What to DO With Your Baby?

Ok, so the baby is on its way.  You’ve figured out diapering and feeding…. But what do you do with the other time?  I’m SO glad you’re thinking about this, because I didn’t think about it at all.  As a nurse all of my interactions with babies had been very functional, but not very mothering, if that makes sense.  BUT I have a trick for you to help you both grow together!

Big thanks to KiwiCo for sponsoring this post for new moms.  Their newly updated Panda Crates are a GEM for new parents.  It really will be the trick you need to feel more confident in all those “other” times with your little one.  But how is it so magical? – keep reading!

Be sure to use coupon code PULLINGCURLS to get 50% off your first crate right now! Every time I get a crate from them I’m SO delighted by what they include. Try out that first month and see if it’s a win for you too at 50% off).

What do you do with your new baby?

Well, the two things I fell back on were singing and reading books….

I still think these are AMAZING things

Singing & Talking to Baby

Babies love your voice.  It’s what has filled them up while they were in the womb, and it still fills their hearts now.

Singing any favorite song is a great way to get their attention.  They love the beat of music and changes in your voice are super interesting to them.

It’s a fun way to get their attention without using that ugly “baby voice” I tried to avoid (sometimes unsuccessfully).

When you’re over the tunes you can just describe things.  “Mom is washing the dishes, the water is so warm.  It helps us have clean dishes so we stay healthy.”

And yes, you may feel like you’ve absolutely lost your mind while you’re doing this, but it will soon become second nature.  I’d find myself describing the ambulance coming as I was alone in the car on my way to work…. And be grateful no one else was in the car – but if my kid was in the car I knew he’d lose his mind with happiness.

Reading

It is never too early to start reading with baby.

But, you don’t need to head straight to board books or War and Peace.  Here are a few tips:

1.  Baby just loves the sounds of your voice – so if you just read what you’re reading that’s cool too.
2. As babies grow they will love to look at pictures in books.  You don’t have to read the words (or you can) – you can even just describe the pictures in the book with them.
3. Or, just read the book.  This was sort of my fall-back when I was tired.

Play Time with a New Baby

Now, we think of playing as “having fun.” But in reality playing is helping babies to grow their brains and their bodies.

Which is why it’s important to say the word rattle, or “Red rattle” while making it jingle as you pass it from one side of them to the other.

They’re learning to listen for sounds, move their head and that is the color red all in that one interaction.

But, how do we play with other things?

That’s where KiwiCo’s Panda Crate comes in.

They’re going to send you a box of toys every two producof months.  In there will be the toys, but also a MANUAL on how to use them with your baby.

They say this about the manual:

Each crate includes a grownup guide with 20+ pages of science-based, research-backed content about your baby’s current stage.

Sounds pretty great right?

And this starts at 0 months and continues up to age 3!  Actually, it doesn’t end at 3, it just changes.  We’re still getting KiwiCo products for my 14 year old and she enjoys them as much as she did when she was little.

You can choose how much you get in the crate – starting at $50 and go up to the deluxe option at $90/crate, and you get a new one every couple of months.

Personally, I think it’s a GREAT option for grandparents to get – keeps them close to mind, and it’s toys you’ll actually USE (vs the 3 giant pirate ships my parents got us).

Do you worry you’re going to have a hard time filling the days with your little one?  Tell me in the comments!