him, and he has a bouncy chair with toys hanging down above him which I sit him in sometimes, and if I need to get something done I park him e.g. in the kitchen and try to remember to talk to him about what I'm doing while I do it. I try to get him on his tummy for 'tummy time' but he pretty much hates it. I'm thinking about getting a playmat for him, one with an arch and dangly toys for him to reach for. M is mostly working during the day (at home) but also sings to him and
I feel like I don't know what to do with him really - do you think at 8 weeks old he needs more? What did you do?
Matteo is 8 weeks old on Sunday. During the day, when he's not sleeping, I talk to him, read to him a bit, sing nursery rhymes to him, and he has a bouncy chair with toys hanging down above him which I sit him in sometimes, and if I need to get something done I park him e.g. in the kitchen and try to remember to talk to him about what I'm doing while I do it. I try to get him on his tummy for 'tummy time' but he pretty much hates it. I'm thinking about getting a playmat for him, one with an arch and dangly toys for him to reach for. M is mostly working during the day (at home) but also sings to him and
I feel like I don't know what to do with him really - do you think at 8 weeks old he needs more? What did you do?
5 comments:
I remember that feeling so well -- the "what do we DO now?" feeling. Really, at that stage, just being with you is plenty. They don't really "play" yet. I remember showing Suzannah her face in the mirror quite a bit (she still loves that, the little ham), singing a lot, reading, cuddling. I think a LOT of babies hate tummy time -- Suzannah didn't love it at first -- but we did that too. Those play mat/baby gym things are pretty great sometimes, and Suzannah did enjoy hers, so that's not a bad idea.
I also just sort of had her with me all the time, like you -- if I needed to clean something or cook something (heh -- don't think much of that was happening at 8 weeks, though!) I kept her near me and chatted with her about what I was doing, that kind of thing. I think that's really what they need at this point, so I think you're doing just fine.
(Also, I'm going to try to e-mail you a bit later this evening, okay, m'dear? Love you!)
I just went through that with Deanna, thinking, "What on earth do I do with this child when she's awake?" I have a cradle swing with rotating fishies that she likes. The mat with arches and dangly things was not such a hit at first, but she tolerates it better now. Our best chance at keeping her awake self amused came from holding her, talking to her in a sweet voice with lots of smiles and eye contact, and waving colourful rattles in her face. She also loved, and still loves, to be carried in a pouch.
The stage seemed to last forever, but even now it's easier. She's 12 weeks today. She enjoys tummy time, amazingly, but we always give her a play mirror for babies to stare at while she's lying there. She also loves diaper changes because her favourite thing is just lying on her back and cooing at a smiling face. Sometimes we keep her there for a little extra time with a steadying hand and some gentle cooing because she loves it, and it eats up some of her awake-time when we've run out of ideas.
I also sit her on my tummy in the mornings while I lie in bed, and talk to her. She's crazy about that. I was doing that with her earlier than 8 weeks.
Anyway, this time is short and awkward. It gets easier, I swear.
Ditto to what Shari said.
We bought Theo a playmat when he was 15 weeks, and he liked to kick at the arches while on his back. He didn't seem to require any real full-on 'play-with-me' attention until he was about 30 weeks, though. Up until then it was just pretty much what you're doing with Matteo now.
Conratulations on baby Matteo. Did you have a doula for the birth?
Playmats are great, for short periods but the swings that Gillian talks about are an absolute godsend, for most babies. Latest Grandchild will sit in hers for ages, looking around, laughing at the light-fittings, cooing to imaginary friends, before falling asleep and letting her Mummy and Daddy eat their meals in peace!
Hi again - link to amber teething necklaces
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