Community› The Bump Message Boards› Babies: 3 - 6 Months
Babies: 3 - 6 Months
New Discussion

What Do You Do All Day?

LittleNugget93LittleNugget93 member
in Babies: 3 - 6 Months
I'm almost a little embarrassed to ask this question. My daughter is nearly 5 months old and awake and alert a lot more often. Before, I felt like we could do a few minutes of tummy time along with the occasional story and be fine. Now I feel like I have to spend every waking minute entertaining her. I feel guilty if I leave her to play by herself for too long. I guess my question is, what exactly do you do with older babies and how much time should you be spending on them? Should I use all of her awake time focusing on play and eating? I don't know why this is so hard for me to grasp...haha. I feel really naive. 
image
imageimageimage

Report Reply to Post

Re: What Do You Do All Day?

  • platypusbabyplatypusbaby member
    I feel the same way! We got her the baby Einstein jumper for Christmas and I put her in that for 10-20 min stretches a couple times a day. Then I give her play time on the floor (tummy and back) a couple times a day. I'll lay with her and talk to her/ sing to her for a couple minutes then let her entertain herself for a few minutes. And we go for walks almost everyday which she used to sleep through but now is more alert and looking around on our walks. That's about it. I do feel like entertaining her is a full-time job!
    BabyFetus Ticker
    Report Reply
  • Loading the player...
  • Carnation77Carnation77 member
    You can let them entertain themselves a little.  DS loves to watch me.  I put him in a rocking chair or bouncey seat and set him up wherever I'm doing stuff in the house.  I usually give him a teething toy or burp cloth to drool on, too.  You can also put them down in the crib/pack n play/or on a blanket on the floor with toys to play while you read, clean, etc.  It doesn't last that long - 30 minutes tops - but it's a nice break.  
    Report Reply
  • juliane2004juliane2004 member
    Definitely what PP are saying. Talk to them, play with them but let them have independent play time too. It will be beneficial in the long run!

    Plus, for me, I like to have times where I'm just left alone, no one talking at me, so perhaps my baby does too? Like a wind down time.
    -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    imageimage
    imageimage
    Report Reply
  • roo1ooroo1oo member
    I like sitting DS in the "high chair" which is one of those fisher price space saver chair/booster seat in one. He loves to watch DH and I do stuff in the kitchen, and I can put the tray on and put toys on that. Still will only last about 30 minutes in the chair but he's very curious lately about whats going on around him.
    image    BabyFruit Ticker
    Report Reply
  • LittleNugget93LittleNugget93 member
    roo1oo said:
    I like sitting DS in the "high chair" which is one of those fisher price space saver chair/booster seat in one. He loves to watch DH and I do stuff in the kitchen, and I can put the tray on and put toys on that. Still will only last about 30 minutes in the chair but he's very curious lately about whats going on around him.
    I have that same high chair and I have been doing the same thing. She loves it in there. 
    image
    imageimageimage

    Report Reply
  • ELauren88ELauren88 member
    roo1oo said:

    I like sitting DS in the "high chair" which is one of those fisher price space saver chair/booster seat in one. He loves to watch DH and I do stuff in the kitchen, and I can put the tray on and put toys on that. Still will only last about 30 minutes in the chair but he's very curious lately about whats going on around him.

    Ditto. LO watches me do meal prep or bake, or put away groceries. She currently gets mad on the floor BC she is DYING to be sitting up all the time.
     
    image

    image

    Report Reply
  • ForeverNewlyWedsForeverNewlyWeds member
    In total agreement with letting LOs play on their own as long as you/they are ok with it, but some ideas for the rest of the time:

    - singing songs that involve body movement (for you and/or baby). We do patty cake, the wheels on the bus (move baby hands/legs/from side to side with each verse), itsy-bitsy spider, row row your boat (gently pull baby back and forth when in a sitting position).

    - bouncing up and down on knee, airplane baby, rocketship baby

    - we periodically get helium filled, non-latex balloons and play SUPERVISED by letting bringing balloon close to baby and then letting go (DS likes to hold the ribbon and let it go too)

    - splashing in a small Tupperware contain filled with water

    - blowing bubbles
    Report Reply
  • charmcity82charmcity82 member
    I think this every morning - how are we going to fill all of the awake hours?  But each day they seem to be filled.  I don't find our 4.5 month-old enjoys entertaining himself for long periods of time.  He has fun on his own in his bouncy seat or on his play mat for 10-15 mins. at a time but I usually find that I end up sitting and talking to him, reading to him, or playing with him and his toys.  By the end of the day I'm pretty pooped from all of it - really makes me wonder how you do this with more than one child!
    DS1: 9/4/2013
    DS2: 10/23/2015

    Pregnancy Ticker

    Report Reply
  • JamieMaffenbeierJamieMaffenbeier member
    I take my dd swimming. I got a pass for Christmas and its great! She loves to splash, and float! And she seems to sleep really well after. Maybe not something your in to, but I take her at least 3 times a week.
    Report Reply
  • LizghannamLizghannam member

    Don't feel guilty at all!!! It's good for them to develop some independence from you.

    For me, it helps that his brother entertains him a lot. When I have to do some chores and he isn't napping, we'll put him in his activity chair and between all the little toys and gadgets on that and watching his brother run back and forth, it occupies him a lot!

    I know with my first, I felt the same way you do. So it definitely gets easier when you start multiplying because they become a big help ;)

    Do you have one of these? Whenever we do tummy time, he is so mesmorized by this and will follow it everywhere...you just have to move it every now and then so it doesn't get close to their face

    https://www.toysrus.com/buy/interactive-toys/vtech-move-and-crawl-ball-80-6132-2373386

    Lilypie Second Birthday tickers Lilypie Pregnancy tickers
    Report Reply
  • lkwmurphylkwmurphy member
    Getting out with them is good so they can experience new things, being outside, etc. I do agree about the independent playtime. I encourage my daughter to do this and it is good "quiet" time for her. Plus you really can't spend all your time entertaining! 
    Report Reply
This discussion has been closed.
Choose Another Board
Search Boards
"
"