How do you BF a newborn with an 18 month old to entertain?

[bobblyboris]

Hi. I'm pregnant and have a DS who will be 18 months when the 2nd one comes along. DS requires full on entertaining (mainly following actually) since he's been crawling and will not stay in one place for a second. (friends have told me he may settle a little once he gets walking?)
I would like to breast feed with DC 2 but can't imagine at the mo how I'll be able to attend to a newborn to do this and keep up with DS 1!

you'll end up watching a lot of telly.

you will also have very little recollection of the first 6 months of dc2's life.

I BF ds2 when ds1 was 17months.

I made feed time book time.

Before having the ds2 I went out to a few charity shops and let him choose a few books. I then kept them in a box by the sofa and when baby wanted feeding I would tell ds1 that it was time to get his special books out and he would cone over choose a couple from the box then snuggle up with us while I read to him. I also prepared snacks and drinks first thing in the morning so if it was near snack time I'd just grab a tub out of the fridge and a drink and put it on the coffee table so he could have it while I was feeding his brother.

It was easier once the first few weeks had passed and I must have done something right as still BF ds2 at 13months and if he starts whinging or crying my toddler will come running up to me shouting "mummy, Rara Boobie" (Rara being his name for the baby )

You will need one lockable childproof room where you can feed and DS can't do any damage to himself. You will also probably need to keep yourself and new baby out of reach while you feed (18m DD used to use feeds to try and poke DS's eyes). Books or special toys are often recommended, but I found that DS was spending so much time on the boob that DD was spending more time with her 'special' toys and books than with her normal stuff. So we gave up on that. We just struggled through it - it's a very tough age gap but it does get better - DS is now 10 months and they play together quite a lot. DD loves him to pieces and will often 'feed' one of her dolls while I feed him.

There is 15 months between mine. I had a basket of special toys just for feeding time so ds was always reasonably entertained. He seemed to get fairly quickly that at that one time, he just had to wait. I made sure I always read him a story afterwards too.

I did booktime, or tellytime, plus had snacks and drinks etc. My dd1 liked it, actually, and it was easy to cuddle her plus feed a newborn. I also bought dd an oven to play with, as I thought that would be an easy way for her to entertain herself while I fed.

Read, sing or tell stories. Good idea to get him used to that before baby is here. We also had a special game where we climbed into the bed and pretended it was a car which took us off to all sorts of places.

We got DD some new duplo and put it in her travel cot in living room right next to the sofa, she was only allowed in for feeding time or poo explosions or stressful baby nap times oh and lots of DVDs like telly tubbies/ITNG, sigh I much preferred feeding DD when I got through boxsets of House and the like anyhow this and the story/snack thing got us through those first couple of weeks

Good luck

Thanks everyone. There are some great suggestions. Wish me luck!

We have always had a childproof room (living room) with a baby gate on it so I could feed the baby whilst interacting with the toddler at the same time, without trying to feed and run about the house with a newborn attached! If the TV was on you could chat to them about what was on, if they were playing with a toy you could talk about that. Also they could sit next you and you could read a book. Because you are both stuck in the same room you can interact with them so they don't feel left out.

I am assuming given their age your Ds still has a daytime nap? If he does when the baby wakes take them to your bed and lie on top of the covers and feed them lying down so you get a rest too. I did this when DC2 came along but couldn't with DC3 as DC2 no longer had a day sleep but this time DC1 and DC2 will be at school/preschool so I am hoping that DS will still have a day sleep so I can do this again : )