Activities for New Parents

Congratulations! Your precious baby has finally arrived, and you can hold your little bundle of joy in your arms. Being at home with your newborn and getting used to each other can be a bit intimidating in the beginning. But rest assured, you will find your way naturally.

After a while, you’ll understand your baby’s signals and habits easily. You’ll be the protecting safe haven, which helps your little one find a routine for eating, sleeping, and pooping.

Along with these essential things, you might ask yourself lots of questions. What else can you do to entertain your baby and get them excited about life? And what can you do with your baby that’s safe and beneficial for his or her development?

This article gives you a couple of ideas for activities for new parents.

Entertaining Baby in the First Few Months

The first couple of weeks and months of your baby are going to be characterized by the circle of sleeping, eating, and pooping. While your little one is not independently moving, you can still do many activities that will engage their interest and development.

Activities at Home

Massage

Babies love massages. In fact, who doesn’t? You can start or end the day with this intimate exercise that stimulates their blood flow. Baby massages can help strengthen your bond with your child and help with sleeping problems.  

For a gentle massage, all you need is some safe (baby) oil and a soft surface. Once you have undressed your baby, place him or her in a prone position on the changing table or floor.

Make sure the environment is a pleasant temperature and not too cold. Get some drops of oil in your hands and rub them together to warm up the oil. Then start massaging your baby in gentle, soft movements.

There are several books on how to massage your baby safely. If you feel like getting professional advice, you can ask your midwife or take specific baby massage classes.

Help With Gas

Just like adults, babies suffer from flatulence from time to time. The gas stuck in their little tummies can cause discomfort. Since babies cannot go for a walk to get the gas moving, you can help your baby to get the air out by moving his or her legs.

Therefore, lay your baby on a soft, comfortable, and safe surface, such as your bed or the changing table. Ensure they have a straight spine and start by carefully grabbing your baby’s calves or feet. Then, begin gently moving the legs back and forth, as if your baby is riding a tiny bicycle.

Also, try pressing their knees up to their tummy—this worked a treat for both of my kids. Smile at your baby and talk to him or her, sing or make funny faces. Your baby will enjoy your engagement, and hopefully, the troublesome gases will start moving out of their little body.

Cuddling and Sleeping Together

It may seem obvious, but in the whirlwind of parenthood, you can get caught up in other things. So whenever you have the time, cuddle with your baby! They’re only this small once.

You and your little one will enjoy the closeness and warmth of each other. Cuddling can help with bonding, and your baby can enjoy your breathing movements when you place them on your chest.

The sounds of your body and your breathing can help to calm down your baby, and it’s a great way of relaxing for both of you.

Household Activities

Keeping up with household duties to keep your home clean and cozy can be a challenge when you have a newborn. There are many comfortable baby carriers, slings, and wraps on the market, which ensure a safe position for you and your baby. 

If your little one is awake and you have some easy cleaning to do, try and do it together! Babies love to be carried around. Managing your home while carrying your baby can be lots of fun for both of you. 

When carrying your baby while cleaning, make sure no strong cleaning substances are involved. Suitable activities could be vacuum cleaning or preparing food.

Outside Activities

There are all sorts of outdoor activities to choose from. You might go for a hike, play some croquet, or have a BBQ. 

Baby Swimming

Your baby spent around nine months in mommy’s warm, safe belly, swimming in the amniotic fluid of the womb. Being surrounded by warm water feels very natural to babies. Therefore, swimming can be a great activity to improve your baby’s coordination and build muscles. It can help with bonding and building trust between you and your baby. It can be lots of fun for you too!

Depending on where you live, you might choose from different options. Public pools offer specific baby swimming lessons in heated swimming pools. If you don’t have any swimming pools around, you might consider going to a supervised beach. 

In this case, inform yourself thoroughly about the conditions of the waters. Make sure you feel secure and are well prepared. The water temperature should be warm enough for your baby and don’t stay in the water for too long. The outdoor options should only be considered on warm summer days, depending on where you live.

Baby Yoga

Baby yoga combines gentle yoga exercises for you with a relaxing massage for your baby. The idea is to create tranquility and relaxation for you and your child. With different yoga techniques, you and your baby can refuel your energy and balance.

To bring relief to the typically stressed body parts of young parents, you will do exercises that strengthen your neck, shoulders, and back. Your baby lays next to you on a cozy blanket and will be involved in the exercises. With your help, they can practice gentle stretching exercises.

The focus of baby yoga is soft body contact, and the benefits include:

• Increasing bonding between you and your baby.
• Flexibility, strength, and body perception of your little one can be enhanced.
• Relaxes your baby and can improve his/her sleep.
• Strengthens your body and helps you to get fitter.

Baby yoga can be practiced as early as six weeks after birth. You might choose from different yoga studios in your town. If you don’t have a yoga studio around, use online videos to practice baby yoga. Please make sure you and your baby stay comfortable, and you don’t wear yourself out on the exercises.  

Going on Walks

One of the easiest things to do with your baby is going out for a walk. Simply wrap up your little one in suitable clothes to keep them at the right temperature. You can either use a stroller or a comfortable baby carrier to get you and your baby moving.

Don’t forget to take spare clothes and your diaper bag with you. Even if you decide on having a short walk, make sure to be well prepared in case your baby needs to be changed or fed. 

Aside from your diaper bag, you might want to bring some extra items with you, such as a blanket, snacks, sunscreen, and toys. Depending on the weather, you could go to a park and let your baby lay on the blanket. 

Nature holds endless interesting things to discover. All senses of your baby can be stimulated. The sound of rustling leaves, the touch of a gentle breeze, and the sight of birds can be super exciting for your baby. Watching the sky and the clouds can have a relaxing effect on the both of you.

Furthermore, making your baby comfortable with nature can have many benefits. Breathing fresh air can improve their sleep, and all the new impressions are small steps on the journey of discovering the world. 

Going to the park can also be an excellent opportunity to meet up with your friends. If they have babies themselves, you can exchange your experiences, and the little ones can get to know each other. 

Summary

Being a new parent isn’t easy, though absolutely manageable and the greatest thing in the world. You’re a great parent if you do your best to keep your baby healthy and safe. 

You and your child will benefit if you involve them in your everyday life and engage them in different activities.