What does your week look like?

[Orion]

I am a sahm and so I have lots of free time. I've been researching baby groups, play areas and swimming pools in my local area for a few days.

My baby has just turned 4 months old.

We've been to a few things, nothing regularly yet, but I'm just wondering how many baby outings people do a week?

 

[Maud]

At that age we were starting to go out pretty much every day for my own sanity. We went to baby group at the children's centre, baby group at the nct, baby massage, baby yoga, swimming and signing classes. We soon realised that activities on 5 days was too much for us and cut it back to 3-4 days a week (although we did two activities one day), but still went out every day, even just for a walk or to the shops or library (a good place for free activities).

She's older now and I'm working part-time, but we still do activities on my stay at home days. We both enjoy them

 

[tinselcat]

We went to baby group at the children's centre, baby group at the nct, baby massage, baby yoga,

ooh.. what is baby yoga? (sorry for off-topic question!)

 

[Pin badge]

From about 6 months we were out 5 days a week...Monday visiting family who lived miles away, then swimming late afternoon (turtle tots), Tuesday baby sensory (we loved this), Wednesday exercise with baby (loved this for mummy sanity and fitness, Thursday walk in the park with mummy friends, Friday sing and sign ( wish we could still do this one but I now work Friday's ) hope that helps.xx

 

[Maud]

We went to baby group at the children's centre, baby group at the nct, baby massage, baby yoga,

ooh.. what is baby yoga? (sorry for off-topic question!)

It was a class with gentle stretches for baby (and a few for mum) along with some singing and sensory stuff to keep them interested. We did a baby yoga DVD at home as well and found it a very enjoyable activity to do together and it's meant to be good for them physically - finding their limbs and learning about movement etc.

 

[Goat]

I've just become a sahm too! And have found having a regular schedule quite helpful in structuring the week and not going crazy.
With my first, at 4 months we were doing things like sing and sign, baby massage, baby yoga and general meet ups with other mums. Was bliss!

Now my eldest is 2 1/2 and my youngest is 10 months we really need a routine. Gone were the lovely peaceful baby group days!
Monday's are usually toddler group, Tuesday I take them both swimming, Wednesday is my chill out day. Thursday is ballet, Friday is either toddler group or soft play and Saturday my husband takes the toddler to a little toddler football club.
Poor baby just tags along to everything.

 

[CARNAT22]

I'm on ML for a year (due back in January) and I have am almost 3 year old and 7 month old.

We have no set schedule as such - groups are tough as very few cater for baby and toddler. Swimming is also hard as we need 2 adults.

We meet a friend with a toddler every Tuesday and we always do "something" - in the nice weather it's been something outdoors and in less nice weather we go to softplay or a museum or gallery. We meet another friend on Friday's (she has baby same age as Bee) and we go to a one o'clock club so James can be left to his own devices and we can have a cuppa and cake with the babies.

Other than thay I make sure we are out everyday. We go to parks, walks along the canal, walks along the Thames - weather dependant of course. Even if it's raining we get our waterproofs on and go puddle hopping. James needs daily 'walking' to burn off his excess energy lol.

Local libraries are fab as as well as all the books they have sing and sign for toddlers and stuff like that.

I'm lucky in that I have family close by (father in law is newly retired and sister in law is on maternity leave) so I always have someone to visit... sil has a boy James' age and a baby a bit younger than Bee.

X

 

[Baby2sky]

I'm similar to carnat. I never go to groups etc but we are doing things everyday. I (begrudgingly) take my daughter to soft play once a week, swimming, library day, go to the local coffee shop for treats (babycino and cake) , go see family and cousins. Then weekends she usually gets taken out by grandparents and husband takes her to swimming and tennis. I will be doing the same.with baby tagging along too lol.

 

[Orion]

We go out everyday as I have a dog to walk and both grandparents live nearby. But just wondered about groups/baby activities.

