Help Your Distracted Baby Stay Focused at Feedings (2024)

FAQs

Help Your Distracted Baby Stay Focused at Feedings? ›

When your baby is ready to eat, find a space where they won't be stimulated by what's around them. Feeding at home: Take your baby to a quiet, dimly lit area where it's just you and them. If there is a lot of noise in the house, shut the door and turn on a white noise machine or play music to help drown it out.

When your baby is ready to eat, find a space where they won't be stimulated by what's around them. Feeding at home: Take your baby to a quiet, dimly lit area where it's just you and them. If there is a lot of noise in the house, shut the door and turn on a white noise machine or play music to help drown it out.

Hand your baby her own personal distraction. Give her something to keep her sweet hands busy — a small toy, a rattle, a bright scarf, a teething necklace. Time things strategically. Offer breast when baby is sleepy or just waking up.

It's normal for babies around 4 to 6 months to be distracted when feeding. There are lots of ways you can help your baby – a quiet room, a boring background and away from TVs, phones or other distractions. A colourful necklace for baby to play with can also help.

In many cases, these kids will not eat at all unless they are watching a device or playing with toys/books during feedings. These kids typically need distractions because they are anxious eaters or have sensory processing issues that make mealtimes a very unpleasant and difficult task.

You may find that your baby feeds better in a quiet room away from distractions from other people and noise. If this isn't possible, try masking noise with soft music, the hum of a fan in the room or a similar low noise. Some mums find it helpful to feed with baby facing a blank wall.

When a child is distracted during feeding, they are not attending to the sight and scent of their food. They are unaware of how they feel about the taste and texture of the food, and are then unable to identify if they like this food in their mouth.

There's generally no problem with watching TV while holding a sleeping baby or breastfeeding – in fact it can be a prime opportunity for some downtime. When your baby's older, TV may start to distract them from nursing, but that's not a risk at this early stage.

They want to look at everything and may turn their heads away from the breast (sometimes still holding onto the nipple) or drop the bottle to see something new and exciting. Whether thrilling or tiresome for parents, this lively stage lasts just a few weeks. Soon your baby will be able to focus on mealtime once again.

Interactive play is a great way to not only keep your baby stimulated but also grow your bond! Some examples of this could be tickling, sound-mimicking, and peek-a-boo. Expose your baby to different textures: Keeping your baby exposed to a variety of activities and textures helps them sharpen their senses.

How do I know if my baby is full or distracted? ›

A growth spurt, also sometimes called a breastfeeding crisis, is a response by the baby to a clear increase in milk demand. Your baby will now ask to breastfeed at all times and may be nervous, irritable, and seemingly insatiable.

Babies over the age of 4 months can easily become distracted while feeding. They are often much more interested in the activities going on around them than they are in feeding.

Be your child's speed bump – help them slow down their pace of eating by offering only one or two pieces of food on their tray or plate. If they're old enough, give them the option of serving themself with small spoons, getting just one blueberry at a time. Offer frequent sips of water from an open cup or straw cup.

The nipple needs to be the right size and speed for your baby's size, age and sucking ability. If the nipple is too long, too short, too fast or too slow for your baby, she may experience feeding difficulties and express her frustration by fuss or crying.

Some squirming is normal, but if your baby is especially active and squirmy during feedings, it could indicate that they are frustrated. Read on to learn some common reasons your baby may be twisting and pulling while breastfeeding and what you can do about it.

Babies may also be fussier if they are going through a growth spurt. They will want to eat more often, and they may also have difficulty sleeping. You may also notice that they'll be a little unsettled and more attached at the hip. Teething and illnesses can be another common cause of fussiness during eating.