breast feeding and entertaining older siblings

Hi I'm new to this site and have found it very useful so far in answering my bf problems. My 7 week old daughter is my 3rd child but the first one I've breast fed. I'm enjoying it and baby is doing well but I dont know anyone else who has breast fed so am stuck for advice when I need it. I was wondering how other mums deal with the time consuming nature of bf and the demands of other children? I also worry that as my daughter is spending so long at my breast she will not be interacting with other people and the general environment and will therefore not develop intellectually and socially. Am I being ridiculous?

Hi Michellehagger,

Congratulations on your new baby.
I only have one baby so can't give you practical advice on looking after 3. But I hope to do it one day and have always been interested when others have asked the same question. Often people swear by using a ring sling to carry baby and nurse at the same time. I only got a sling with my dd when she was 6 months but the next time round, I'll definitely be using it straight from birth. It frees up both of your hands.

On your other concern about your dd not interacting yet - at the moment, she's interacting with you and absorbing everything around her. She probably still considers herself part of you after 9 months in the womb. In time, she'll grow more aware of others and start taking an active interest. I don't think there is a thing in the world anyone can do to stop that from happening.

Have a look at Dr Sears website about attachment parenting. It's very interesting reading about babywearing, breastfeeding, etc. http://www.askdrsears.com/html/10/T130300.asp

My own dd is 13 months old now. I had the same worry as we live in the country, relatives live quite far away as do friends. I haven't gone to any baby groups with dd and wondered if the isolation would negatively affect her. She is the smiliest, friendly and affectionate girl you could ever meet. Every stranger gets a smile, she'll toddle up to anyone and look to sit on their lap and the funniest one was when the nurse gave her 3 injections, dd was very upset with her but just couldn't help but give her a smile after the tears had subsided.

I really believe that the attachment parenting gives the child a sense of security that enables them to enjoy the world around them more as they know their mother is there for them always.
Hope this helps.

Hi! Ive plenty of experience with bf and entertaining! How old are your other children? Things ive done are: snuggles with the others while nursing
snacks so they are eating at the same time
quiet time with books or colouring
a dvd or tv you can all watch together
feeding their own toys!
mine soon got used to it and entertained themselves when they knew baby needed milk!

Veron has also made some excellent points- slings a great way to be able to nurse and do other things, ive just been with my friend this weekend and we took the kids to the beach and her 6mth old nursed the full walk!!

my kids have never gone regularly to any kind of toddler/parent groups and theyre all sociable and well adjusted

your daughter is getting the best kind of social interaction next to your breast- believe me when she starts noticing things around her you will know about it! Aeryn used to twist towards the tv everytime she heard the 'shielas wheels' advert .... with my nipple still in her mouth! shes an odd bunny!

the link veron gave you is a good read too well worth looking at xx

Excellent advice already!

Although your baby is at the breast a lot at the moment, when they become more aware of their surroundings you will find this will lessen! not oly will it lessen but you will wish they were back to the "stuck on the boob" stage

I breastfed my first for just over a year, now at the age of 4 walks upto anyone and starts a conversation ( can be embarrasing sometimes as shes sooooo social and in people faces) so this is a prefect example that she was not hinderd in anyway!

My 21 month old who is still breastfeeding is also very social, but I put that down to their confidence from knowing how stable and safe they feel from all those hours spent in my arms

Thankyou ladies- you have been very reassuring. I just want to do the best I can for all my girls and I worry about all kinds of things. My older girls are 9 and 6 so are fairly independent my struggle was more with taking the girls to all of te places they need to be and the disruption this caused to "demand feeding" Phoebe. We're getting there though. It's been great to be able to use this site for advice and reassurance so thank you. xx

No problem hope it will continue to get better, and it does

I was never a worrier before I had kids, but now I find problems where theres nothing wrong! Its natural to worry about what's best, especially if you're doing things differently to others arund you. Is there anychance you can get to a la leche meeting, or another breast feeding group to meet up with other breast feeding mums in real life? I found it made me feel so much more confident being able to chat to other mums who'd been there and done that.
You know I'm sure that baies can only see about 6 to 10 inches isn't it when they're little, thats just about from a breast fed babies eyes to yours, you are all she wants to see for now, if you can manage to get on with day to day life she will get far more from that than she would siiting in a baby bouncer or play pen.
What are you like about feeding in public, is that what causes problems when your out with your 2 older girls? One good tip someone gave me was try bfing in front of a mirror, then you can see what others see and know you are being discrete, and how no one else can see too much.
A ring sling can really help with that too once you get used to it, and really saves your back if you cant find a convienient place to sit.
Sounds like you're getting sorted lovely, but have you got any specific problems we on here might be able to help with? I had what seemed to me very silly questions and worries when Rhianna was small, or not so small, but I've heard other mums ask them, so dont feel so bad now.
Hugs