My daughter and I now have six months of breastfeeding (BFing) experience under our belt.  Not to say that we don’t have our ups and downs, (more on that in another post) but we pretty much have got the hang of it and feel like we are ‘pros’ now.

She now knows that the “boob” is coming before I even take time to prepare to nurse. I guess it’s all in how she is being held, that signals to her ‘food’s coming, and not from a bottle’.  She opens her mouth wide and awaits the “boob” to find its way to her.  It’s all quite funny honestly.

Once she has latched on, one of two scenarios may occur – she may be alert, interested in playing while eating, or she may be very calm and close her eyes. If she is alert, it can be quite fun (and funny too). She’ll try and reach my face, slapping it absentmindedly while I aim to kiss her little hand. She may hold her leg (which I will also kiss!) and swing it at me or have her foot climbing up my shoulder. It truly is an adventure -playing with your baby while they BF.   I recommend it!

On the other hand, if she is sleepy or calm, it is a completely different experience. All of a sudden I get a chunk of time (where I have no play partner) and a free hand. Thankfully, I usually know in advance which of the two scenarios is more likely to occur, so I can plan for it. Regardless, I always make sure to have a bottle of ice water handy, because BFing makes you thirsty!

After my daughter has claimed her post at the “boob”, with a nursing pillow to support her and one hand holding her comfortably, I can get to ‘my business’. What you can do with only one free hand and a baby in your lap, you ask? Well, ironically you can get quite bit done actually. As long as your baby is comfortable and secure in his/her position, use your judgment and see what works for you.

From both personal and friends’ experience, here are some suggestions of how to use this time: You can – watch TV, read a book / magazine (when was the last time you did that?), browse the net (you don’t need two hands for that!), have a phone conversation, meditate, relax (you forget to do that when you are a new Mom! Here’s your chance). You can also take advantage of this peaceful time and nap (you can BF lying on your side, this way both you and your baby are comfortable).

If you have older kids, this can be a good time for a board game that does not require you to move much, or time to read a book together or practice your child’s reading. If the weather permits, you and you baby can enjoy the outdoors while supervising your older kids as they play.

One friend even confessed she used to cook light meals while BFing! It’s all about how creative you can be as well as how capable you are of multi-tasking.  Never fear if you aren’t comfortable doing more than one thing while breastfeeding – you certainly don’t have too.