A time for easily overstimulated babies

[zoeselina]

Hi all,

I have a very easily overstimulated 5 month old who I am having trouble knowing what to fill our time together doing. She's currently awake for 2 hours at a time, but is so easily overstimulated that she's getting tetchy after the first 20 minutes. I try to keep things low-key and stick to one activity per A time, but then when I see signs that she's had enough we usually still have a lot of time to fill before nap time. It seems impossible to strike a good balance.

We try to get out for a walk once a day, but she often falls asleep in the stroller, so I try to time this with the catnap. It's also getting tricky now that she's restless in her bouncy chair, as she wants to sit upright, but the bumbo is too tiring. Mostly she's happiest lying on the floor on her playmat, but even this doesn't last long. She also likes to be walked around so she can look at things, but I can't carry her around all day long! She's not so fond of the baby björn carrier indoors, only for walks outside. She doesn't really like being read to, especially if she can see the book. I'm running out of ideas!

Does anyone else have a sensitive little one who has some good A time activities that don't overstimulate?

Thanks.

[*Ali*]

A few ideas:
A baby walker
baby massage
toys she can hold like soft toys, rattles, teethers
propping her in a supported sitting position with pillows (a feeding pillow is ideal)
Touchy-feely books with soft bits, flaps etc. that she can touch, hold
Listening to baby music, nursery rhymes, lullabies etc.
A baby bouncing harness for hanging from the doorway

erm...I'll let you know if I think of any more.

[zoeselina]

Thanks for your ideas. We have most of these things, but they still seem to get a bit much for her if she has them for more than a little while (even though I only give her one thing per A time)... so it's the rest of her A time we have trouble filling. Today we spent a lot of time lying on the bed together listening to soft music and some time watching the cats playing. That seemed to work ok.