is 4 months too early to watch tv?

[keriann60]

My 4 month old seems to love the tv.
I am not a big fan of placing her in front of the tv, but it seems to be the only activity that she
sits for.  If i place her in her activity gym, she seems overstimulated in approx. 3-4 minutes.
If I place her under a mobile, she starts fussing in 3-5 minutes.  However, if I place her in her chair in front of the tv, she can sit there for a while and be completely content.
Some days are harder than others, and if it is one of "those" days, I find myself using the tv as a crutch, which I would prefer not to do......
Is this bad?  is she too young to begin watching tv?
any ideas for me to try rather than the tv?

[~inbalance~]

I actually think the recommendation is no tv before 2yrs.  Which I know is so much easier said than done.    Really though, it's not good for their developing brains to be watching it.  With that said, I do remember having the tv on sometime when DS was that age.  He really did seem to like watching it.  But I got all paranoid about it's effects and made a conscious effort not to have it on.  Since then it's been a challenge, I go through stages where I'm really strict about not having it on, and stages where I'm more lax either because I want to watch it or just because DS is driving me nuts and I need to distract him. 

I would say don't let her watch it though if you an avoid it!!  Does she like books?  I always found looking at books at that age was a nice, quiet activity I could do with DS.

Definitely understand where you're coming from though.

[~Sara~]

Yup, I definitely understand where you're coming from, too.  I try not to have the tv on at all when DS is awake, but if I just need 15 or so minutes to eat/clean up really quick/need a break from teething fussiness, then I let him watch something like Baby Einstein or a kids show.  Not ideal, but I think if you approach it as a temporary thing and as a last ditch effort for a couple minutes of peace, then your LO shouldn't suffer any lasting effects; especially if you don't do it very often.  I've always found that a walk around the block (or even around the house if the weather is horrible) works better at keeping DS's attention.

Just my two cents' worth.

[scucci1979]

I am not a big fan of tv, but there are times when you need it.  My lo really started to watch some tv around 5months and it was Baby first TV, where the shows are about 5 minutes long. If we have the TV on now, it doesn't even phase her. She will only look at it if she sees a baby on the screen. She is now 15 months old and loves Baby Einstein and watching her home videos. I know i shouldn't, but I put it on when I need to prepare meals.

[Tweakster]

Hi there, it's really hard not to have the TV on.  I personally need it a bit for my own brain stimulation - a little bit of Oprah or Dr. Oz or something educational, for ME.  Also I use it for company.  I use the radio a lot, (well the radio is actually cable TV radio lol) but you also need to see people - and sometimes it's not always possible to get out and do stuff if you have budgetary, weather or other constraints.  So I see my TV people.

Finn watched Baby Einstein from a very early age.  Baby Bach zoned him out completely.  But now he's on the move he's not interested...he'll gaze on passing but that's about it. 

I don't know, I watched a lot of TV as a kid (I think a lot of us did) and I like to think my brain is reasonably developed lol :-)

[Shiv52]

I used to be really strict about no TV but the more reading I've done on it and the older my LO has gotten the more lax I have become.  

I think the key is moderation.  if your LO is watching TV for short periods every day and doing lots of other things in between then I don't see the harm in it.  Us mummies need a break too.

[MummyToBen]

any ideas for me to try rather than the tv?

Hi there

Trying to think what I did with Ben when he was 4 months old!!?......

You could try putting her in her chair by a big window, or where the light comes through and makes shadows on a wall.  
Or underneath some fairy lights.  
Or could you just lay her on a blanket and put a couple of soft toys nearby her for her to look at/feel, or stand up some books nearby so she can see them.  
Or put her in your chair/lie her on her blanket and have her watch while you do jobs.
Or if the weather is warm enough (not sure where you are) could she be in her pram while you hang out the washing or do things outside.  My mum said I used to *love* lying watching trees when I was little!  
Have you got a sling or baby carrier - I used to carry Ben round loads at this age as it would always give him a good wind down - and he was occupied/happy but not overstimulated.  It's nice because you can feel like you are spending time with your lo when being able to get on with other things at the same time!  

I think part of the difficulty with introducing tv so very early is that by the time she is old enough to start choosing what activity she wants to do, you really don't want her to always default to choosing tv just because that's what she's used to doing.  

http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=52864.0

Have you seen this thread? It's got lots of great ideas for 3-6 month olds

xxx

[We Three]

Someone here recently posted a link with the most recent study about tv and lo's.  It had alot to say about the effects of seeing 2-dimensional images while the brain is still developing...it wasn't good.  I say that just to be informave, no judging here.   

At that age my dd really enjoyed her excersaucer...with a blanket rolled in front of her and behind her for some extra support. She also loved her high-chair with some toys on the tray. My high-chair reclined, and we used receiving blankets rolled up on either side of her too.  Also..those little gym-thingess...I forget what hey're called? (Mommy brain)  But she'd lay on the floor with this above her, and she'd kick her feet and things would sing to her or jingle...