How to keep occupied while feeding at night?

[SleepySheep]

When you're up on your own at three in the morning, what do you do to keep occupied?

I've tried reading, staring at the ceiling - just get sooooo bored!

Any suggestions?

I became exceedingly well informed on current affairs by leaving World Service on very low volume overnight.

Then I'd hear the news the next day and think 'Oh how odd, I dreamed that last night'.

do it lying down in bed, then you can sleep.

get wireless and mumsnet with those stateside and in Oz

Early days I read acres of newspapers with a low night light.

I got tetris on my mobile phone and played that to keep awake

oh yes, World Service!

Oh yes and loads of Sodoku, Killer etc.

The other day I read dd to sleep for her nap and too sleepy myself to get up and do whatever housework I should have been doing, run out of Killers, and tried to remember everyone in my class at school. Did ok with the girls, struggled with the boys tho!

Nintendo DS! I can prop it on the feeding pillow behind DD and use the pen one handed to operate it. I've got an ebook as well which is another thing that I can prop up and use hands free

I used to listen to the radio.

Quite often I'd just tune to random radio stations....you'd come across really odd and interesting stuff.

World service, bbc7 and dvds on laptop. We're working our way through Murder One atm.

Inordinate amounts of chick lit and other trash.

Reading the first book in Millennium saga atm - almost don't mind the marathon feeding sessions!

Do people actually get out of bed to feed? I have always done it in bed.

Best tip I ever picked up on mumsnet; download some books onto your ipod and listen to them for the night feed. I worked my way through loads, including the wonderful 'a thousand splendid suns'. I ended up loving the night feeds!

Sunday papers, cover to cover. And hello / ok magazine, they were the only ones that would flop open on my lap properly .

I get out of bed. I find it uncomfortable sitting with my legs straight out in front of me and cant lie down as I will fall asleep as dh cant co sleep. So I go down stairs and watch sky plussed programmes on 1 dit and sometimes subtitles with a dim light on. Means I also eat cake and drink pints of milk in the middle of the night

oh god I never got out of bed to feed. I just used to sit up, put the radio on and hoik the baby out of the moses basket.

Luckily DS was a quick feeder -greedy, but quick. I'd listen to talk radio.

DD was a lot slower and a bad sleeper so I think I just used to sit staring into space like a bit of a zombie with music in the background.

Did your OH not complain about the radio Norbert or have I just got a grumpy dh

I second mastering the art of feeding lying down, then falling back off to sleep. It's a life saver, but remember if you are going to do that then you must follow the guidelines for safe co-sleeping.

I used to sleep in the DC's bedroom and DP, most of the time, would be in our room in order to get a good nights sleep because of work etc.

If he was in with us as well it didn't usually disturb him as it would only be on quietly.

If it did wake him I'd hand over the baby to do winding duties whilst I went back to sleep

I used to watch MTV or crappy late night films on Sky.

DD was a summer baby so used to go downstairs and watch Sky plussed things (usually Big Brother ) but too cold with DS so just used to stay in bed- but kept falling asleep mid feed which isn't a good idea...

I used to read in bed, never turned my lamp off and generally gave up on the notions of day and night until DS learnt them.
Was great!

reading, or with the second one i never bothered switcing on the light..so sleep. i found not switching the light on meant more sleep....

I slept through most of the night feeds. From early on, ds could just wiggle over and help himself.

I only got out of bed if I smelt a stinky nappy.