4 month old getting bored easily!

[newbiemum22]

Hi all

I've read some of the threads previously for activity ideas and they are great! I've tried as many as I can with my little girl as she is 4 months now so staying awake longer, about 1.5 hr first thing then about 2 hours each time after that. She is napping ok (sometimes 1 hour, sometimes 1.5 hours) and on a 3.5 - 4 hour EASY.

The trouble I'm having is that now she is awake for longer she seems to get bored and frustrated more easily and I think I'm running out of things to keep her occupied! She can more or less sit by herself and can pick things up quite easily. Tummy time is ok, a few minutes, although still encouraging her here. I seem to be always with her as if I leave her for longer than a few mins she starts making huh, huh noises and if I leave her still then she crys. We play with as many toys as possible although she seems happiest when she is being carried. I want to continue to encourage her to play by herself but at the same time I want us to have fun together.

I'm back to work part time so on the days I'm at work she is with her Nan (my partners mum) and whenever I pick her up she tells me what an angel she's been, that she has been laughing all day and smiling and it makes me feel like a really bad mum because she isn't happy all day for me. Feel like I must be doing something wrong.

Any help or advice would be gratefully received.

[skatty]

No you are not a bad mum!! Your gorgeous DD probably isn't bored she just loves you so much that it is more fun for her to be in your arms than playing independantly! To be honest at 4 months my DD would get very OS by having lots of toys so we would spend our A time going for walks, going to the garden, singing and maybe looking at black and white books. I used the sling loads at this age as DD seemed to really enjoy being upright and nosy, we always joke nowadays that she never liked being a baby, she was never happy with baby toys and hated tummy time and lying on her back! I wouldn't really worry about her being too independant at the moment, it must be hard when you can't really move much, once they are sitting up independantly and reaching for things a bit further away they don't need you so much as long as you dot things around them. Even at your DD's young age she knows she can be ratty with you and you will love her unconditionally, you are her mummy 

[shellyb74]

Hi there just wan to share a quick thought with you... my 4month old seems to have the same issues you have, what i found amusing in your post was that when nan looks after her"she's an angel" I may be harsh and sceptical but my mother in law does the same.. i know my LO sleeps terribly for naps but when nan has he she "slept for almost 2 hours" and "she practically put herself to sleep".. i guess i find it hard to believe im that bad a mum and only nan has the touch, i think nan just wants to praise how good  a job she is doing.... LOL

[newbiemum22]

Thanks Shelly

In some ways I hope you're right as otherwise I'm wondering where I'm going wrong for her to be so different!

Have dropped her off at Nans this morning so we'll see how it goes. Yesterday with me she only had 3 naps of about 45 mins each so spent most of the day overtired and a little grumpy, poor thing... although I bet she'll be an 'angel' for Nana!

Thanks