How does your baby spend the day?

Question

My baby is 7 months old and when I am not holding her, I bring her into the room I am in and give her toys to entertain herself on the floor so she can move around. My SIN was just here with her baby that is 4 months old for about a week. She rarely ever held him except to get him to sleep or to give him a bottle. He spent almost the whole week in his car seat. She would just leave him in whatever room and go do whatever she wanted and he would just sit there by himself and stare. Whenever we were all sitting around outside she would just bring him out in his seat and let him just sit. My daughter has a short attention span and could never just be left unattended for that long. Now my husband thinks I give my daughter too much attention is why she is more needy. He thinks I should be able to do like his sister does. I think she is wrong and I feel sorry for the baby to be treated that way. Who is right?

Answer 1

Babies need attention, love and interaction.  They do not develop properly if they do not have those things.  Yes!  Continue to hold, play and enjoy your baby as she will be more adjusted when she gets older!!  Especially as she is only 7 weeks old, I mean seriously!  There is no possible way to "spoil" a child until they start getting into the 6 month range where they are more aware of their actions and the people around them.

Contintue to stimulate her brain!!  The more stimulation she has the more she will grow!  The brain is just like a muscle, the more you use it, the stronger it gets!

Answer 2

Does seem a little sad...was the baby content to just look around?  Either way it seems that the baby should have some time on the floor so he/she can practice moving about.  It's pretty confining to be in a car seat all the time.  My girl is 7 mo. old and she spends time in all sorts of positions...on the floor, on the bed with me, on her tummy, playing in her crib, in her Bumbo seat, in her stroller.  We go on lots of walks and I always have her within eyesight of me unless she's in her crib.  She loves to sit up so she is content doing that with some toys around her...I remember at 4 mo. we had a little seat she would hang out in but we always gave her some floor time on an activity mat.

You are supposed to show your baby lots of love and attention....it's called parenting I believe.

Answer 3

Well, the only person here who is wrong is your husband. Reason being, your SILs baby seems quite happy to be sat in his car seat and to look around. It seems boring to you but for a little baby there's just so much for him to look at. Everything is new. Also you seem to be doing great with your little one. Your husband is wring to assume your baby should be more like his nephew. All babies are different, there is no right and wrong. Only problem is your SIL may find he may pick things up a lot slower such as crawling if she doesn't give him the time to experiment.

However, my daughter is 4 months old and theres no way I could leave her in her seat all day. She'd scream blue murder.

Answer 4

Well  my son is 4 months old. I sing and read to him. Play with him and tickel him. He also plays on his own. He loves his excsaure. When I'm Clean I put him in his chair and talk to him about what I'm doing.

Look at other countires, they hold their babies  and feed them util they around 5, babies need love and human conact.  

Answer 5

I do it like you, i move my son to where i am and switch him from his gym in the bed, to his swing with his toys, to the couch to sit with me, i sit him on my stomach & talk & sing to him, he tries to sing along!! babies need attention, you are doing great by helping her learn. I hold my son a lot, he likes it & i like it too! My son gets bored in the same place or positon, when he's laying he starts trying to sit up, when he's done sitting he wants me to hold him.. He loves new places & sounds.

Keep up the good work!

God Bless

Answer 6

That is so sad! When my son was a baby I was always holding him, playing with him etc. Sure I let him play on the floor by himself but I never let him sit in his car seat for hours like that. The only time he was in his car seat was in the car or if we were out and about. Poor baby!

Answer 7

You are doing things how a good mother should. Your child is learning faster in their first year of life then they ever will again. And you are her teacher. Also her personality is being shaped. If you love her and make her feel secure now then this will influence her for the rest of her life.

Keep doing what your doing! you will be rewarded with an intelligent, well adjusted child.

My baby isnt much of a day time sleeper and so most of my day is dedicated to playing with her and cuddling her. I do lie her down by herself in her play gym and on her bouncer when she is happy to do so. I think it is important she learns to play by herself. But I would never leave her in another room and ignore her. And as soon as she gets bored im down there on the floor pulling silly faces and making her smile. Go by your instincts. Leaving a baby to just sit there all day isnt natural

Answer 8

you can never give your baby to much attention! my baby has a short attention span and cant be left doing something for more than 10minutes because he will cry. Some babies are just different then others. my friend has a 9month old and i never see her carry her baby around. But your SIN should carry her baby sometimes at least to bond with her baby i mean there not going to stay small forever. her daughter is going to grow up so fast.