Distracted Eater

Heather - posted on 07/16/2010

Ya, the nursing necklace is a great idea for keeping their attention towards you. I would also recommend covering your baby with a nursing cover or small blanket like you would do nursing in public, that way baby won't be distracted and tempted to look around. I have to do that sometimes and it works, my baby will then just stare at my bra or close her eyes to rest and eat.



Also while doing all that, if you need to, try just gently rubbing the babies back with your free hand and caressing their head. It helps get them into snuggle mode and helps them focus on eating.



Hope that helps! LOL!

Cavell - posted on 07/16/2010

Definitely a stage. My daughter is 28 weeks old and sometimes will still get distracted, but mostly if it's a really loud noise, or if I talk while she's feeding. They also apparently go though a stage where it's like trying to nurse a rabid wolverine (kicking and flailing and pinching), at least I know my daughter did, as did a couple of my friends little ones. Every now and then she will still just stop for no reason and start jabbering at me, smile, and go right back to eating. I just chuckle and tell her to finish her breakfast/lunch/dinner/snack depending on the time of day. She went from taking a half an hour to feed to about 10 minutes if she's being silly.

Leslie - posted on 07/16/2010

I'll have to look up that nursing necklace, I like that idea. Thanks for the ideas guys.

Amanda - posted on 07/16/2010

It's the age! They will stop...eventually :) In the meantime you might want to try getting a nursing necklace (google them some are really cute) especially for when you are out and about. I always felt like when mine were that age that they just wanted EVERYONE to see where all this yumminess was coming from! Nursing necklaces are suppose to really keep them directed at your neck and keep eating. I haven't tried one, but am pregnant again and plan to when they get here. If you are feeling like they are playing too much try to sit them down (pull off the breast) and tell them that the boobs (or whatever you want to call them) are for eating not playing. Then nurse again when they are ready. Some babies get the message, others (like my 2 year old who still plays) don't care and are like whatever lady! Good luck...please take the time to enjoy a little play. It really is fun to watch the interaction between your breasts being just food to playtoys to comfort in the months ahead!

Briana - posted on 07/16/2010

Mine just started doing this too, and he's 4 months today. It's so annoying, but so darn cute haha. He'll stop when he hears Daddy talk and his eyes get super wide like "I hear him, where is he?!?" or he'll see that I am eating something, and he is more interested in watching me eat than himself eating. And because of all this, he doesn't get a full meal, and eats more (about every 30-60 minutes right now!!). And I still haven't figured out what to do. People have told me to feed in an area where there are no distractions, but I can't help that half the time that he is distracted it's because he simply wants to look at me. I am thinking about getting a nursing necklace, so he can play with that while nursing and maybe that will help.

Catherine - posted on 07/16/2010

My youngest seems to think my boobs are made of elastic, not fun. I've found that putting a muslin over her head does the job, she can still see me, if I position it to leave gap.