BFing on the move?

[Babybug]

Hello ladies and congratulations on your little or now not so little ones.

I just have a quick question, I am due in August and have a 4 year old. Last time I bf on demand and because she was my only child I was able to work pretty much around her schedule unless we had appointments etc. This time obviously I will have DD to takd to school and other things that need to be done on time.

Can you BF on the move, ie could I walk to DD1 school with DD2 in a sling BFing or would I struggle to keep her on? I never tried moving with DD just sat comfy on the sofa or in bed.

Also it would be handy to be able to BF in a sling in the house sometimes I think.

Also what sling would you recommend if any for this? Not one of the ones with miles of material, I had one for DD and wasnt keen.

TIA

 

[Maxy1]

I haven't BF a newborn on the move but I BF DS in a Mei Tei carrier when he was a little older. i think about 6 or 7 months old. I used a Moby for DS before then, and don't think I would have had any problem feeding from that, but it is one of those wraps with 'miles of material' so you may not like that idea.

 

[Islas_mummy]

I am finding the whole BF with a very active 3 year old to look after, a struggle to be honest.

I purchased the Babylonia Tri-Cotti sling to BF on the go. It was recommended to me by a friend, but I haven't yet used it to BF. It is very comfy and simple though!

Sorry I couldn't be more help and good luck!

 

[leigh5tom]

I'm struggling too with breastfeeding whilst (attempting) looking after my 2yo. Some days I'm glued to the sofa with DS hanging off my boob. She gets really fed up & jealous. I'd love to know about feeding in a sling too xxx

 

[patch2006uk]

I've been feeding in the sling from about 2 weeks old this time. I never got the hang of it with DS1, but I suppose necessity drove me to try it earlier this time and to try harder to make it work! DS2 also has a much better latch than my eldest ever had, and he doesn't mind being latched on at weird angles. He has very good head control, so I've never worried about him feeding upright, either. I'm not sure I'd have liked to have fed him in a cradle position in the sling.

I know you've said that you didn't like the wrap with lots of fabric, but they are fab for adjustability. I wear DS in a long woven wrap (size 8, but I'm tall so it wraps like a size 7 would on most women) and just let in a little slack to drop him down to boob height and then hoick out a boob and latch him on. It's most comfortable if I keep a hand on his head or on my boob, but I can be completely hands free if I need to be for a little while. I did start with a strecthy wrap, and that did work for feeding in, but it was actually more awkward because it's harder to let slack in and out as needed. I found I had to fidget so much with the wrap to get him latched that I ended up needing to completely re-tie after he'd finished, which often disturbed him so much he woke up. In the woven, I just undo the knot when he's finished and tighten it all up again, and he usually stays asleep. I know people do feed in mei tais and buckled carriers, but I've never done that myself and I've never seen it done, either. I imagine the method would be similar - loosen straps to drop LO down, feed, and then tighten back up at the end.

Slinging and breastfeeding are both separate skills, so it's best to be good at both separately before you try and combine the two things. It is well worth trying to master, though, as it really has made life so easy. I've fed everywhere -on buses, in supermarkets, in the sealife centre, in the middle of the street. Compared to last time when I just had to sit and keep everything perfectly still to get a good latch, it's so much easier. It does depend a lot on how well LO latches on, too. A baby who struggles to get and maintain a good latch might struggle more than a baby who gets a good latch and doesn't slip. It's not something I expected to be able to do, but I am very grateful that I've been able to this time around!