FTM and my boy is just shy of four months. I love hanging out with him but am finding weekdays stretch so long ahead of me and I’m feeling very lonely and bored. Is this normal? And are there some ideas of how I can pass time with my baby in the house during the day whilst my husband works?
Additional context:
When I was pregnant we moved to a new area and I’m trying to create friendships with our Mothers group but it’s a slow burn. I have family visit every 1-2 weeks on weekends. When baby is awake (which is a lot as he doesn’t nap much) I do tummy time and play with him but it feels like I run out of stuff to do fast. We do try to leave the house daily but there’s only so many shopping trips, pram walks, and park visits I can take!!
It’s totally normal. We get out of the house as much as we can. We’re lucky to have several libraries nearby so we just go and hang out there sometimes. They have baby story times, so look into their event calendar and see what yours has. We go grocery shopping, to the park, we joined the YMCA so we can go to the pool.
Kim said: @Noe
Thank you we do library stuff but YMCA sounds like a good idea. How do you manage taking baby swimming on your own? Is it hard?
We do swim lessons (started around 6 months she’s 7.5 months now). It’s impossible to do it alone lol, only because afterwards when you shower they get all slippery and there’s not really anywhere to put them down that’s safe and clean while you finish showering yourself. At least at the place we go that’s how it is. I definitely need a second set of hands when we get out of the pool.
Kim said: @Noe
Thank you we do library stuff but YMCA sounds like a good idea. How do you manage taking baby swimming on your own? Is it hard?
It’s hard but not impossible! I’ve done it without one several times, but I just started bringing an umbrella stroller into the locker room and it makes it easier for sure. Without the stroller, I wear my bathing suit under my clothes, change him on the wide bench they have. Keep a hand on him while I get my clothes off and we’re good to go. With the stroller, I keep him in there until I’m ready and then change him. On the way out, I take his bathing suit off and leave the reusable swim diaper and just rinse us both in the shower. I change him and either put him in the stroller or on the wide bench with a hand on him while I get changed. That part is hardest without the stroller obviously. But again, not impossible. Lol. He just takes a bath when we get home and I shower when he naps or when my husband gets home. Not the end of the world. Some Y’s have family changing rooms with seats you can strap them into.
Kim said: @Noe
Thank you we do library stuff but YMCA sounds like a good idea. How do you manage taking baby swimming on your own? Is it hard?
Are there any new mom groups in your area? I just joined a workout class for new moms that I go to every Monday/Wednesday/Friday where you bring baby with you so I’m meeting other new moms that way and making friends.
Absolutely normal. I’m sorry he isn’t napping very much. I used nap time with my first to teach myself a few new skills online. My first napped twice a day at 4 months.
I love taking a blanket outside (live in CA) under some shade and read a book out loud so you’re enjoying what you are doing and your LO gets to hear language (which I like better than narrating my day).
Remind yourself that what you’re doing is enough. What you’re feeling is okay, and it will get easier as time goes on and they start becoming more active and show their personalities more.
I try to make a soft list of things I’d like to do in a week. Read 3 books a day to baby. 1 walk a day (weather permitting). Target for errands. Costco for errands. Write this thank you note. Fill out this part of his baby book. Etc. Then I cross it all off of the list every week! I add stuff to it when I think of something and I cross it off when I do it, which makes me feel busy and accomplished. If your town has any indoor malls or shopping centers, that’s a great way to pass a couple hours with baby!
@FamilyFirstTips
I like the idea of tangible lists so I can look back at the things I did. Sometimes I blank when someone asks me what I do all day with the baby since I’m SAHP.
I feel you, my guy is also 4 months and it’s an odd age because he is very awake, interested in chatting, interested in objects but can’t really play or sit up yet. I feel like I run thru my list of ‘baby tasks’ every day and just kind of move him from place to place until he goes to sleep lol. Usually we do enough tasks to fill up time between feeds and then do some bonding and singing time then. In a couple months he’ll be a little more mobile.
we do library stuff but YMCA sounds like a good idea. How do you manage taking baby swimming on your own? Is it hard?
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