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JenPre
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| Posted: Feb 05 2010 at 8:16am | IP Logged
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Not sure if this is the right forum for this or not!
My dd is 2 months old (already!) and very alert. She's my first so it's only her and I here in this small apartment all day. There is only so much stimulation for her. And she gets "bored" just looking at me all the time! And we can only walk around looking at all the lights for so long.
Right now she's on her back on the floor "talking" to her baby doll. She loves to stretch and kick and look at the baby in the mirror.
What else do you do to entertain the really littles?
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Jen
Mommy to Marie-Therese born 12/4/09
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CrunchyMom
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| Posted: Feb 05 2010 at 8:37am | IP Logged
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When they are that small, I wear them in a carrier most of the time as I go about my day. They really like to watch you wash dishes, fix dinner, etc... from your back! I didn't know about carriers with my first, but it would have been so nice. Now, my others kids entertain the baby a good bit...
Are there any museums and such that you've been wanting to go to but would be difficult with a bigger one? I wish I had gone to more of the "stuffier" museums during that time with my first. At that age, they would assume ride on my back looking at paintings and breakables, but they aren't big enough to reach out and grab them.
When it isn't too cold out, you can wear them on the front under a bigger coat and go for walks. My babies have always loved the outdoors!
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Lindsay
Five Boys(6/04) (6/06) (9/08)(3/11),(7/13), and 1 girl (5/16)
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Mackfam
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CrunchyMom wrote:
| When they are that small, I wear them in a carrier most of the time as I go about my day. |
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Me too, Jen! I like wearing baby around the house to do chores!
I found it very natural just to gently chat my way through the day with the baby. They'd engage in what I was saying, watch my face, respond to my voice inflections.
For on-the-floor stimulation, I found things of sharp contrasting colors - black and white blocks, maybe something red - and talked about it while they played on their back or had tummy time.
Try sitting in the rocking chair with a simple picture book and "read" the pictures for a bit.
Often, just setting the baby on a blanket next to me while I sit and fold clothes and talked was plenty of stimulation and then they're ready to snug up and nap from all that happy processing!
You'll have to watch out though, Jen...too much...sounds, lights, stuff dangling overhead constantly...too much stimulation really makes babies cranky. It's another reason I like wearing baby. When they want to look around they can...and when they get tired, or fussy, they're right next to momma and they can snug up and go to sleep, and I am always aware of nursing cues that way before it becomes crying out of hunger.
Favorite baby wearing device during infancy for me is the Moby Wrap (which I ONLY discovered with my last baby)...but you can search here on baby wearing and find a TON of info. I wish I had time to dig up some links for you but I've got to get to this day.
Have fun with that little one! Makes me smile to think of the precious treasures of those early days!
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Jen Mackintosh
Wife to Rob, mom to dd 19 , ds 16, ds 11, dd 8, and dd 3
Wildflowers and Marbles
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Lisbet
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| Posted: Feb 05 2010 at 9:03am | IP Logged
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Definitely a good back carry!! My little ones, up until about 6 months or so, are carried on my back most of the day. They can look over my shoulder and watch everything that I am doing - they have eye contact with the same people that I do, and when they choose, they can nuzzle into my back and retreat away from the stimulation. And I agree with Lindsay - do the things that will be too difficult to do when she is a toddler. Infants are so portable!
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DominaCaeli
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| Posted: Feb 05 2010 at 10:19am | IP Logged
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My baby spends most of the day on my back too. At that age, when they're still quite small, I like them on my front as well. My current little one has always been very content to watch me do the household chores while perched on my back.
I also keep a running commentary going throughout much of the day with my infants: singing songs, reading books, just talking through my chores. Lots of fun facial expressions.
Like Jennifer said, though, you needn't feel like you have to provide constant stimulation either. It's good and healthy for baby to have downtime when she's, as you said in your original post, just stretching and kicking on her own. If she is content, just grab a book and snuggle in next to her to rest by her side!
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Celeste
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mellyrose
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| Posted: Feb 05 2010 at 8:46pm | IP Logged
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This isn't stimulation for the baby -- but when Lydia was an infant and the boys were in their enrichment program -- I used to go to matinees during the day. She would sleep or nurse and I got to enjoy a movie w/o worry.
I wish I would have done it when my first was tiny!
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Angie Mc
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| Posted: Feb 05 2010 at 9:17pm | IP Logged
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Mackfam wrote:
CrunchyMom wrote:
| When they are that small, I wear them in a carrier most of the time as I go about my day. |
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Me too, Jen! I like wearing baby around the house to do chores!
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Here too! My babies have enjoyed moving around with me, whatever I was doing. This is a great time to go to gatherings with others moms, such as La Leche League and local Mom's groups. Your library can help to connect you with other new moms.
So good to see you here, Jen. I wish I could come to visit!
Love,
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Angie Mc
Maimeo to Henry! Dave's wife, mom to Mrs. Devin+Michael Pope, Aiden 20,Ian 17,John Paul 11,Catherine (heaven 6/07)
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JenPre
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| Posted: Feb 06 2010 at 9:39am | IP Logged
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Thank you all so much for the ideas! I was afraid that I was boring her 
We have got a front carrier that she does love to be in! It's hard to do many things in it...I'll have to look into getting a back carrier too.
The idea of getting out is one that my mom told me to do yesterday when I was mentioning this to her too.
I really would like to find a group of mom's around here to get together with. Our local library has a "story hour" for infants that I want to check out. I wish our parish had a mom's group...I really would like a group of ladies to get together with who are like all of you here at 4 Real! You all are wonderful but talking face to face would be good too!!
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Jen
Mommy to Marie-Therese born 12/4/09
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4Real Forums : Mothering and Family Life
Topic: Entertaining infants