I think I'll aim to do my singing group, a play group, and swimming. That'll give us couple of restful days. And a couple of days to do things like shopping or meeting friends/family.

 

[Taboo917]

We go out ever day and have been since Caleb was about 3 months old.

Mondays we go to a first time mums group, Tuesday we go to a playgroup held at a local church (we've only been doing this for the last few weeks), Wednesday we go to rhyme time at the library, Thursday we go to a baby sensory class and Friday Caleb has a swimming lesson.

We also quite often have play dates with other mums (I'm lucky to have made quite a lot of friends through the mums group) and we also do some ad hoc classes like messy play and sing and sign that I've found at a local play cafe.

Caleb needs a lot more entertaining now and has done from about 5-6 months id say so it helps keep us both sane and provides a nice structure to our week! x

 

[MrsS143]

Does it not cost a fortune going to groups daily? X

 

[littlemonkey]

MrsS, there are a lot of groups run by the local family centres that are free or for very cheap. Libraries also run cheap/free things. By us all the soft play centres have free days during term time, usually a Monday.

I'll be honest, we don't do anything baby related. I have a two year old son as well and frankly it's easier to keep the baby entertained while doing something for the toddler than it is the other way around! Looking back to when I did groups with my youngest, I do think they are more for mums than babies anyway. My toddler has just started at a playgroup with his old childminder, so he goes there weekday mornings. That gives me some time alone with the baby to play with him. Then in the afternoon we'll either be out at the park/zoo/soft play or for a walk.

 

[Goat]

Our baby groups are free. Swimming for under 5s is free and so are all the library events. Soft play is £2 and the set classes we do (ballet and football) work out to £4 and £8 respectively. So not too expensive. She doesn't go to nursery or anything so I want to make sure she still has the opportunity to interact with other kids until she starts pre-school next Sept.
Having a routine is mainly for me as I can easily get lazy and not do anything if I don't have anything set for the day.xx

 

[Orion]

I don't really like the idea of going out to an event every single day. I've seen it with other babies/toddlers/children I know - they never get chance to just chill out and play at home because mum wants to be out every day. An old habit from working maybe?

So I'm going to keep 4 days totally free - some of which I will fill meeting people (friends family etc) or special occasions (zoo etc) and some that will just be days for us to play and rest at home. The other 3 days a week will be regular baby days out - groups, soft play, swimming...

Interesting to read the responses though.

 

[Orion]

Also to answer mrsS - check your local children's centres, libraries, churches (don't have to be a member or even religious) even sports centres for free events.

Swimming here for the mummy morning is £4.95 for me 60p for under 5s.
Our local gym does a play group twice a week in their sports hall.
And our local soft play is free for under 6 month olds - so you can go try it out before paying
Local church has a group, so does the local library.

I keep saying local because most of this I can walk to with the pram!

 

[Alipops1986]

When I was on maternity leave with Zac we did something three days out the week: bumps to babies group at local children's centre, baby peep at the children's centre (both of which were free) Then one day a week we did something I paid for so these varied, we tried Baby Yoga, Baby Signing and Baby Massage.

Now i've returned to work and only get a Friday off in the week unfortunately, that's mostly filled with the weekly chores but I do make sure we meet other ickle friends that Zac's made or we to a group in the afternoon - mostly because he does need a lot more entertainment now he's a 1 year old!!

 

[Taboo917]

MrsS, for me it's not too bad. The first time mums group and rhyme time sessions are free and the church playgroup is £5 a term.

Sensory is more expensive and works out at £7.50 a class and swimming lessons more at around £10 a lesson, but there are cheaper options for swimming the council pool runs lessons that were under £5 a class. When the lessons aren't on I just take Caleb to the local pool and it's £3.80 a time so quite reasonable!

The activities are only an hour at a time so every day Caleb still has some
"chilled" time where we just do free play in the house, read stories or go to the park etc so hopefully we've got the balance okay!