The Breastfeeding Chronicles: My Feeding Station

My day starts between 6:00am and 8:00am depending on whether T goes back to sleep after his 6:00am feed.

Once awake, I then get him dressed (topping and tailing him beforehand every other day). I then come downstairs, put him on his play mat or in his travel cot, grab some breakfast, and then spend the majority of my day here… at the feeding station.

I’m learning very quickly the needs must whilst breastfeeding and the stuff you’ll miss once they’re out of reach. Here are my needs must:

1. TV remote
2. Hot drink (when you remember to bring it with you from the kitchen or have someone to make one for you)
3. Water!!
4. Pregnancy/nursing pillow
5. Burp cloth
6. Blanket
7. Muslin (sometimes works as a light blanket if T gets too hot but you still want him covered up and cosy)
8. CUSHIONS!!
9. Mobile phone

I’ve had many occasions where I’ve left the TV remote in the drawer and I’ve been stuck watching some god-awful chat show, or left my pillow upstairs and my forearms have taken the brunt during a feed. It only takes a minute, but it’s well worth taking up a space in your lounge – you’re going to be spending a lot of time there!

On top of this, always remember to do the following BEFORE a feed:

1. Go. To. The. Toilet. I’m surprised I haven’t hurt myself with the amount of times I’ve forgotten to have a courtesy wee and then I’m suddenly bursting during a feed.
2. Eat. It’s understandable when baby is starting to get crabby because they’re hungry, or they haven’t stopped eating, that you forget to eat. It’s so important that you eat – not just for you but for your supply – even something small to begin with like a banana or breakfast/cereal bar.
3. Try not to start something important that you can’t finish. It shouldn’t take long to learn your LO’s (rough) feeding schedule, but if they’re going through a cluster feeding stage then it’s easy to all of a sudden have a demand for food sprung on you whilst you’re cooking dinner, for example. I’m slowly accepting the fact that if T is cluster feeding, S is on dinner duty (unless she wants burnt pasta).
4. Charge devices. Probably not essential, but when I’ve been sat in the same spot for hours my poor device’s battery life really do take the brunt and it’s not long before they’re dead, and your wife can’t call you and gives you an earful when they get in.

What are your feeding station tips?

K