Entertaining Baby

For her age, small simple little movements is play.

For great week by week developmental play ideas and other neat facts, try signing up on www.babycenter.com

Write in her birthdate and you can get a lot of great advice and ideas from experts in the field.

At this age, most babies just want to eat, sleep and fill their diapers. I don't think there's much you can do to entertain them. It is okay to put them down for a while, as long as they're not really fussing as they are starting to visually explore the world. You also might want to consider a sling or other front baby carrier. I used one of those with my younger son and it was fantastic and allowed me to do some chores. He was a happy, happy boy in that. If I tried to shop with him in the infant seat or put him in the swing, he would be very unhappy. My oldest was okay with the swing. So, each kid is different. When both my sons were bigger (6+ months), we used a baby backpack. I had one that I kept just for using around the house - the younger one loved for me to vaccum. It's perfectly natural for the baby to want to be close to you and you cannot spoil a child that age. Within the next few weeks, she will be responding to you much more and you'll much better be able to guage what makes her happy. By 4-6 months, you will be amazed at the interaction between yourself and baby. I think 4 weeks is way, way too young for videos. I wouldn't consider those until she's 18 months (yes, I know they market those videos for kids that age). My oldest son didn't watch videos until he was well over two and I only used the videos when I absolutely had to in order to care fora newborn. He taught himself to read by the age of 5. I think reading to her now is a fantastic idea - she likely would just love hearing your voice and you'll start one of the best lifelong habits.

Hi Kathleen,
It is so sweet to read requests from new mommies.....they are lil' joys aren't they? Well, really just her being awake is stimulation for her at this point. She may like to look at the toys that hang from the play gyms you can buy, but really her vision is still developing even then. Her hearing your voice and watching you is fine. You don't have to really do anything to 'entertain' her....be thankful at this point...this changes very quickly.:-)

It is fine to not hold her all the time. Hold her when you can and especially if she is fussy and all needs are met. Just enjoy her and realize you don't have to do anything to teach her....she is already learning. If she is awake, have her lay on the floor or on a boppy or something near where you are. Knowing you are near usually is enough.

Congrats on your lil' one.

I was once told that putting her in a swing is fine when you need to; it can help her (and your guilt) if you position it so that she can see and/or hear you.

I also used a sling or baby bjorn A LOT, especially when my daughter was too big for her swing. Got a lot done with her attached to me (she's almost 23 months now, and we still use the sling ~ great for airports!)

At 4 weeks, anything you do with her is bonding. If there was an older child, you would have to put the infant in the swing once in awhile to give the other some attention.

I remember being the same way with my daughter, she was my first! Oh how things change with your second! I am on my third and I already feel sorry for him/her! With my girl, I wanted to hold her all the time because I was worried she would feel like I was neglecting her if I put her down. But TRUST ME....she needs to have some independent time! even at 4 weeks! Addyson is so stinkin' spoiled that it is not a good thing! But my son, he plays all day on the floor by him self with toys! Right now, she an pretty much just lay there but put her in a bouncy with toys above her, or the swing, just alternate play things! Put her on her tummy when you can sit down on the floor with her and just talk to her! Tell her a story about you or whatever, they like to hear you talk! Good luck first time momma! Things arn't as complicated as we thought!

Just as the other mommies suggested, your baby IS happy. If she is being fed and held close by her mommy, she's just fine. One thing you might consider, which I wish I had done (my daughter will be 2 on the 26th) is carry her around in a sling, they call it "baby-wearing." This way, you can get some things done around the house, go for a walk, etc., and she will be close by you. And babies love being in motion. Examples can be seen here: http://www.rockinbabysling.com/

Good Luck!
-Y.

Play fun music! There is a CD called silly nursery rhymes or something like that and my son LOVED it...still does. You can lay her down under a little activity gym so she can look up,kick around,and work on motor skills.

http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/sr=1-1/qid=118960737...

Hi there :) Yknow babies have a much smaller attention span that us adults and dont need as much stimulation to be entertained. Her biggest motivation right now isnt cartoons (as may be later) but just figuring out this new world around her. Its easy to feel guilty with our firsts, because we want to do everything right, but it sounds like you're doing a great job, and honestly she's probably perfectly happy just to watch you and learn about her surroundings. Recently, I read a great book called The Secrets of the Baby Whisperer, and (despite its silly title) it was very informative and made me look at babies in a while new light. So check it out if you get a chance.

Buckle baby in a bouncer and move her from room to room with you as you do your housework or other chores and *talk* to her. They respond so quickly to the sounds of their parents' voices. Not the baby-talk, but total conversation...explaining to her what you are doing and why. Believe me, it will help increase her vocabulary, awareness, insight, and conversation skills as she grows and develops. It's so easy to tell which children, in my groups, have been included in their parents' conversations as they go about their day. The ones who haven't been treated as little dolls. They smile more and are so anxious to use their own voices. Their personalities will shine early!

Begin simple sign language with her as soon as she's able to sit up in a booster to have snacks.

Sing to her. Make sure she has music throughout the day....most of it with yours and daddy's voices. In my daycare, we sing about everything around us. (When I've worked with autistic children, I've found that music is the key to communicating with them.)

Communication is the key to keeping her entertained during the early weeks and months. Most of all, enjoy her.

Good luck and God bless....

http://www.missbrenda.com

That is so funny! I remember feeling the same way, and still feel that way from time to time...and my son is 2 and a half and I also have a 7 month old. I always wonder if I am stimulating both of my kids enough as I stay at home as well and things can get a little mundane sometimes.

I think you have gotten some great suggestions from the other moms. I put my babies in Bjorn carrier type things as much as I could before my back started hurting. I would also use the reclining high chair and push that around with me wherever I was doing chores so we could "talk". I think it's important to talk and sing to them a lot. I also exposed them to books when they were young, but they were mostly for them to get familiar with concept of a book. They treated them more like toys, but if you keep it up it will pay off. My 2 year old now "reads" (recites) his books to myself and his sister. We also have always tried to limit TV - some say it leads to ADD...even Baby Einstein. BTW my hubby told me there was something recently on the news about how they(Baby Einsteins) are not all they're cracked up to be. I personally think they learn better working with their toys rather than watching TV - even if it does seem boring to us. I think they are having fun. The simplest things are so fascinating to them. HTH. Have fun!!!