Anyone have trouble finding time to eat?

peter_sprincess · April 2011

I'm struggling to eat properly while trying to EP. I feed DS change him play with him and then need to pump once he's asleep. I'm finding it hard to grab a decent meal. I'm thinking this isn't good for me or my DS. I have plenty of food in the house but based on Happiest Baby on the Block I'm anxious about putting him down and letting him cry at all. My mom says I'm nuts and to let him cry while I eat but it grates my nerves no end to hear him. DS is 5 weeks old and our families are not nearby. Any suggestions on how to meet his needs and also take care of myself?

gummygum · April 2011

I just started to EP this week and found that if I make food ahead of time (the night before or when she's sleeping) and stick it in the fridge I can quickly grab it and eat when i'm hungry. I made sandwiches, fruit salad, cut up veggies... It has been working for me so far. Good Luck!

ABizzity · April 2011

Definitely plan ahead and prepare what you can just grab and eat with one hand. I didnt EP but EBF and still found it difficult in the beginning. Sometimes I had to just put DS in his bouncy chair and go eat or shower or whatever. He usually cried for a couple minutes and then fell asleep. You have to do what you have to do. A healthy mama is best for baby. Good luck!

cchill01 · April 2011

Please eat!! You need to stay healthy for both of you. Think about small meals - lean pockets, sandwiches, yogurt, a bowl of cereal.

I would sit on the couch, with a pillow on my lap. DD laid on one side of the pillow, my plate would sit on the other or on the arm of the sofa. Just make sure your plate is not too hot.

I can't tell you how many times DD would end up with pasta sauce or mustard or granola bar crumbs on top of her. One day DH picks her up and says why is there chocolate all over the baby's onsie - haha. I told him she had a craving : - ).

madhatter2003 · April 2011

I side with your family here....EAT. Crying for 5-10 minutes while you fix a meal/snack will NOT HURT YOUR BABY.

It will hurt your baby if you get so worn out you cannot take care of yourself effectively, or your child.

They will cry. They will survive. It will not damage them. And if you are really worried, get a good wrap and wear them while you fix food/eat so your hands are free.

jf198400 · April 2011

Its really hard to find time to eat in the beginning. I often drank Slimfast b/c it required no preparation and you can easily drink it while feeding the baby. It can also be a good idea to get Lean Cuisine or any other type of microwavable meals- b/c the hardest part is being able to prepare the meal, not necessarily eating it. Since you are pumping, definitely get a hands-free bra so that you can eat while you are pumping. There's nothing wrong with letting baby cry for a few minutes so you can take care of yourself too. Another thing you can try is get a baby carrier so that you can wear baby while you are getting something to eat. Try to stock up on stuff that is easy to grab and go like apples or bananas vs. fruit that needs to be sliced, also yogurt, cereal bars or granola bars, crackers, rice cakes. It will get easier soon, don't worry.

Aviee · April 2011

I had 0 time to eat when I first had DD...and lost a TON of weight and energy because of it. Doesnt help to heal up from having LO or to keep up supply. I had to have H hold DD for an hour while I stuffed my face a couple of times a day by 3-4 weeks because I never had time to get food. Now my problem is drinking enough because DD loves to be awake ALL the time.

Try to get granola bars, energy bars, yogurt cups, anything that doesnt take time to make for when you can't get someone to help w LO. When you do have a rare moment to cook, cook lots of extra and store it in single serving microwaveable tupperware. Protein breakfast drink mixes also help keep your calories up :-}

ALY1981 · April 2011

I had the same problem! I second the preparing of meals at night time. Def pick fork friendly options. I also love carnation instant breakfast with frozen fruit and milk, blended in the magic bullet blender......quick breakfast that I can make holding my son in the other hand!

Meg4583 · April 2011

cchill01:
t.
I can't tell you how many times DD would end up with pasta sauce or mustard or granola bar crumbs on top of her. One day DH picks her up and says why is there chocolate all over the baby's onsie - haha. I told him she had a craving : - ).

HA! Yes-- SO Glad I'm not the only one!! LO has a pasta sauce stained onesie now b/c of it!

I do have trouble sometimes finding time to eat. LO has a habit of having a screaming fit every time I try to eat. While im not one to prep much food ahead of time, I find that having things that you can throw together in 5 minutes help. Turkey wraps, PB&J, etc. I also have yogurt and granola bars around, + lots of fresh fruit.

Dinner time I try to make us both a meal. I prep it while im feeding the dogs and LO is sleeping/with DH/next to me in the bouncy seat. If he's with me I talk him through our dinner prep and it seems to keep him calm for the 10 minutes or so that I need to get dinner ready. Sometimes he just cries.. and you have to let them. Its not going to hurt him. When LO cries I try to comfort him without picking him up so that I can finish food quickly.

With that being said, I do find myself eating while either holding a baby, or nursing a baby. I'm getting pretty good at that balancing act!

astroMom · April 2011

I think it is better to eat real food, but I think drinking an Ensure is better than nothing. I used them early on when I was starving and nursing (needing both hands)...used straws, etc...whatever it takes, but you need those calories/nutrients!

JDoe11111 · April 2011

I had the same problem, and I ate TERRIBLY at the beginning - whatever I could grab quickly. I have to wonder if my milk was any better than formula at that point . Eventually my LO did get a little more tolerant and I could catch a few minutes here and there, so there is hope I also had a very hard time when she would cry and it took a while to differentiate between when she was really upset, and when she was just finding her voice.

I found that juice boxes or individually packaged foods were easy enough to grab, one day I cut up a bunch of sommersausage and cheese cubes and packaged them in snack size containers to grab on the go. Definitely go with paper plates and forget about dishes for a while. It's not green, but you can donate to save the rainforests once you get through the hard time. I ate a lot of pre-packaged salads and stuff, which are more $$ than buying the ingredients but the time saved was worth it for me - otherwise I never would have gotten any vegetables. Bananas were convenient food too, you can carry a baby and eat a banana at the same time

The hands free pumping bra was a must, hopefully you are using one of those, and what finally helped me with putting LO down was a swing - we have the snuggabunny and LOVE it. I can also put her in the stroller and push her back and forth with my feet while I pump & eat. Around 12 weeks she finally was able to just hang out more without being entertained, and now I'm finally eatting a little better.

myszko · April 2011

I'm having a huge problem with this. I have low blood sugar, which hasn't been much of a problem for awhile, except for recently. I think my body has used up all of the extra fat and stuff that it had saved up while i was pregnant. I almost passed out the other day, and it had only been 4 hours since i had eaten a big breakfast. Scary. So now, DD just has to cry sometimes cause I certainly won't be any good to her if i'm passed out on the floor. I drink Ensure in a pinch. I also just tried DD's playmat for the first time and she loved it! So that will help buy time to prepare food.

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