Keeping the older child busy is a matter of what the child likes to do. Here is a list of things my older children did while I fed the baby.

The first thing they did usually is to read, books are a great way to get the child doing something. I usually told them that their baby sister liked her story time at dinner time, so they would read the story aloud for the baby. They would enjoy being able to help mommy keep the baby calm while she ate her dinner.

The second thing is I made it creative hour, I would get out crayons, color pencils and drawing paper and let the older ones put together an art show. They would draw pictures and I would put them on the easels that my second oldest daughter does her painting on. Then when daddy came on he watched the art show while having his dinner.

Another activity we did was having their lunch and dinner correspond with the babies lunch and dinner that way they would be busy while I fed the baby. We did that only sometimes when daddy did not make it home for dinner, we all liked having dinner as a family with daddy.

We also watched television, Bananas in Pajamas and Veggie Tales, the kids favorites and they love watching those shows where they learn some moral thing and they enjoyed teaching me how to count or say alphabet. Things they thought I needed to know. I didn't have the heart to tell them I already knew that stuff.

Whatever you do to keep the older child busy while you breastfeed, make sure the child is enjoying his or herself. Let them know you think they are the greatest and how much you appreciate their cooperation while you are feeding the baby. Point out that you think they are a good girl or boy and how much you love them. They will be happy to help out..

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