Do you play with your newborn?

DD is almost 9 weeks old, and is still napping most of the day. She eats every 4 hours, and when she's done eating, I usually put her down. Should I stop letting her sleep so much and start trying to play with her? And if so, how exactly do you play with a newborn? I'm scared I'm not stimulating her enough, but I'm not exactly sure what I should be doing.

Re: Do you play with your newborn?

I wouldnt stop her from napping but there are definetly other times you can "play"
Sing songs, bounce her on your legs a little, tummy time mat put toys in front of her a let her look at them...

Message edited 2/19/2013 10:29:17 AM.

Re: Do you play with your newborn?

I wouldn't interrupt naps either. "Play" at this age might only last 5 minutes and doesn't have to be complex. I agree with the above poster, sing songs, play peek a boo, show toys, move her body.

Re: Do you play with your newborn?

I use to sing songs, read books, put DD on the activity mat and show her all the toys, put her in the swing, etc. I didn't disrupt her sleeping but when she was awake I did try and entertain her a little bit.

Do you play with your newborn?

At 9 weeks, we were playing with DS for a little while after his bottles.

We would sing and "exercise", play on the play mat (including tummy time), walk around and talk, go for walks in the stroller (it was warmer back then).

He usually only stayed up for a half hour at a time at that point.

Re: Do you play with your newborn?

No need to wake to play. Just when she is up talk, sing, dance and tummy time on repeat lol

Re: Do you play with your newborn?

No , let her sleep. Newborns need sleep more than anything.

Re: Do you play with your newborn?

We did eat, play, sleep from the beginning. Out playing going on her gym mat, showing her toys, singing to her, etc. Then she would conk out and sleep for hours lol!

Re: Do you play with your newborn?

My girls were rarely awake betwn feedings up to about 11 weeks. Once they started being awake more I'd put them in their crib with the mobile and talk to them. They really weren't interested in toys. I wouldn't wake them.

Re: Do you play with your newborn?

Message edited 2/19/2013 1:29:39 PM.

Re: Do you play with your newborn?

Re: Do you play with your newborn?

My dd was 2 months yesterday. She loves to play. A great time to start interaction is when she's on the changing table. She loves to look up at me. Now she stares at my mouth and smiles hugely when I make silly exaggerated noises with my mouth (like "oh" over and over again - then I can't help but break into NKOTB's "The Right STuff" and she just smiles away!). I sing songs from my childhood and do hand movements, and she follows them and smiles. She also imitates us when we stick out our tongues. She also bats at the animals on the mobile we have on her changing table.

She LOVES the playmat. After about 5-10 minutes of tummy time, she gets frustrated so I put her on her back as a reward, and she kicks and smiles away, staring at the hanging toys and the light up mobile. She is also starting to love the mirror that I prop on the blanket or on my bed while she's lying on it. She doesn't get that it's her, but she likes looking at the reflections, especially reflections of light.

She's also drinking every 4 hours on demand (sometimes more like 3-1/2 hrs), and I'd say that she spends about 40 minutes eating/diaper change, then another 40 minutes to an hour up, then sleeping til the next mealtime.

Re: Do you play with your newborn?

Re: Do you play with your newborn?

I also started reading to her pretty much from day 1. After i change her diaper each time while shes on the table, id read a few books and maybe play with the rattle.
Dd was 7 weeks at christmas and started using her playmat the day after, as well as a few toys here and there.
id NEVER wake a sleeping baby though.