If you have a newborn, this may seem like a joke..."What do you mean, 'Things to do while breastfeeding?' I'm breastfeeding and have no hands to spare! What else can I do except for...well...breastfeed?" Once you get the hang of positioning and latching-on your baby, you will realize that a lot of time is going to be spent in your glider or on your couch. So, here are some ways you can spend this precious time (or multitask!).
- It may seem like a no-brainer, but spend some time staring at your baby. Talk to her. Sing to her. Before you know it, she's going to be pulling off the breast and looking up at you, giving a quick smile, and going back to her nursing. This interaction will make you melt!
- Take a nap with your baby while nursing. The side-lying position is a wonderful thing to learn for this purpose! Napping with your baby is a great way to spend the afternoon. Don't worry, it's a very safe way to nurse–just make sure you don't have a lot of pillows around the baby.
- Relax with a covered cup of tea and a nice snack. Mother's Milk Tea promotes healthy lactation at the same time and tastes great with a whole-grain granola or energy bar. This is an easy way to fit in some nutrition, hydration and relaxation.
- Turn on the tube. This might be more difficult as the baby gets older because he may be distracted, but this is a great way to catch up on all of your TIVO'd shows you've been neglecting.
- Depending on your attention span, read a magazine or a book.
- Spend quality time with your other child. If your older child is still very young, this time is critical, so pull out his favorite book to make him feel that he's not left out of the loop.
- If you're very comfortable and confident in your nursing skills, you can get housework done! If the baby doesn't require a lot of guidance with the latch and has good head control, you can use a breastfeeding sling, which will allow you to move about the house freely and the baby can continue to nurse for as long as she wants. If you're feeling really ambitious, you can even get some errands done (slings are very discreet – you really have to dig deep into them to see the baby, which most strangers won't do, so your baby can nurse through your whole trip to the grocery store if need be!)
- Call a friend. This is the ideal time to return messages, but you may want to buy a hands-free headset if the baby still needs assistance with the latch.
- Sit in silence. The baby is happily nursing, so take this time to listen to the lack of fussing.
- Have a group nursing session. Invite some friends over to hang out, then chat the day away!
