I want to take a Gymboree class with my son but he'll only be about 7 weeks when the class starts. Has anyone taken a class with such a young baby? I'm wondering if it's worth it because at that age they're still pretty unpredictable - how do I know he's going to want to be stimulated at the time the class meets? I don't want to waste money signing up for a class that he never really enjoys but I'd really like to take a class with him before I go back to work in September. I'd love to hear any experiences you've had. Thanks.
Fats and Eco: 5*29*05 BabyBoy: 5*17*06 Baby#2: EDD 6*26*09...It's a Girl!!
At that age, the class is really as much about you getting to meet other moms and socialize as it is about stimulating him. I went to Gymboree for a couple of months when my son was 2-4 months old. Some days he'd stay awake and look around at the other babies, other days he'd doze and I'd sit in the circle and rock him and sing. You'll learn the songs and be able to repeat them at home.
They also have a time when they ask an 'icebreaker' question and go around the circle to the moms -- something about parenting, but it opens up to a nice little discussion for five minutes or so.
Sure, some days were better than others. There were times I sat in the circle and nursed him, and that was cool too -- it's what he needed, and there were all other small babies there, so there's not a rigid setup -- more go-with-the-flow.
At least that's what I experienced in my Gymboree class.
Unfortunately I really didn't click with the moms in my group. I actually felt like they were giving me a hard time for 'still' nursing (at 3 months!) and slinging Joey... so I when it ended I wound up finding a different class to go to. Still, if I had felt more at ease around the other women, it would've been great.
fats hi & congrats on your baby I would wait, but that is just my opinion. You could just go and take the free preview class and see how you like it. Just like Marisa stated, it's more for the moms at that young of an age. I previewed a class when DS was about 3 months and he wasn't having it after 15 minutes. I think he was over stimulated or something PLUS the lady who lead the class kept messing up with the songs and she freaked me out a little with this constent freaky grin she had on her face the entire time. There was a woman there also previewing and her baby was about 9 weeks, her baby was not into it either and she ended up nursing the last 15 mins. So....for the money you pay for gymboree which is pretty pricey for I'd consider waiting. But who knows maybe it'll work for you and your son.
Married January 24, 2004 Baby Boy ~ November 5, 2005 Baby Girl ~ May 13, 2007
We previewed a Gym Level 2 class and ultimately signed up for a Music Level 1 class. I waited until DD was 6 months old to take her because I felt like she would get more out of it when she was sitting up & could reach out/hold objects. I'm glad I did. The minimum age for Music is 6 months anyway, but she ADORES going to class. In the Gym class I attended, which is what you would be signing up for, it was mostly unstructured play time between parent & baby. I'm going to wait until DD is more mobile before signing her up for a Gym class. I agree with Marisa.....with your baby being so young, if you decide to sign up, you'll mostly be going just to meet other parents. Gymboree classes are expensive......IMO, I would wait until your baby is done with the newborn stage to get the most out of it.
I enrolled dd in a swimming class at 6mo and she really enjoyed it, but at 7 weeks I don't think she would have been ready for a semi structured class (even if it wasn't swimming). She was past the sleeping all the time phase, but didn't have any sort of schedule or predicability yet.
Does your ds like the stroller? You could also check out and see if there's a strollersize group in your area. You'd be able to meet other moms and work out a little, and your ds can sit back and relax. I would think something like this would be less expensive and your dc would probably be less likely to be overstimulated.
I live on Long Island, and my personal experience with Gymboree was that I hated it. I took it 2 sessions back to back from when my DS was 6 months-12 months. For me, I just didn't know where else to look, and so I joined there. Everyone ignore me, and I didn't like the teachers. Since then, I've gone to numerous classes at temples, other gyms, and camps and have made some amazing friends that I feel I've known my whole life. Plus, every single other class I've taken was at LEAST half the price of gymboree. That's just my experience with them.
If you go on MSN or Yahoo, I bet you can find some mommies and classesin your area.....since I agree with the others, at the age of your DS it's more for you!
I did the gymbo level 1 class and I didn't love it. It was $$, and for me at least, it actually stressed me out because it was only offered once a week at my location so there was no make-up option. I was always worried that my DD would either be tired, hungry, or need to be asleep at the class time. Most of the time she was good for about the first 15 minutes and then she would decide she had had enough and she'd cry or be hungry. So then I would sit off to the side and nurse or comfort her. It wasn't a big deal in the class, but to me I felt like it was kind of a waste since we weren't enjoying it then. So I quit the class and got a partial refund. We go to gymbo now at 14 months and it is so much more fun! There aren't a lot of other options here so we do gymbo. So personally, I'd wait. Are there some other support groups at the hospital, or La leche league if you are nursing? I'd do those first. I also joined my local moms club (momsclub.org) and got into a playgroup and almost a year later we are still meeting weekly, I really would recommend that! They are a great support group!
My DD is in the 0-6 month class and she started when she was about 8 weeks old. She usually didn't make it through the whole class (she'd fall asleep), but she loved being sung to and was pretty into the infant massage. She's actually one of the oldest in the class now, and we have some new babies that are about 2 months old. I love the class.
I think it would be fine to take your son! You can preview before you actually spend the $$
I'm not familiar with the Gymboree classes in particular but i started DD in Kindermusik at 3 weeks old and would have with my son as well if he hadn't been a preemie and it hadn't been the middle of winter/height of sicky season at the time. It was definately beneficial even that early on. It stimulated all of her senses and it basically covers all 7 of the intelligences (linguistic, logical-mathematical, musical, interpersonal, intrapersonal, bodliy-kinesthetic and spatial) with the movement, singing, vocal play, massage, tactile exploration etc. the class was stimulating enough where she wanted to stay awake and even if she had slept through part of it, it's not about just the 45 minute class but rather the activities being done at home. we made it a part of her daily routine and bedtime routine every night and we do the same with DS now. The benefits of Kindermusik really come from the repetition of the work done at home with the home materials and i'm sure it's probably the same with Gymboree classes as well.
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Gymboree Class with an newborn/infant?
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I would wait, but that is just my opinion. You could just go and take the free preview class and see how you like it. Just like Marisa stated, it's more for the moms at that young of an age. I previewed a class when DS was about 3 months and he wasn't having it after 15 minutes. I think he was over stimulated or something PLUS the lady who lead the class kept messing up with the songs and she freaked me out a little with this constent freaky grin she had on her face the entire time. There was a woman there also previewing and her baby was about 9 weeks, her baby was not into it either and she ended up nursing the last 15 mins. So....for the money you pay for gymboree which is pretty pricey for I'd consider waiting. But who knows maybe it'll work for you and your son.
