WHAT AM I DOING WRONG?-ACTIVITY TIME FOR 5MONTH OLD

[ekhalife]

hi,

please help! i have a 5month old who has been on easy since 6 weeks. on EASY she was a hard kid can you imagine if she didnt have easy i probably would have shot myself!
anyways, heres the thing. from when she wakes up in the morning, she starts making those fussing sounds soon as she finishes her bottle. she has only been awake for 30mins at this stage. so i give her something to play with while i talk to her. 5 mins later, she is bored of that too. she is always bored very quickly in all her awake times. i cant sit with her the whole time cause i work from home and i have to work at the same time.
am i not giving her enough attention? i feel so so guilty, but those fussing noises are starting to drive me up the wall, like to the point where i have to leave the room to calm down.
maybe my activity ideas are just not suited for her? basically, during activity time, in the morning i put on the tv for 15mins, then when she gets bored, i give her a toy, then count down the minutes for nap time. at the second A time, i lay her on the play gym, she likes that, but gets bored eventually.
can you guys help? why is she making those sounds of annoyance all the time?

[Tansy]

Sometimes a change of scenery can help when they get bored. At this age it can be difficult to keep them entertained as they're not moving too much. It seems like they need constant attention. It must be especially hard for you as you are trying to work at the same time.
Do you have a jolly jumper or something similar? That can keep them entertained for awhile. Does she cope well on her tummy? Placing toys all around and just out of reach, or propping her over a pillow and placing a small mirror in front of her. Books, blocks, toys they can hit to make a sound, playing peek a boo games with her toys, singing songs, especially touching/action songs like head and shoulders, this little piggy etc.
Even getting out and going for a walk in the pram. Or sitting outside on the grass if its a nice day. I know this must be difficult for you as you have to work. Do you work while she is sleeping too?
I hope ive given you some ideas that might help and hopefully others will add more ideas soon.

[We Three]

Have you tried putting her in her high-chair with some fun stuff? Paper cups would entertain my dd at that age. So would a ball of paper placed on her tray.  There are alot of toys that she can bang and clang around on the tray.  Just being "upright" was something she liked for a change. If needed, you can tuck a towel in front of her, or behind her and around the sides. Do you have an excersaucer? These are truly lifesavers. If you don't have one, please consider getting one!!

Also...I wouldn't expect her to be on her own for more than 1o-15 minutes at this age, IMO.  My dd would be ok on her own if I spent time with her in-between....like, hold her on my lap and sing/read/chat/blow bubbles, and really then she'd be better on her own for me to shower or make a phone call. 

[RachelC]

Here are some ideas:
http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=52864.0
http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=52865.0

I also have to agree with Anne... at this age, 10-15 minutes of her playing alone may be all she can handle.  Fill up her "mommy cup" in between and plan to make the most of it when she's self entertaining.

[ekhalife]

thanks for such great ideas guys! will try them, i have an excersaucer but she seemed to small to be in it just yet lol/ maybe i will try again. she is a spirited/touchy baby and so she gets bored so much more quicker. i dont know whether i would be over stimulating her if i kept changing activities cause she gets bored after 5 mins. what do you guys think about television? she seems to like this sometimes but i keep getting told its not good for her.

[RachelC]

Some links here about TV watching
http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=143262.msg1578178#msg1578178

[We Three]

My dd went in her saucer at around 4 months...with blamkies tucked around her. She LOVED being in there. I thought she might be too young, but with the blankies she was fine, and so happy!!  I used recieving blankets, alot of them!!   

 

[Tansy]

My lo has never been interested in tv so i cant really help you there. I think he's watched all of 30 seconds before he gets bored and moves away. It probably has something to do with DP always putting the tv on and leaving it on as background noise. If we ever do sit down to watch something, ds plays with his toys (which are in the same room) and entertains himself.

[*Becky*]

Just wanted to jump in and send hugs. My DS is 6 and a half months and I could have written your post! He has always been like this and no matter how much attention I give him he fusses which meakes me feel a mixture of guilty and at times extremely fed up not to mention exhausted. Some babies are just like this I think and I read a really interesting article about 'high-need babies' which sums up my LO. I got to the point where I was just not enjoying being around him and then one day I read this article and just thought ok, this is who he is I had better just accept it and see it as a challenge and part of who he is!!! We now just go out and about a lot in the buggy. I take him for walks and talk to him a lot. I have lost about a stone (ha ha!) but it has helped a great deal. Some babies do just sit very placidly but there are plenty who don't so you are not alone. bxxx

[skatty]

Here is a similar thread here from discipline and socialisation.

http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=150001.0

This age is tough, especially with a spirited baby who just are not happy being babies!! They are frustrated with their limited gross motor skills and aren't shy about letting you know! To top everything off they are also so easily OS and then you have an even crankier baby on your hands, I honestly think an exersaucer would have been much too overwhelming for my dd at that age, she'd have loved it but it would have meant hell afterwards, at 5 months she had a green lamaze frog that she loved but after about 5 mins she would start swatting him and getting very angry, it was just too much. I did play Baby Einstein dvds for my dd at that age, I mean I was out of my mind trying to keep her happy  I don't think they damaged her at all and have not made her into a raging couch potato, telly addicted toddler. I did get a brief respite when she started sitting unaided, I would surround her with picture books and she loved that but other than that we just went out as much as possible which you probably can't do. Have you thought about putting her in a sling on your back, the Ergo carrier is good for this, she may well be happy watching you work and being close to you. I know it seems like a world away but once she is mobile she will be like a different child, she will be into everything but she will be happy  For now try the highchair at the window idea, it amazed me how nosey a baby could be!!

[ekhalife]

Just thought i would return to this topic as there was a very true remark about spirited babies. I started this thread when my lo was 5 months, now she is 6.5months.

Here is a similar thread here from discipline and socialisation.

http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=150001.0

This age is tough, especially with a spirited baby who just are not happy being babies!! They are frustrated with their limited gross motor skills and aren't shy about letting you know!

this is so true about spirited babies. i have come to learn that as lo is gaining more motor skills she is fussing less. these babies are so independent! she gets so annoyde that she cant get up and walk to wherever she pleases! now she can roll, where as before she couldnt. she will roll around on the floor for about an hour. she screams at me if i interupt her!