What do you do with a newborn baby?

Answer 1

Though they may seem weak, defenseless, and at times, kind of pathetic... well, they kinda are. Boring, too, if you don't know what to do with 'em. There are actually lots of activities you can do with a newborn baby. Stimulating the senses is the key to having fun with a newborn - and getting a reaction out of them. Sight: At first, babies do better with high contrast colors, especially black and white. Watch them stare at high contrast objects you put in front of them... especially black and white pictures with defined outlines. Babies love to look at faces even more than high contrast colors. We are actually programmed to look at and learn from faces as infants. Just put your face up to his/hers (about 12-18 inches away, they are quite nearsighted) and make silly faces... You'll probably get a smile if the baby is over 6 weeks old. Smell: This one is trickier; the most fun thing to smell for a baby is pretty much: mom, especially a breastfeeding one. Touch: Does the baby grab yet? Kick? There are all kinds of interesting objects to feel, and once baby has started grabbing, it can get fun for him/her to test it all out. Taste: Like smell, this one is a bit limited for now. Babies can actually taste differences in mother's milk based on what she's eaten. They also know the differences between formulas. But at this point, they are all pretty much on a liquid diet. Sound: Sound is probably the quickest way to stimulate an infant since they've been hearing their mother's voice since they were inside the womb - along with all kinds of sounds from within. But now you can have them listen to all kinds of things: ringing bells, rattles, your favorite music... 'Dancing' with a baby to your workout playlist is not only fun for you and stimulating (and bonding) for him/her, but it's also a great way to rock the baby to sleep when you need a break.