Newborn Playing

pupluv0410 · September 2012

When did your newborn start playing with stuff? We put him on his playmat a couple times and played with him with toys...but he isn't interested. He is 3 weeks old. Should we still play with him even though he isn't interested?

juliane2004 · September 2012

Until about 6-8 weeks, interaction with you is enough. Newborns sleep a lot and get overstimulated very easily, and have only about 40-60 minutes of awake time between naps.

Even now, at 8 weeks, DD2 just plays on her toy mat for 5 minutes per awake time.

Guideline for Awake time for babies
0-4 weeks: 30-45 minutes
4-6 weeks: 40-60 minutes
6-8 weeks: 40-70 minutes
8-12 weeks: 50-80 minutes
3-4 months: 60-90 minutes
4-5 months: 1 hr to 1.5 hrs
5-6 months: 1.5 hours
6-9 months: 2 hours, give or take 15 minutes

Mel5983 · September 2012

juliane2004:

Until about 6-8 weeks, interaction with you is enough. Newborns sleep a lot and get overstimulated very easily, and have only about 40-60 minutes of awake time between naps.

Even now, at 8 weeks, DD2 just plays on her toy mat for 5 minutes per awake time.

Guideline for Awake time for babies
0-4 weeks: 30-45 minutes
4-6 weeks: 40-60 minutes
6-8 weeks: 40-70 minutes
8-12 weeks: 50-80 minutes
3-4 months: 60-90 minutes
4-5 months: 1 hr to 1.5 hrs
5-6 months: 1.5 hours
6-9 months: 2 hours, give or take 15 minutes

I just have to ask....is this a medical guideline or just your experience? Just asking because my 8 week old is AWAKE 12 hours straight. No joke! And unless he is eating, he is fussy. Like screaming fussy!

juliane2004 · September 2012

Mel5983:
juliane2004:

Until about 6-8 weeks, interaction with you is enough. Newborns sleep a lot and get overstimulated very easily, and have only about 40-60 minutes of awake time between naps.

Even now, at 8 weeks, DD2 just plays on her toy mat for 5 minutes per awake time.

Guideline for Awake time for babies
0-4 weeks: 30-45 minutes
4-6 weeks: 40-60 minutes
6-8 weeks: 40-70 minutes
8-12 weeks: 50-80 minutes
3-4 months: 60-90 minutes
4-5 months: 1 hr to 1.5 hrs
5-6 months: 1.5 hours
6-9 months: 2 hours, give or take 15 minutes

I just have to ask....is this a medical guideline or just your experience? Just asking because my 8 week old is AWAKE 12 hours straight. No joke! And unless he is eating, he is fussy. Like screaming fussy!

No, I never saw it in a medical report or anything. I saw similar guidelines from various forums and blogs. This was the one that seemed most "average" and worked the best for my 3 kids.

Do you want my advice on naps/sleep? It sounds like he's overtired.

Nikko Blue · September 2012

I started DS regularly on his playmat this week (7 weeks). I had tried it out previously but he wasn't interested. He now hits the toys with his hands and seems to enjoy it. Like PP he is only on there for a short time - 5 min or so.

lovemybaby918 · September 2012

No at this age he isn't going to be interested at all with playing, though he may enjoy looking at toys in front of him especially if they are a bright color. If you want to "play" with him, I would just hold him in front of you on your lap or something and talk to him and play with his hands and stuff like that- that's what we do

danieliza1127 · October 2012

They won't start grasping for toys and stuff until around 3 months old or so. At around a month old, he should be able to track a toy with his eyes if you hang it over his head and move it really slowly back and forth, but otherwise, no you shouldn't expect him to be trying to play with anything other than you at this point.

Newborn Playing

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