Days out with toddler and newborn

[WindFlower92]

Hi all, I'm definitely overthinking things but I need some help please! I've got a 2 year old and a 4 week old, and have just started feeling ready to go out for walks/toddler classes (had a c section). I'm exclusively breastfeeding, and she seems to take forever to feed at the moment, and the timings are all so unpredictable. If there's anyone who was in a similar position, how did you handle having to stop and feed when out and about? DD1 loves the park but can't quite do everything herself yet, so I can't sit back and feed. I also want to go to a toddler music group tomorrow, but if baby needs a feed while we're there is it okay for me to sit back and feed her? Or would DD be missing out if I'm not right there with her? I want to get back into things now but don't know if I should wait until feeds are a bit more predictable!

If your toddler isn’t big enough to just run round a playground or the like while you feed the baby then I’d always have some books, sticker books or CBeebies type magazines with me that I could occupy them with while I fed the baby. Or a snack like sliced apple that can take a toddler a while to eat. Sitting by a sandpit can also be useful and you may find you become very proficient at wandering around while feeding 🙂 At somewhere like a toddler group you should be fine to sit back and feed. And it won’t be long before the baby’s feeds shorten.

Thanks, stickers and books are a good idea!

I used to strap toddler in the buggy and distract with snacks (and Mr Tumble on my phone in emergencies!)

I had baby in a sling a lot. Tried to time it so fed baby before we went out but best laid plans and all that! As DS2 got bigger he got quicker at feeding so it got more manageable (just got to persuade him to stop now!)

Where possible, and mainly just because I liked company, I'd go with friends who would help out a bit if needed. But I can't say I have found it a problem at say the park (baby only 4m so fresh in my mind) because babies sleep so much in the fresh air. I think it's very different to being at home where you tend to feed more. If anything, I'd say it's harder now the baby is a bit bigger - I was hauling them around a toddler gymnastics class this morning trying to hold my older one on the beam at the same time. I fed the baby during the class too and no one batted an eyelid. I'd just give it a go - you always find a way to manage.

Can you feed in a sling OP?

I just did my best. I spent hours and hours in the park with baby and toddler ( 18m gap) .Baby was very difficult but being outside was better at settling. I used to bring a ball and tap it around for DD . Generally other children appear to distract the toddler. In those few months I spent as much time out of the house as I possibly could.DC2 was a very fussy baby and terrible on the breast and DD had only been walking for 2 weeks when he was born. We would be out for 8 when the park opened, an activity eg toddlers or tumble toys most days, home for lunch and then out again until dinner and bedtime for DD. Luckily I was young and it was the summer.