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Feeling guilty?

My lo is 2 weeks & 3 days old and I'm doing really well except for one thing. I don't know what to do with him! I feel guilty whenever I put him in his cradle swing (like now) and he is awake. Hes perfectly happy in there or on his changing mat just lying there listening to everyone chatting but I feel like I should be playing with him or stimulating his mind in some way? But how do you play with such a tiny baby?! I talk to him all the time and sing sometimes and he gets loads of attention...but still I feel guilty. It has got so bad I am holding him 24/7 even if I'm on here as I worry he'll get bored or lonely. It's good that hes awake most of the day as he only wakes for feeds at night then goes straight bk down but i have no idea what to do with him!!! He wd be content just left but I feel too bad. So...I ask all of u...what did you do with your babies when they were little, did you hold them all day or leave them if they were happy or a mix of both?!

Replies

  • i still feel bad if i leave evie alone playing now and she's 6months, it's a perfectly normal feeling. when evie was tiny she was always very strong and mobile for her age and even from a few weeks loved to lie on the sitting room floor and roll from side to side and look about at everything. she never looked bored or lonely. i do think it's best if you get them used to entertaining themselves and enjoying their own company from a young age as they will be less clingy and dependent on you when a bit older (in theory!) i think you've got the right idea though by singing and talking to him, that's about all they need for stimulation at this age, they are still getting used to mummys voice and new sounds and sights so he'll probably be more than happy looking about and listening and his swing will entertain him!! xxx
  • def agree with everyone - dont get into that habbit, my lo had awful colic and acid reflux/heartburn so cuddled him all the time... now he's 24 weeks and he always wants to have your attention...

    at 2 weeks your doing everything fab, if lo is happy laying there looking around thats fab, there taking everything in a learning all the time!

    what i do is just chatter away when im doing things, pull silly faces etc... they love it!

    xxx
  • oh mygod dont feel guilty you are very lucky to be able to do this. My lo has had lots of tummy problems so you do over compensate inthe cuddle and attention department. she is 14 weeks now and i have to have her in the same room as me or oh all the time. I am doing housework and ironing at 10 o clock at night. I dont allways play with her but like others say just screaming laughing and pulling funny faces ohand making up the most ridiculous songs is all she needs!!!! I do play with toys and mobiles etc but only for short periods you can over stimulate babies and they get cranky you will be able to read the signs when he has had enough. DOnt stress you are doing a fab job and sounds like you have a very contented baby x
  • If he's entertaining himself you're onto a winner hun! Don't feel bad about it. Babies don't need many toys and stuff to start with as they learn so much from just looking around. You're lucky to have such a contented baby!

    xxx
  • It sounds like you have a very content lo, so please don't worry about feeling the need to stimulate him 24/7. All babies need to learn that it is ok for them to be by themselves and as you can see from some of the posts above the last thing you want is a clingy baby. I recently talked to my hv about feeling the need to constantly entertain and she said that babies need quiet time too, they don't always need to be stimulated all the time and so I would say try to balance it throughout the day.
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