7 Tips to Help Feed Your Distracted Baby

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Latch on, latch off, latch on again... Sound familiar?! We hit the 4 month mark and it was like the whole world was suddenly there to see, and it was best explored at feeding time! I've lost count since of the number of times baby has been distracted by something and given me 'niplash' or squirted herself and anyone in the nearby vicinity with milk!

Although often frustrating for you, it's completely normal for babies to become distracted, fidgety feeders, especially around times of developmental leaps. Distracted nursing can happen any time after 2 months, often peaking between 3-5 months but can happen at any time after that!

Baby's little brain is so busy learning how to smile, roll, crawl, babble, eat food and many other skills, and getting distracted by what's going on around them is a sign that they are developing. There are so many sights and sounds to experience and to learn to make sense of, that instead of feeding, all they want to do is engage with this new world around them!

So what can you do to help your distracted baby regain focus, stop fidgeting and help save your sanity (and your nipples)? Here are some things I tried that worked for me as a breastfeeding mum, but these tips would likely work for bottle fed babies too.

Feed in a quiet place

Sometimes, just as we do, babies need quiet to focus. Try retreating to a calm, quiet space to feed your baby. If you can't do that, try to reduce the noise in the room you are in by turning off the T.V, closing the door to the noisy washing machine next door or asking other children to do something quietly whilst you feed. Dim or red lighting helps to create a calm atmosphere in our house, which compliments the peace and quiet.