no eye contact whilst breastfeeding, anyone else experienced this?

[honeytea]

Ds is 8 months old, he breastfeeds a few times a day. He doesn't give me eye contact whilst feeding, he has never looked at me whilst feeding he just stares at my armpit.

Has anyone else had a baby who wouldn't look at them whilst feeding?

He looks at me at other times but he likes to be crawling around and wiggles to be put down often.

My DTS doesn't look at me when feeding. He just sucks it down like it's his last meal ever. Oh, and he likes to claw my boob, to encourage the flow! ouch, it reminds me to keep his nails short. Plenty of smiles at other time.

DTD is more smiley but still focuses on the matter at hand mostly!

DS2 didn't until he was much bigger! I always thought "what about the bonding and closeness of breastfeeding?" but it didn't make a difference, he's still a total sook!

Ds doesn't like anything to break his concentration: he shuts his eyes even if he's not sleepy.

I'm glad it's not just my ds who didn't read that breastfeeding is supposed to be an intimate opportunity to hold eye contact and bond.

Ironically if dp feeds him ( spoon feeds mush) ds will look at me to check it is safe that dp is feeding me.

How is she supposed to make eye contact when she has her face in my boob? I assumed the bonding comes more from the skin to skin and whatnot.

Well, if you count kicking me in the stomach and poking inquisitive fingers up my nose as bonding then DS certainly bonds when feeding - eye contact not at all. He's very sociable at other times though and otherwise makes good eye contact and points at stuff so I don't think there's anything else going on.

Uh no if DD wants to make eye contact she pulls off the boob. While she's feeding her face (and gaze) is towards my armpit. Never really bothered me, I like seeing her focused on the feed.

Ironically if dp feeds him ( spoon feeds mush) ds will look at me to check it is safe that dp is feeding me

That made me laugh!!!

Sometimes DS2 looks at me while feeding. He then giggles and breaks off, stretching my nipple. Ouch. He is five months old.

Other than that, he is busy staring at my armpit, clawing my chest, winding his fingers in my hair and sometimes his eyes roll in that lovely way that babies signify pleasure and relief. But not bothering with a lot of eye contact.

Mine didn't. I would read the paper or watch the news while they bf. Looking down at them would have given me a stiff neck!

hebe just made me laugh in the middle of ds' bedtime feed. I'm with you there, though I'd add pulling my hair and trying to take my glasses off my face.