Why I’m putting down my phone while feeding my baby
May 30, 2017
In the early days of breastfeeding it wasn’t unusual for me to have baby on boob for hours at a time, as she worked hard to increase my milk supply, the dreaded ‘cluster’ feeding (which no-one warned me about) dominating my day and night.
I used this time to catch up on Facebook, scrolling through Instagram, looking at people who actually left the house wearing an underwired bra, I replied to emails, watched Netflix… Time slid by. Give me data and an armchair and I’ll kill time. I’ll dominate it.
Thankfully for my nipples, the cluster feeding finished, and now we’re breast and bottle feeding about six times a day, but my phone has stayed in my hand. Double duty. Multi-tasking. Mum bossing. Having it all. Or so I thought.
This morning I scooped up Tabitha and headed to The Feeding Chair, unbuttoned my pyjamas and put her on. Baby brain had struck, and my phone was in another room. Instead of getting up to find it, I looked down at my daughter’s peachy head and instantly felt more relaxed. I listened to the little happy noises she makes. I watched her fingers wrap around mine, the fingers that are usually holding a phone, but were now free for her. Her eyes were closed in bliss, then opened to meet my gaze. I felt her warm body curl around me, fitting perfectly. And I’d been missing all of this.
I’m not saying I’ll never juggle phone, bottle and baby ever again (let’s not get carried away…) but I’m going to try to be more present. Just us. Because the days are long but the years are short. And one day will be the last that she needs me like this.
