Baby Gets Distracted

My daughter has been very high needs right from birth. It took us a while to get the hang of breastfeeding, but we finally established a pretty good routine after about a month. Now that she is 3 months old however, I am finding she gets extremely distracted when feeding. I find I can’t feed her in public as she would much rather see what’s going on around her. Do you have any tips for how to keep her focused on feeding?

It sounds like your baby is very curious and aware of her surroundings! Breastfeeding a social butterfly can be a challenge.

1. If your baby is willing, try to nurse before an outing. When you are running errands, look for a private, quiet space for nursing. A private dressing room in a clothing store is ideal. I do not recommend breastfeeding your baby in the stall of a restroom, it is simply not a suitable environment for anyone to consume a meal!
2. To help your daughter focus her attention on your nursing sessions at home find a quiet space without a lot of noise from T.V., phones, or excessive conversation.
3. Now that she is a little older , you can trust your baby to let you know when she needs to nurse. Her sessions may be short but efficient!

Stacy Rubin is a nurse and lactation consultant in Hartford, Connecticut. She is also the author of the ABC’s of Breastfeeding: Everything a Mom Needs to Know for a Happy Nursing Experience.