'Feeding Station'

[Jaileth]

Was just wondering....

Does anyone have an area set up where they bf their baby? If so, what do you have in that area? (chair, water bottle,etc)

Just wondering what other people have done as I am thinking of getting an area set up before bub comes along.... :)

Thanks

[JanetF]

I never did that because I either just fed lying in bed or sitting in the loungeroom. In the early days of bf I was thirsty every time he started feed so I kept a litre bottle of water in the bedroom. If your bub likes to feed for a long time ( plenty do!) I think it can be a good idea. In the early days, the more lying in bed feeding, the more sleep you'll get, and the more easily you'll establish bf. Lots of skin on skin time for both of you is also crucial! And so beautiful with that new baby smell and skin :D Nanna naps in the daytime are essential to new parenting. I still have one now and then and my son is two.
I hope you've joined your local ABA group too because NOW is the time to do it, not when you're coping with parenting a newborn, getting to know each other and learning to bf. Many women have never had any contact with bfing mamas so going to a few group meetings before bubs arrives gives you instant social contacts, possible freezer fillers for birth ;) and a whole posse of milky mamas to help with your every query!
I hope you have a beautiful birth and a wonderful breastfeeding relationship! It's been 2 wonderful years here - so far!
:D

[nemosmum]

Hi,

I had an area set up for bfing, we had the rocking chair in the nursery. It was good and I used it often but I also found that as DS fed for a good hour in the begining I needed something to keep me awake. So I would often sit and watch movies in the lounge room. I always had two/three spit rags around (as DS had reflux) water and a snack, a pillow (as DS was a heavy little bub 4.4kg at birth!)

I never really got into feeding in bed, dont know why just didnt feel comfy (but thats just me) I think its great that your thinking of these things early on as I had no idea and kind of went into bf blind folded, just thought oh yeah Ill do it no worries. Its good to be prepared :cool:

[Crazy Monkey]

I feed my DS in the family room in front of the TV..

I always had the following with me:
* Bottle of water
* Snack
* Pillow
* Cloth nappy for spit ups
* Breatpads (to change after feed if need be)
* The remote controls (many times I got DS attached and realised that the remote was on the TV :mad: )
* DVD/Video in the DVD/Video player in case there was nothing on TV (for early morning feeds when there is nothing on TV but home shopping or religion shows - boring...)
* Anything else that I needed - like creams or medications for DS - had reflux and also thrush

Good luck...

[Jaileth]

Thanks all,

Some of these I hadn't even thought of!

Another question for you - is it possible to read while bf'ing? I know that sounds kinda silly - but hey :p Also - if it's possible to read, is it possible to write? (I can do both with one hand now, btw - and that's how I'm meaning - not taking the 'look mum, no hands!' approach - if that makes sense!) :D

[nemosmum]

I feed my DS in the family room in front of the TV..

I always had the following with me:
* Bottle of water
* Snack
* Pillow
* Cloth nappy for spit ups
* Breatpads (to change after feed if need be)
* The remote controls (many times I got DS attached and realised that the remote was on the TV :mad: )* DVD/Video in the DVD/Video player in case there was nothing on TV (for early morning feeds when there is nothing on TV but home shopping or religion shows - boring...)
* Anything else that I needed - like creams or medications for DS - had reflux and also thrush

Good luck...


Yes LOL there were many a time I did that, once I got stuck watching kerrianne kennerley :eek: torture or what (sorry any KAK fans out there but she is painful)
and the breast pads to are a must!

[Crazy Monkey]

Yeah its possible....

I got in the habit of writing down when DS feed, slept and nappies... Its easier to write if you are feeding on your no prefered side.. ie if right handed, feeding on the left side...

Its easier to read when bubs is small and doesn't wriggle and get distracted... Now that DS is nearly 6 months and interested in everything, it is hard to do anything (even talk) when he is feeding.. needs to know whats going on all the time...

[Rockett]

DH bought me a rocking/feeding chair but I never used it.I found it easier to make myself comfortable on the lounge in front of the T.V
DD used to feed for about an hour,so it would of gotten boring tucked away in the babys room for that long.I use a boomerang pillow to prop bub up with.

