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Just Me and My Mobile

Do Babies Need Alone Time?

By Jacqueline Bodnar

What this means is that over-stimulation is a reality for the infant brain; the natural reaction under such conditions is for the human brain to "tune out" or periodically disengage. Put the average adult in a similar situation and the result would be exactly the same. Say, for example, you started a new job and on the first day of work your boss expected you to complete a list of unfamiliar tasks, communicate in a language you didn't understand and navigate a building containing objects you've never seen before. Sound daunting? It is – and it's exactly what an infant faces on a daily basis.

The problem with alone time, however, is that there is no set ideal for appropriate lengths or frequency. Take into account that many accidents also occur when infants are left unsupervised, and it can become a nerve-wracking task for parents to judge. Fortunately, the "alone time" that experts recommend does not necessarily mean placing your infant in another room or even out of your sight.

Many pediatric experts recommend that putting your baby on a pad or blanket with some soft toys is enough to allow for self-stimulation. The same can be said for daily chores. Setting an infant on the floor out of arm's reach while folding laundry can give a child a simple object to concentrate on without providing too much stimulation.

Over the period of a few weeks, a parent should slowly increase the amount of time an infant spends alone. The key is to be observant and monitor the signals an infant is giving; any fussing or crying probably means he or she would rather be attended to. Ideally, a parent should leave the room as little as possible. Monitoring an active infant from a distance is likely OK; leaving an infant alone while attending to personal chores is not the safest route to take.

Want to see more?

• Check out our Article Library.
• Encouraging Individuality: Why You Each Need Time Alone with Baby
• It Takes Two to Toddle: The Benefits of Father-Toddler Alone Time
• Growing the Mind: Baby's Brain Development
• Talk about it!

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