How to breastfeed distracted baby? I remember searching this query when my son was around 4 month old. He had become very aware of his surroundings and breastfeeding sessions were becoming challenging. While it is a good sign that your baby is becoming more aware of surroundings and interested in absorbing everything they can, it does make the breastfeeding mother’s life a little difficult.
I have already written about the best tips to help you succeed at breastfeeding and help you achieve your breasfeeding goals. But distracted baby at the breast is one such hiccup on the way that can demotivate you from continuing with breastfeeding. These are phases in your child’s development that are challenging to say the least.
You think the session is over so you stop, then baby cries in 5 minutes for more. This cycle keeps repeating. Or if you decide to give them time at the breast, baby keeps unlatching to look around not focussing on the feeding session. Making every session very long drawn.
Distractions happen even at later stages like 8-9 months of baby’s age and you may mistake it for baby self weaning. But this is not the case. In fact in my own case my son was very aware of his envirnoment from very early on and I could never have successful sessions out and about or in noisy envirnoments. He would want to keep looking at everything around him.
So how do you tackle this type of feeding behaviour. As a mother you begin to worry if they are even getting enough milk in to provide proper nutrition. The following steps helped me immensely with my son and getting him to focus on the feeding session at hand and not get distracted. I hope these work for you and your distractible baby.
Tips to breastfeed distracted baby
- To breastfeed distracted baby choose a quiet spot of the house. Draw the curtains and make the room dark. This helps baby focus on breastfeeding. Turn away from any light source like bulbs, lamps in such a way that baby can’t see them.
- Try breastfeeding at times like early mornings or closer to times when baby is drowsy. This is called dream feeding. Early mornings are great times to have longer feeding sessions.
- When travelling outside with baby during this phase try and find a quieter spot (being outside stimulates baby and may affect your feeding session). I looked for feeding rooms in malls or breastfed in our car before taking him outside. Basically find any spot that is quiet.
- If baby is unlatching from the breast many times during one session wear a beaded teething necklace or scarf around your neck. This keeps them engaged in the session, while they fiddle with your accessory.
- Use a nursing cover. When all else fails, use a cover as a way to cut out all distractions.
- Feeding baby in a lying down position side by side is also a great way to get them to focus on feeding.
- Wait until baby is hungry. This was a trick that worked for me. During phases of distractible feeding wait it out until baby is really hungry. Chances are when they are really hungry they will focus on feeding first rather than looking around.
Most of all be patient. Like everything else in motherhood, distracted baby at the breast is also a phase and teaches us more patience and creativity in parenting.
Do let me know which tricks worked for you during this phase of breastfeeding distracted baby?
I’m not a mummy but wondered why many mums cover their baby when feeding. This makes sense now! Great tips I’m sure.
Rachael | https://rachaelstray.blog
Quite informative for all moms and Dads…..nice post.
I remember this stage well despite it being many years ago! Your advice is spot on, patience is important and finding a quiet place is best wherever possible. Your post is useful information for anyone having these issues. Thanks for the memories.
Thankyou Debbie!
Handling a small baby is not easy. I’m sure your experience will come in handy for new moms!
Great post for new mom’s. I wish I’d read this when my babies were just born. 🙂 Thanks for sharing, you also brought back some awesome memories of childhood.
Mine would pull my nipples with them wherever h Why were looking. By a God that was painful. And sometimes just bite into them arghhh. Some great tips. And yes waiting til they are really hungry always helped me too ?
I know Veena, what all we bear through motherhood! Thats why I wanted to write this one, some of these really worked for me on particularly challenging days.
I loved the post, specially because of the topic you have written about..it’s about a mommy’s experience which is so common, yet not openly discussed. I mean, we go through this stage, but then just sail through it feeling irritated, frustrated and at times demotivated! Great tips… I am going to share with my friends who are new Moms.
These are very useful tips, especially the one about wearing a beaded teething necklace or scarf. Its very helpful article for breastfeeding mums.
Thankfully we did not have too many distracted moments but your ideas seem great. 🙂
wonderful post for mommies to be. Some great and useful tips.
These are great tips for new moms ! There is so much learning on the go that happens with breastfeeing, such helpful articles come in handy.
This got back so many memories. Thanks for sharing
Perfect tips, I have suffered a lot during initials months as my baby would get distracted easily during feeding sessions. And many of the tips shared have worked for us especially the feeding lying down, feeding after 2-3 hrs and when outside we would start with a session of feeding before stepping out. Very handy tips for new moms.
This is a very beautiful post becasue I know that many moms struggle with adequate feeding for distracted kids. Loved it!
I remember this phase of my baby clearly …a calm spot helped a lot..I think I tried almost all tips you have mentioned and calm spot and cover was the best bet
This is a very helpful post for moms who are nursing or mom’s to be. Breastfeeding has different challenges.
My daughter often gets distracted while feeding. As you said, a quiet place, lying down, teething necklace, and also babywearing helps us.
My son used to be so distracted while nursing when he was a baby. Those are some amazing tips.
Wow post..will definetly share wit my new mom frens. I wish i hd knwn this during my bf days…
As a new mom, such a helpful post. Loved number 3 – feeding in pubic is not easy for the baby
Thankyou Kamana, I hope these tips help you too.