I hope I can handle it. (BFing)

scooter19

One of the only things that come to mind when having 2 under 2 is.....BFing.  I BFed DD for a 1 year and I really hope I can do it with DS.  But I remember sitting on the couch MOST of the time with DD nursing her...and her just comfort sucking.  I know, most likey, I will not be able to do this with DS.  I will have an 18 month old running around.  I just gotta think of ways to keep her occupied while I BF. (I'm a SAHM so DD and DS will both be home with me all day.)  Any ideas....or inspirational stories?  I would love to hear them.

I did purchase the moby wrap though for future DS.  I've heard nothing but good things about it.  I hope this will help in caring for DD.  BUT (I have to laugh)...my MIL already told me not to use it too much because the baby will get too used to being held. 

alrdytkn1222

I have read before that moms used that time to read stories or watch a moviee together while you are nursing. I can only imagine the stress though...you will be trying to occupy baby number 1 and still nurse with that care free bonding time with baby number 2.

I am hoping to get pg real soon and this is what i worry about too! Im sure you will figure something out. The moby sounds helpful.

howleyshell

Start now training your DD to play with you while you're stationary on the couch.

We read books, sang songs, did ABC's with the magnadoodle, etc.

When upstairs at nap time in the baby's room I'd close the toddler into the room with us and had a basket of quiet play toys.  Turns out a box of shoes (needed to be put into the closet) was his favorite toy during the early times! 

It's a bit overwhelming at first and not as relaxing as it was the first time around but you'll find your groove before you know it. 

You'll surprise yourself.  I even played soccer in the living room while nursing!

And you'll also likely find that middle of the night nursing sessions take on a new meaning as that's truly your alone and snuggle time with your baby.

You can do it!!! 

HarrietNJMommy

howleyshell:

Start now training your DD to play with you while you're stationary on the couch.

We read books, sang songs, did ABC's with the magnadoodle, etc.

When upstairs at nap time in the baby's room I'd close the toddler into the room with us and had a basket of quiet play toys.  Turns out a box of shoes (needed to be put into the closet) was his favorite toy during the early times! 

It's a bit overwhelming at first and not as relaxing as it was the first time around but you'll find your groove before you know it. 

You'll surprise yourself.  I even played soccer in the living room while nursing!

And you'll also likely find that middle of the night nursing sessions take on a new meaning as that's truly your alone and snuggle time with your baby.

You can do it!!! 

Ditto!

Trust me, if I can do it, anyone can. I'm still BFing DS and he turned 1 a couple of weeks ago.......

bim38106

Ditto PPs.

DD1 was a super lazy nurser and loved comfort nursing. She was probably attached to me 2 of every 3 hours during the day (ok, and night too!). I was very nervous about being able to BF DD2.

Turns out it was way easier then I anticipated. Sure it was hard at first, and I actually almost quit (due to other issues) and was doing 50/50 BF/FF. Then I decided I wanted to continue BF and am now 100% back at BF only. To be honest, BF is way easier w/ 2 then FF, I think. When I'm BF, I still have a free hand to play with DD1. And I don't have to worry about packing even more extra stuff in an already-stuffed diaper bag. I don't have to worry about making a bottle w/ DD2 crying and DD1 tugging on my leg, I just sit down wherever we are and nurse. So much easier!

And probably because we have less time to dilly-daddle and are on more of a routine for DD1, DD2 is a much more efficient nurser. She's done in 10-15 minutes. She doesn't comfort nurse because I don't have the time to sit there and let her. So instead she gets a paci and she's totally fine with that. It works out much better then I had imagined.

hamilton.ja

movies, story time, nap time... arts and crafts that you don't have to be actively engaged it - like coloring, not something with glue or glitter...

also, what about a wrap or sling that you can nurse the baby in? i know lots of moms who do that. I just got a Moby today and I'm hoping it will help a lot in the early days when baby doesn't want to be put down but I still have to chase after DS.

Temp965378937506476

Ditto everyone else. It won't be as quiet or relaxing as it was the first time around but you'll manage. When/if it gets really bad and dd#1 isn't cooperating, I pop on the tv and put on Sesame Street for 10 minutes so I can get Clara down. Never would've been my choice before #2 came along, but you gotta do what you gotta do.

shouldbworkin

there were days when it was hard and I wanted to quit, but other days that were easy and I was glad I hadn't quit.  So, stick with it on the bad days, for sure.  If you can, try to get a mother's helped or use a MMO program, especially early on.  It's worth the $$, IMO.  But, my DD mostly did the comfort nursing/cluster feeding at night when DH was home.  So, he took over kid duty with #1 and I sat on the couch and nursed #2 all night long. 

My sling was great, actually!  It allowed me to hold #2 as much as she wanted and focus on #1.  Totally helped with the mommy guilt. 

eaglesfan700

The first month was definitely the hardest but once DS got used to it, it was no problem at all.

The most important thing for me was to make sure DS was "contained" so to speak.  I had to make sure he was in an area where he couldn't get into trouble.  For example if I was nursing in the living room, I would make sure the bathroom and bedroom doors were closed so the only place he could go was the LR and kitchen - where I knew everything he couldn't have was out of the way.

He had a couple meltdowns in the beginning but he got over it pretty quickly.  It seemed like someone was always crying that first month lol. GL!