Mumsnet Talk

In the evenings I often watch TV/films while holding and feeding baby -- but is this bad for her? I would never put her in front of 'baby' TV, but is it bad for her if I am watching something too?

Wanted to find out whether other people are doing this! Thanks

I do this! It keeps me entertained when I'm feeding DS, he is looking at me or drifting off to sleep most the time he's on the breast anyway, it keeps me sane if anything especially in the cluster feeding days.

I watch TV whilst feeding too. I'm currently watching Peter Pan with DD1 (3.8) & feeding DD2 (2weeks). I'm also on the iPad mumsnetting .

Oh yes I always used to was small, it helped to keep me awake!

Op I do it, because it is mind-numbingly boring doing nothing.

Anything that makes your day easier, I say!

Oh god yes I have two dc and I always have the tv on when they were very little... I would have gone mad otherwise.

I don't think DS really paid any attention to the TV until 5/6 months - at which point I felt I had to stop watching so many serial killer boxsets

DD used to take 45 minutes each side to feed. Without the TV or a good book I would have died of boredom - do mothers really spend all their time gazing into their babies eyes during feeding?

It didn't do DD any harm - she is 12 now.

I do it too!

I feel better already!

My sole concern is that my children may think Don Draper is their real dad.

Leedy I have that fear with Jeremy Kyle.

ER got me through the first few months of breastfeeding, I watched the pilot right through to the final ever episode (15 seasons in all!)

DS, 15 months, doesn't seem to have been affected by this, although he does like to put things round his neck in the style of a stethoscope!

So all the stuff about TV being bad for kids you often read about in the news -- is that debate about TV programmes designed for babies/kids rather than parents watching it?

Nearly all of DD's feeds were in front of the TV as it was the only comfortable chair I could sit in. She is a chatterbox.

A breastfeeding baby isn't exactly looking at the screen though are they, they face the mother - different to a child sitting in front of the screen watching flickering, fast moving images.

I don't let me Ds watch TV ever. If I want stimulation whilst breastfeeding I put on Baby Einstein music.


Well that's what my MIL says I should do at any rate! I personally watch whatever I want

I watched the reruns of This Life. Brilliant they were too.

What are you supposed to do? It's very hard to read a book while breastfeeding, should you sit in silence staring at the wall?

I bottle fed in front of 90210. Could actually feel my brain cells melting as I got more into each episode! I dont think DD really saw any of it!

Phew! Good to know I'm not alone my DP did ask me not to let DS (5weeks) look at the TV if I had it on... Honestly he is either looking at my boob or staring at the dark coloured cushion on the sofa next to me.

TV, or MN on iPhone.
I got given a Kindle a few months in which I highly recommend for making reading one-handed easier, but you do have to concentrate, so sometimes ITV2 is what it takes!

With PFB I would only watch family type shows in case she absorbed what was going on and was corrupted by it . With NSC I used to feed whilst watching the Wire. Or sometimes Dexter. What else do you do when they're feeding? Stare at the wall? Think of all the things you could be doing if you weren't pinned to a sofa with a newborn?

Quick note - only did this for evening feeds when the toddler was in bed. We didn't settle down to a quiet afternoon viewing of Dexter decapitating someone.

Watching tv makes one relaxed, and a relaxed mother makes a relaxed baby