Entertaining a toddler while breastfeeding - tips please!!

[hmt1979]

Hi have a newborn and an almost 2 year old. Unfortunately for a few reasons, my newborn is a really slow feeder and can take up to an hour to feed him. My toddler has to date been in front of the TV but even she is getting a bit sick of this but is not great at playing by herself. Does anyone have any tips or entertainment suggestions to get the toddler away from the TV? All advice appreciated!!

[EmilyPie]

A friend of mine had a special feeding box full of toys her toddler was only allowed to play with at feeding time. I was never organised enough to do this but it worked really well. Will depend a bit on your lo but stuff she can do on the sofa next to you is good. Could include jigsaws, maybe this kind of thing Bigjigs Toys BJ766 Wooden Dress Up Bear Family https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B006TG2DE0/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_FVlDub112VYKA or Nina Ballerina Magnetic Dress Up Playset https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B000IEBY3A/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_JWlDub0JC0FSE sticker books, jars of beads or buttons to sort, her own doll to dress and feed and put to sleep, books for you to read to her, feathers for tickling you or the baby (depending on how grumpy this will make them). You could get her to decorate the box too so that it feels special and she is excited about getting to play with it, and occasionally add something new to it so it stays exciting.

[Peachpie]

I read, sang,told stories and did a lot of spotting and counting all sounding super happy and toddler focused!! He also liked playing with a big box,tearing up newspaper and thankfully seriously got into train sets, any obsession is a good thing!! :). Though I have to admit my baby had a lot of broken feeds. It does take multi-tasking to a new level. Though it does get better and now my two are best mates and play together endlessly.good luck.

[pilsbury]

i dont' really have anything new to add, but i just wanted to echo what peachpie said - i also had a v slow breastfeeder (and painful too until i sorted out his tongue tie!) and found having a (at times) needy toddler there at the same time, mega stressful, but it does get much easier when the little one learns to nurse quicker and/or when you start weaning - my two are now 3.5 and 1.5 and turning into best chums, which is so lovely to see! hand in there xx

[etta166]

I found that going out, like park or soft play was good. As is going to a friends house, so even if you both have toddlers and babies, usually they won't be feeing at the same time.I was also really luck to be helped out by friends with children but not necessarily babies, who came over loads in theceatly days. I think I was probably on my own with my 3 for one or two feeds a day, so not too many feeds without entertainment for my older kids.

[etta166]

I've just remembered that I also got my older children to "help" feed the new baby, by expressing and bottle feeding a bit too.

[Gooders79]

Sympathies as it is hard. My toddler,over drawing at this age which was great, hopefully stickers will be soon an option as they are easy to help with one handed too if required. Tv which worked for us was for a nursery rhyme/action song DVD as I could sing along without toddler but still feel as though I was managing to interact.

[ACBP]

You could try to feed in a sling? Then have hands free and be a bit more mobile? My newborn is five days old...toddler is two in twelve days...that's what I'm hoping to try and do and then. I've got a variety of slings but I'm going to try to feed in a ring sling...

[BellendenBear]

Not really what you're asking for, but there's a book called 'Big Sister Now' which is all about a big sister having to be patient while her mum feeds, rocks etc the new baby. I bought it for my 2nd daughter who had just turned 2 when my twins were born. I changed the little girl's name in the book to my daughter's name, and she still loves reading it 16 months later.

I never tried feeding using a sling, but a really good feeding cushion can also work really well. I never used one for my elder 2 but used one to feed my twins simultaneously (a very slow process). This allowed me to be hands-free to interact more with the older ones. I really wish I had used one earlier.

And don't forget that the slow lazy feeding doesn't last forever. In a few weeks time things will be much more speedy.

[Sonners]

My toddler likes to play with things on our home made light box. We have quite a lot of cheap things we use which I found from reading blogs about light box use - there are lots if good ones and pictures on Pinterest if you use that. You could have it next to you on the sofa so you're playing on the same level.

[snowboarder]

I know one of the things I did was actually try and feed as much as possible when the toddler wouldn't notice - so a 7am (ish) feed when husband hadn't left for work - 10am ish either toddler at pre school (I started him the day he was 2!) or I'd sneak upstairs for a speedy one following morning sleep, massive cluster lunchtime feed when toddler was napping (so as soon as put him to bed then just before he was supposed to wake up!) and then winged it through the afternoon - often ending in a tea time/bath time meltdown for us all! I think I was lucky that my 2 yr old obligingly napped until he was just over 3 - made life a lot easier!!