Six more pointers for conquering the distractible baby phase!
- Use of cover while feeding out and about. While breastfeeding in public uncovered is pretty well accepted nowadays, the use of a subtle cover or sling may come in handy to block sudden movement, people, animals (and anything else) from peripheral view.
- Take baby to a low-stimuli environment for feeds and let others know not to interrupt or come into the room while you are feeding, particularly children who can be besotted with feeding babies. If you have a toddler you can’t leave on their own, try to have a special toy or book that they get to read or play with quietly in the same room while baby feeds, or even a toy bubba they can pretend to feed themselves alongside you.
- Remind yourself that during this time it can be normal for your baby to want more frequent, smaller feeds so they can continue taking in the world around them. Annoying – sure, but developmentally, completely fine! It can also mean more frequent feeding/longer substantiated feeds in the night to catch up on missed calories – brace yourself mama!
- Different positions can be helpful. The “football hold” can give you more control of your baby’s head, while laying down while feeding can be more relaxing and keep baby in tune with feeding.
- Make sure your baby is actually hungry at feed times. A lot of apps and feeding schedules can see us feeding our babies at times they may not be interested, which will make matters worse during this phase. Watch for cues and signals that your baby is actually hungry before offering (i.e, sucking hands/feet/lips/toys, opening and closing their mouth, fussing, rooting on the chest of whomever is holding them); if they are truly hungry they are more likely to stay focused on their milk.
- If your baby is at the extreme of distractibility while breastfeeding, you may want to consider expressing after a quick or distracted feed to maintain your supply. A great chance to build a wee stash if you are wanting to give some breastmilk via bottle! Don’t become too concerned about the lack of feeding time, your baby will make up for it somewhere – likely night time unfortunately. But always consult your LMC or GP if you have concerns your baby is losing weight during this time.
All in all, keep at it if you are wanting to continue breastfeeding. Like every other phase, it feels like it won’t, but it will pass. Billy soon found interest in breastfeeding again without distraction – cousins running around, feeding in public, pets coming in for snuggles – you name it, he wasn’t bothered by it.
Laura Lucas is fiancé to Todd and mama to 19 month old Billy and their newest edition 5 week old Taylor! She absolutely loves all things outdoors, animals, fitness, style, family & friends. Laura is passionate about supporting mums to breastfeed their babies, is a breastfeeding mama herself and has recently been through a journey with Taylor in NICU. These passions saw her become the founder of Milkbar Maternity & Breastfeeding, on a mission to provide quality maternity and breastfeeding products and clothing to suit every mum.
