This is my third child and I have exclusively breastfeed all of my children. This one is a little different. When we leave the house and it is time for him to eat, he is so distracted that he won't eat. As soon as we get home, he'll latch on and eat. My other two children ate anywhere and everywhere. Any tips or ideas that you all of used for this situation? Thank you. I appreciate your resonses.
The only thing I can think to suggest is one of those hooter hiders or something. Use some sort of cover so that he doesn't have anything to look at. He may still be bothered by the noises, however. I say more than anything, if he isn't screaming in hunger, don't worry about it. You may get a bit uncomfortable, but if he's happy, is it that big of a deal?
Another suggestions...retire to the car for a bit?
Either way, yeah to you for BFing!!!
my son was very easily distracted and i discovered by chance when we were flying with him at 2.5 months old that if i nursed him in the bathroom he would eat just fine. I spent nearly all of my time feeding him outside the home i was in the bathroom stalls of every store possible or in the car. But it was the only way he would eat. not really desirable but it worked for us.
Try a nursing cover up and try to relax, he might be sensing that you are worrying about his siblings while you are nursing and then he is too nervous to eat. Maybe have the other two sitting and the 3 yr old in the stroller eating a snack while you feed him so they are all eating at the same time.
Have you tried to palce a blanket over him and you while feeding? When I was out and about I always threw a blanket over my daughter's head so I could feed her and still visit or what ever I was doing. You may try that and see if it works.
I agree with the bathroom trick too since if I was someplace (like a restraunt) where someone could be disturbed by my feeding I did use the bathroom. No not most desireable but better then her going hungry.
Good luck
The only thing that kept my oldest focused at that age was a nursing necklace. It had lots of colorful, textured beads, and she played with it while nursing.
The car is better than the bathroom!!! Would you feed your other kids in the bathroom? I understand that the little one gets distracted, but please! do not relegate yourself to the bathroom! It undermines the years those before us worked to get breastfeeding in public places legalized in Minnesota!
Maybe finding a quiet corner and having quiet activities for the older ones might work?
Good luck!
Is this a new behavior or has he always done this? I really enjoyed Dr. Sears' discussion in his book "The Baby Book" about the stages of nursing. It seems that at six months you may have the gymnastic nurser. You also didn't mention if this situation was creating special problems for you. Is he fussy and needing to nurse, but just not concentrating and doing it? If he is so distracted that he can just put it off until you are home, you may be able to go with it. I have been amazed many times at how long my babies would wait to nurse if it suited them for some reason or another. They just catch up on their own and are not harmed in any way. But for getting and keeping a baby's attention, I guess the only thing I can offer from my experience is the power of your voice. I talk constantly to my babies (all of my children, actually--I just plain talk a lot) and sometimes find that I can control them well with my voice as a result. Actually, even more powerful if you have truly no pride like me, is singing. I sing a lot to the babies. As a result, I can sing them to sleep or to "peace" in a lot of very trying, stressful, even painful situations. People probably think I'm a nut, but it makes mothering just that much more wonderful, so the trade-off is good.
My two kids have been easily distracted like hat, so when we are out, I either have to fine a quiet spot wherever we are, or nurse inside the car.
Good Luck.
Neither of them will nurse with a cover over them either.
Jessie
At 6 months I wouldn't worry about it. Our son did the same thing when we would go shopping or somewhere for the day. He could go 9 hours with NOTHING! He was strictly bf for 9 months. (NO other foods. We did introduce the sippy cup of water about 6 months but he didn't care for it till about 11 months.) Our son was just content watching all the new things going on in the world around him that he didn't want to eat. So, I'd just feed him as soon as we would get home.
He'll let you know when he's hungry.
Have you tried useing a feeding cape, maybe be less distracted.
My daughter was exactly the same way. If she was starving she would nurse buy otherwise she wanted to look around instead. Coverups made it worse and the car was super interesing as well.
Being 6 months old I wouldn't worry about it. I pretty much tried nursing and if she didn't want to, I figured she wasn't hungry enough. She survived till we got home. When she was taking finger foods I stared bring snacks and water with so she wasn't so crabby.
