15 Things to do while Breastfeeding

Raise your hand if you are a breastfeeding momma!!! I have four kiddos and I've attempted to breastfeed all of them. 

I breastfed my first child for about ten months. I became pregnant during that time frame and my milk dried up unfortunately so I had to switch to formula for the last two months.

I breastfed my second child for thirteen to fourteen months. I also became pregnant during the time frame so my milk started to dry up which made for an easy weaning period and transition to whole milk. 

I tried to to breastfeed my third child but due to health issues, the doctors suggested I stop breastfeeding or drastically change my diet. I fed him for a week, supplemented, tried again for a few more days and then pumped for about three weeks in hopes of being able to breastfeed but it didn't work out.

I am currently breastfeeding my fourth child, who just turned eleven months and all is going well! I will say that once you get past the first two months and in to a routine, breast-feeding gets easier. 

As a mom who has breastfed and bottle fed, I will say there are pros and cons to both, but no matter what your choice is, fed is best! We all love a happy, healthy baby with a belly full of milk.

As a mom who is currently breastfeeding, I have sat staring at the wall or checking social media on my phone hours on end wondering what all I need to do or could be doing. Sometimes I feel like my days fly by and I haven't gotten anything done because all I have done is sit on the couch feeding the baby and binge watching. 

Some days I am perfectly fine being lazy and enjoying baby cuddles all day. Other days I struggle with feeling like a failure because I feel like all I did all day was sit on the couch feeding the baby because he was sick, growing, cluster feeding, and wanting mommy. I know that at the end of the day all that matters is that the kids are alive and healthy but some days are harder than others. 

On average I feed my son six times a day for 20-40 minutes at a time, sometimes more, especially if he wakes up in the middle of the night, won't go to sleep, or is growing. The older my son gets, I am trying to wean him more and more. He now loves to eat solid foods but still loves to breastfeed. I am currently in the process of weaning him to three or four times a day. 

Since I usually have a free hand while I am breastfeeding, I am able to be productive at times. Occasionally I am able to use my computer but typing with one hand while balancing a baby, nursing pillow, and laptop on my lap can be a challenge so I've come up will several other ways to be productive while breastfeeding. 

Here is a list of 15 things you can successfully do while breastfeeding and using your free hand. 

1. Do Nothing

Enjoy the moment because before you know it, your little one will be weaned and drinking regular milk.

2. Watch Something

Binge watch your favorite show or start a new show. Turn on the TV. Turn on the news. Watch a movie. Watch videos on YouTube. You can watch educational videos or tutorials to try to learn something new.

3. Read

Read a book. Read a magazine. Read a newspaper. Read a baby book to your baby. While turning the page may be a challenge, it is doable. You can even read books on you cell phone, iPad, or kindle.

4. Listen

Listen to Music. Listen to a Podcast. Listen to an Audio Book. Listen to your kids read a book. Listening to stories is a great way to be productive when your hands are full.

5. Eat

While this may not be the healthiest choice, breastfeeding burns calories so you need to make sure you are eating enough food for both you and baby.

6. Save & Earn Money

Yes you read that right, you can save money and earn money on your phone. There are several Cash Back Apps & Websites, Product Testing Apps & Websites, Apps that pay you to take surveys, Scratch off ticket Apps, Roll the Dice Apps, and more. You can even clip digital coupons to help save money for later. My favorite website/app to earn points for gift cards is Crowdtap.com (referral)

7. Grocery Shop

You can order your groceries online or in the app, drive up, and they will load your car for you. I have yet to try it because I like going to the store and picking out my own products, but I'm sure as the kids get older I will use store pick-up. Every store has a different name for it and several stores have added it as their way of being Covid-19 friendly. You can easily select what you want to order and pick it up later.

8. Plan

Plan out your meals for the week or month. Plan a vacation. Plan a birthday party. Plan your holiday meals. Plan out your kids schedules. Plan your kids sports schedule. Plan your blog schedule. Plan future crafts. Plan future home upgrades. You can plan anything and everything out in advance. I use Pinterest to make boards to help with inspiration and planning. 

9. Create a to-do list

This goes hand in hand with planning. Your phone is usually always by your side, if not grab a pen and paper and jot down your to-do list. It can be a grocery list, a list of things that need to be fixed around the house, a list of chores, or anything else that needs to be done.

10. Create a Wish list

Do you or a family member have a birthday coming up? Maybe Easter, Valentine's Day, or Christmas is right around the corner. Create a wish list of items you want or think your kids will want. I make a board on Pinterest to share with family when they ask. Several store websites have a wish list option for you to save their items to and share as well. 

11. Schedule Appointments

Doctor appointments, dentist appointments, hair cuts, nails, whatever it may be, you can easily schedule appointments by making a phone call.

12. Check E-mails

Breastfeeding is a perfect time to check your e-mails. Respond to those than need responding to and delete all the spam. You can even organize your e-mails into folders or go through old e-mails and delete them. Try to unsubscribe from e-mails you are no longer interested in. 

13. Use a voice activated device to type for you

I will use the speaker button on my phone to type messages for me on text and social media. I have even used the speaker button to jot down blog post ideas. There are several different types of technology that will type your words for you. One of the joys of living in the twenty-first century. 

14. Talk

If someone else is in the room with you, talk to them. Verbal communication is lacking in todays society. If not, call or text a loved one. Having trouble texting with one hand? See #12.

15. Play a Game

You can play a game on your phone or iPad. There are several free games you can download. Games such as Sudoko, a Word Search, a Maze, problem solving games, Candy Crush, and more. There are so many games out there. You can even make/join a Fantasy Football team and keep up with that. 

While it is not a bad thing to sit in the quiet, attempting to relax for a few minutes while breastfeeding, there are several different things you can do to feel productive. These are just a few things I have done and came up with but I'm sure there are several more things out there. 

Breastfeeding can be hard and wonderful at the same time. While it may not seem like it at the moment, I will say that the main thing I recommend doing is to cherish the moment because before you know it, your little one will be weaning themselves, eating solid food, walking, and will be on their was to kindergarten. Time flies, especially when you have kids. Cherish the moments and enjoy them while it last because you may never know the last time you will get to hold your little one and breastfeed them.

Comment below with your favorite thing to do while breastfeeding!

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