How do you encourage solo play-time?

[Sair]

Well Noah is 4 months and for the whole 4 months I have pretty much had him in my arms or in his high chair watching me do my day to day things.

I didn't realise this until lately that this might be hindering his development and he is behind most of the babies at mothers group. He isn't interested in his feet and only has rolled 3 times front to back and isn't doing the sit up thing that all the other babies his age are doing.

Every time I try to give him alone time on the floor he starts screaming like he is now and of course I don't believe in letting him cry it out and I pick him up again. I am just not sure where I am going wrong.. Any tips would be appreciated. TIA

[Jayney]

Try putting him on the floor to play and you could lay near him. Slowly over time move further away until you are in the same room but sitting doing something else. Like reading so it won't distract him from his playing.

Don't worry it will come. The rolling over thing never really happened for my girls and they are perfectly fine.

[Roryrory]

Sarah I really don't think you are doing anything wrong - he is probably just a cuddly baby - and I wouldn't get too hung up on "milestones" at this age for a start (hugs to you). Flynn was always out of whack on his charts and milestones - better in some things but slower on others, but like most kids he has turned out fine so far. And rolling at 4 months seems ok to me? but I have forgotten most of these milestone markers and probably won't bother with them with this upcoming bub.

As for the floor play on his own, how about putting Noah on the floor and sitting next to him while he lies there? Often bubs want you near them. Maybe lie next to him, then gradually move further away over a period of days.

Are you putting him under one of those dangly toy things? Flynn hated stuff "in his face" - maybe Noah is the same?

HTH....

[Liz]

Tallon didn't roll until about 7 months! hehe. The day before he crawled! I actually have no idea what milestones are when.. I think the only one I really know is smiling at around 5-6 weeks, and walking any time after 10 months.. but then, some don't walk til they're nearly 2! LOL.

Tallon didn't like floor time much either at that age. His tummy time was usually done on my chest whilst I reclined a little.

Try not to worry, just do what ever works, and whatever he likes Enjoy all those cuddles!

[Sair]

Thanks girls, I will do the gradual moving away thing, I should have thought of that one, it makes so much sense.

Rory, I will see if he goes better with being on a blanket than under his play gym although I think he does enjoy it, he has gotten to the grabby stage now but I do know he hates things in his face. It's so hard to gage :S

ETA: Wow 7 months for rolling!!! I don't feel bad now, It is so hard when all the other mums brag about how their baby is doing this or that and Noah doesn't do any of it. He gives some killer smiles though

[Lulu]

Sitting up at 4 months?? No way - don't stress, that's certainly not the norm but it's hard when mum's groups are a "milestone" tournament. Maybe he is perfectly happy staring at mummy all day - nothing wrong with that!

[Liz]

hehe - looking back - i loved it that he didn't roll for ages, I had 7 months of being able to put him down and not worry about him getting about! hehe. He did do a bit of a shuffle by swivelling around on his tummy or bottom, but nothing fast enough that I had to worry if I had to put him down to go to the loo or something hehe.

[krysalyss]

Sometimes my DS (just over 5 months) is really sooky and wants to be held the whole day. Being about 9.2 kg makes this difficult. So I pop him on the ground and then lie beside him. He may grumble when I go to put him down but when he realises I am there too he is happy. He loves watching me stick my fet up in the air.

[Karina]

Hey Sarah, sounds like you are doing fine and Noah is doing well.
Claire used to be like that too, with the screaming if she was left alone. What I would do was give her something to hold onto (usually her teething ring or a small soft toy) and sing to her. As soon as I sing twinkle twinkle, she's all smiles. She also like music, so I play her music. If I aam leaving her on the floor, I make sure she can still see and hear me, and I talk to her. Some days she just needs cuddles though. She is a cuddly baby. Do you have a sling or baby bjorn or similar?
Dont stress too much about the milestones, as the others have said.
Claire didnt discover her feet till about 5 months. One day she wasnt interested at all, nd the next day she just wouldnt keep them out of her mouth. The first time she rolled from tummy to back was at three months but then she only did it 4 - 5 times over the followinf two months. She definately wasnt sitting up at 4 months. She has only really strted to sit on her own in the last week but she does still flop over.