Can I watch TV while my newborn is in the room?
For the first few weeks, your infant is mostly concerned with feeding, sleeping, playing, and possibly learning to crawl. As a new parent, you have to find ways to keep yourself occupied.
Some new parents will read a new book, while others will engage in the popular binge-watching of television episodes or choose to have the TV on while caring for their newborn.
Parenting may be a joyful yet tiring job, and it might be tempting to sit in front of the TV while your newborn is playing and sleeping. Keeping a newborn occupied and happy 24 hours a day, seven days a week can put even the most innovative parents to the test.
Turning on the television to get some rest and possibly distract your kid seems like a good compromise. But will this be beneficial to your child in the long run?
Watching TV with a newborn in the room: Is it wrong?
It’s often not a problem to watch TV while holding a sleeping infant or breastfeeding — in fact, it can be a great way to unwind. When your baby is older, television may begin to distract them from nursing, but this is not a problem at this stage.
Many studies discuss why children should not watch television, but if your infant is so small that it can’t even lift its head, is it really so awful to have the television on to pass the time? When you turn on the television, it is for you to view as the parent. Your infant may not be confronting it, and he or she is definitely not benefiting from it.
So what’s the harm? Jill Stamm, PhD, Director of the New Directions Institute for Infant Brain Development, believes that a little TV here and there will not be a problem. There will be no long-term consequences, but we do know that it does not benefit them and appears to delay their development.
Babies and TV exposure: 3 reasons why it’s wrong
Direct screen time, on the other hand, is a problem from the start, so keep an eye on how much your infant is actually staring at any media – the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no screen time at all for children under the age of 18 months. However, video calls with grandparents, other relatives, and friends are okay.
Here are some of the reasons why early TV viewing and screen time are harmful to babies:
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It affects brain development
Children’s brains triple in size in the first year, and what occurs to them during that period has a big impact on how their brains grow.
When a baby is watching television, he may observe brilliant colours and motions of things moving about, which draws the infant’s attention; yet, they aren’t capable of understanding what it means. This confusion is the reason why newborns should not watch television and why babies under the age of three do not learn well by simply glancing at a screen.
Even older children, according to the AAP, should have no more than one hour of screen use every day. This restriction is in place because studies show that screen usage might affect how their brain develops, particularly white matter, which supports language and literacy skills. It may cause caretakers to speak less in front of the infants, which may impair their ability to acquire a language.
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It may cause delays in speech and expressive language
Watching television with your newborn can have an impact on their brain development by lowering myelination of brain white matter. Because they are not actively listening to language inputs from an in-person caregiver, newborns may experience speech and other language delays as a result of this impact on white matter.
Even if your home TV is on in the background, parents may find themselves talking less to their infant, which has a negative impact on language development. When a toddler is present, a parent typically speaks about 940 words per hour. When the television is turned on, that figure drops by 770! Fewer words mean less learning.
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It disrupts your baby’s sleeping routine
Another disadvantage of babies viewing TV is that it can result in fewer minutes of sleep per night, resulting in shorter sleep periods and more awakening throughout the night. When screen usage happens in the evenings, it has an even greater impact on their sleep cycle.
Image source: iStock
What activities can you do instead of watching TV?
Finding alternative activities to do with your newborn to keep them entertained is a far superior option to turning on the television. You can go on a stroll together and point out different objects you see, read a book together, or play with tactile fabric toys. It’s ideal to plan activities that you can do together to foster bonding and language learning.
Adding physical activity into your newborn’s daily routine is a fantastic method to keep them occupied while also instilling in them the importance of leading a healthy lifestyle.
A daily stroll is a good place to start, but you can also incorporate tiny dance parties in which you sing along to amusing music and play outside with dogs or siblings. Exploring the backyard can also be enjoyable.
There are a variety of books for infants available that include stories you may read together, as well as photos and tactile stories to stimulate participation with the narrative. Reading stories to your newborn is an example of active language acquisition that can aid in their language development.
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Guidelines for watching TV around newborns
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that parents and caregivers wait until the newborn is at least 18 to 24 months old before exposing him or her to screens, including televisions.
However, the AAP provides some advice for using screens safely near children. Limiting screen time, establishing designated rooms where screens are allowed, and regulating the content children watch are all part of these rules.
When your child is old enough to view screens, the AAP provides some advice to ensure that you and your child are using devices like TV properly and in ways that will engage your child without having long-term negative consequences.
These guidelines are:
- Watch TV together. Watching TV with your child helps you to keep track of what they are watching and communicate to them about it to establish bonding and active language learning.
- Do not allow TVs or other screens in bedrooms. Screen use before bedtime can have a negative impact on your child’s ability to sleep through the night.
- Set a screen time limit. When your child is between the ages of 2 and 5, limit their screen use to one hour or less each day.
- Create a screen-free zone. To avoid excessive screen time, designate areas of your home where TVs are not permitted, such as the kitchen or a playroom. You might want to consider simply having one TV in the living room so that your youngster needs to watch it there.
- Set a good example when it comes to media use. Children mimic the behaviours of the adults around them, so you must be the caretaker to set a positive example. They will assume it is acceptable conduct if they see you watching TV all the time. You must live by your statements in their presence.
- Select appropriate content. Children should not watch the same programmes as adults, so make sure you choose appropriate content for your youngster to watch. This could include content such as children’s television and instructional information, as well as content that promotes interaction and creativity.
- Don’t eat while watching TV. Many families watch TV while eating, but this should not become a habit for your child. Eating while watching TV not only encourages youngsters to eat alone rather than with their families, but it can also encourage thoughtless eating, which can result in consuming more calories.
The majority of professionals advise avoiding watching television with a newborn in the room. Giving your newborn screen time so you may take a break while watching TV can have an influence on their brain development, cause speech delays, and disrupt their sleep routine.
Even if you don’t intend for them to watch with you, it’s best to wait until the child is at least 18 months old before having screens on around them. Take safeguards once your baby is old enough to watch TV securely.