So I had next to me:

like jacksmum05,the all important remote/s
water
some food
breast pads
cloth nappy for spit ups
pen and pad,I always thought of things I needed to do,so wrote them down then and there so I wouldn't forget (bad memory)
a tube of Lansinoh for sore nipples
nail clippers to do bubs nails while she's half asleep,it's easier this way!

[Crazy Monkey]

Yeah i had the nail clippers as well... it is so hard to cut nails when bubs is awake and moving....

Glad I'm not the only one to forget the remote controls.. :D

[Jaileth]

it is so hard to cut nails when bubs is awake and moving...

I never thought of that - that's how I have to do it for my cat, else I end up with claw marks all over me! :rolleyes:

It's so amazing, the little tips you pick up on this site! :)

Thanks, jacksmum05 - it's good to know that it is possible! :)

[jonesso]

jacksmum has great ideas...

i too put chair in nursery, was great if i needed privacy in early days and also for night feeds. i kept popper juices next to the chair, plus my baby diary where i wrote down sleeps, feeds, wet and dirty nappies etc for the first 2 months. Also kept my "baby love" bible by robin barker, and read heaps the first month. i'd often think of things as bub fed.

[Manxie]

Hi

I love my rocker chair in the nursery and like Jonesso said in the beginnning its good to have somewhere you can hide away and concentrate away from visitors.



hope you've joined your local ABA group too because NOW is the time to do it, not when you're coping with parenting a newborn, getting to know each other and learning to bf. - I really WISH I'd done their course before having bubs - I was going to but never got around to it and think it would have been invaluable to help iron out some of the early problems

Good luck :D

[Jaileth]

Sounds like lots of people have found the ABA handy.

Where did the idea's for a 'baby diary' come from? It sounds like such a good idea - I've heard a couple of people mention it, and am going to give it a go, but was just wondering where you got the idea from?

Thanks all for your input - can't wait to put it into practice!

[nemosmum]

I had to keep a diary of all feeds (which side, how long) etc while in the hospital. The midwifes checked it every so often and then before I was released I had to show that I was competent with bf etc the diary I think is the hospitals way of monitoring mums and seeing if they are coping etc. Thats what happened with me any way, I think also coz I left after only two and a half days they wanted to be sure I was managing.

I stopped keeping a diary after about 4 days at home as I found DS was feeding constantly and it really didnt work for me, too time consuming. I just fed on demand and kind of kept track of things in my head. But what ever works best for you :)

[Jaileth]

kewl, thanks - and btw orlandosmum, love your avatar! :)

[nemosmum]

Thanks :D

I bet you cant wait to post one of your bub :p

[Jaileth]

orlandosmum, you are so right - I want to meet him so badly, but I still want him to hang in there for a little while yet - at least until after christmas!!! :p

[nemosmum]

O just pointed to your avatar and said "Cat cat Mummy!" and got all upset wneh I went to reply to you lol :D

[Jaileth]

:D lol! Poor boy! (I'm gonna wake my DH up cause I keep giggling now!) :D

[Crazy Monkey]

I guess I started keeping a feed/nappy diary because my memory is shot and I couldn't remember how many feeds, dirty nappies, etc.... And especially which 'boob' I was up too!! :)

As Jack has reflux and I have to give him medication 3 times daily, this was a good way to make sure he was getting all doses and I was able to see how long he was on a certain dose before having to increase it, due to his weight gain...


I have kept it going out of habit..

[Jaileth]

sounds like a good habit to start....

I'm just worried that after a while I'll loose intrest - I always start a diary at the start of the year, and a week later, I'm over it :o so to speak!

[Crazy Monkey]

The diary is for your info only, so if you forget to do it, I wouldn't worry.. I am actually surprised that I am still going 6 months later..

All the best

[loobeelu]

A friend of mine suggested a Breastfeeding basket, and it worked a treat, I could grab it and take it to wherever I was going to sit. It was a cane one with a handle.
It generally contained:
The phone...bound to ring when you are sitting down
Remote controls
Drink
Snack
Tissues
Muslin for mopping up spills
Book...its nice reading to them when they are feeding, I enjoyed reading classics like Winnie the Pooh and The wind in the willows
A book to read to my then 4 year old.

[Jaileth]

thanks loobeelu - a basket sounds like a great idea, as I want to set up two area's that I can comfortably feed bub in. And with a basket, I can just grab it and take it to the one I want to use at the time! :)

(Sounds great now, but we'll see how it goes in practice! :) )