What are some fun and easy activities to do while you’re breastfeeding or bottle-feeding your baby? Whether you’re bottle or breastfeeding, feeding your baby is such an important time to connect and bond with them. Stroking their hair/cheek, looking into their eyes, talking and singing to them, or simply giving them a cuddle all promotes the production of oxytocin and hormones which help your baby (and you) feel safe and loved.
But we’ve all been there: your baby has just fallen asleep on you after feeding and you think, ‘I’ll just check my phone for X, Y and Z’. 40 minutes later, your baby is starting to stir, you have cramp in your hand, and you emerge bleary-eyed from the rabbit hole of Googling something randomly linked to whatever it was you wanted to find in the first place. If it’s something medical that you’re searching, it’s easy to get lost for hours in the plethora of Mumsnet threads!
So here are 30 fun and easy activities to do while you’re bottle or breastfeeding that don’t involve doomscrolling.
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Eleven Easy Things To Do One-Handed
If you’ve mastered the art of feeding or expressing one-handed, try these:
1. Plan Something Fun
Maybe you’re planning a party, Christening or playdate. Whatever it is, use this time to jot down a few ideas, either in a notebook or on your phone. It can be brilliant as a bit of a ‘brain dump’ to take stock and get out what’s in your head.
2. Read A Book
If your baby has fallen asleep and you’re able to hold a book one-handed, this can be an opportunity to read a chapter or two. Or if you have a Kindle or reading device, that’s easy to prop on your knee and ‘turn’ the pages with one hand.
3. Draw Or Doodle
Help cut through that brain fog by having a notebook and pen close to hand. It’s amazing what random connections can emerge when you just let your mind wander. If you’re stuck on what to write, maybe practise some gratitude and wellness: five things you are grateful for today or five things you’d like to do this week.
4. Use A Finger Strengthener
We all get cramps in our hands from holding and feeding baby. The beauty of finger strengtheners is that you can use them one-handed while cradling your baby in the other hand.
Side note: If you’re into any activities which use finger strength, like climbing, playing a musical instrument, skiing or gymnastics, finger strengtheners can be a great way to maintain that strength as well while you’re on maternity leave.
5. Eat A Nutritious Snack
Have a tub of flapjack to hand – all the better if it’s homemade. If you’re breastfeeding or expressing milk, you’ll need the extra energy! Other nutritious snacks include fruit, cereal and raisins/nuts, so graze away.
6. Write A One Line A Day Diary
Journalling is really popular and can help you release those thoughts and emotions as you navigate parenthood. We love this mum’s one line a day diary which only needs a couple of sentences or so to keep it going. It’s got space to add to every day for five years so it can be a great record to look back on too.
7. Play A Board Game Or Solve A Puzzle
This is one to do if you’re also looking after a toddler or have an older child. Any of the Orchard Toys card games are good, or maybe a jigsaw puzzle, Guess Who or Connect 4. For Scrabble, draughts or chess, you can leave a board set up on a table close by that’s easy to reach.
8. Make A List
There’s something satisfying about making a list by hand. It can be a to-do list, a list of things to buy, a list of favourite places to visit with baby or a list of things you feel happy about. If you’re not a fan of pen and paper, you could use a hand-held whiteboard or dictate a voice note to your phone.
9. Practise Learning A New Skill
Whether it’s learning how to crochet, reading up on a new crafting skill or playing the keyboard (yes, you really can do this one-handed if you have a free-standing keyboard!), make the most of this time to expand your knowledge and explore things you can do ready for when you have both hands available!
10. Do Some Mindfulness Colouring
Grab one of those adult colouring books and a pack of crayons or felt-tips. It’s amazing how calming this can be. There’s a whole range of mindfulness colouring books here or you can download individual sheets.
11. Snuggle Or Read With Your Toddler
If you have two children and want to spend some time with both of them while you’re feeding, you can cradle one under each arm and read. Some of the closest moments you have with your elder child or toddler can be spent like this, so be confident that you are giving them the attention you both need.
Seven Simple Things To Do While Breastfeeding or Bottle-Feeding (Without Using Your Phone)
For a true digital detox, go back to basics. Dads and partners – if you’re helping with bottle-feeding, you can try these too.
1. Talk Or Sing to Your Baby
Babies learn so much for the way we, as parents, communicate with them. Try singing your favourite songs or nursery rhymes to them as you’re breastfeeding (or bottle-feeding). If you go to baby rhyme time or signing classes, it’s a good time to practise those songs as well. Or go for a totally made-up song!
2. Try A Crossword or Sudoku Puzzle
Have a puzzle book to hand on the side of the sofa which you can flick to easily. While this might feel a bit ‘old-fashioned’, your eyes (and brain) will thank you for the break from navigating the screen on your phone.
3. Solve A Rubix Cube
Ever wanted to actually learn how to solve more than one side on a Rubix cube? Well, now’s the time to try it! Your baby will need to be asleep on you so you can use both hands. Or you might have some other ‘vintage’ puzzles hanging round your house like those metal puzzles or wooden mazes that you’ve never had the chance to sit down and actually do.
4. Mix Up The Music
If you have a digital radio at home, it’s a great time to switch to your favourite station and just enjoy listening to whatever music or chat they have going on. Maternity and paternity leave can also be an opportunity to dig out those old CDS and see if you want to keep them. Why not work through your collection one at a time? Music can be relaxing for baby. Or go vintage if you have a record player.
If Spotify playlists are more your thing, why not set one up on a nearby laptop or computer so you don’t have to use your phone?
5. Meditate
Practising your breathing, looking out of the window, thinking about things to be grateful for…these are all ways you can begin to pause and be mindful as you’re feeding your baby. You could try the five senses activity here to bring you into the moment – five things you can see, hear, smell, taste and touch. Or you can make a list of things you can feel happy or grateful about.
6. Use A Spiky Ball
If you have one of those spiky balls from Pilates or yoga, you can roll it under your feet to help release those fascia and aching muscles. Spiky balls are also great for releasing tension in your calves and back (try shuffling one behind your upper back while on the sofa or a chair and rolling it up and down slightly – be careful not to wake baby!).
7. Have A Good Chat With A Friend Or Family Member
In those early days especially, you’ll be feeding your baby a lot. Invite a friend or family member round for a coffee, snuggle up with your baby on the sofa, and have a good old chew of the cud.
Twelve Fun And Easy Things To Do While Breastfeeding Or Bottle-Feeding Which Do Use Your Phone
If you are going to use your phone either during or after feeding your baby, try and be mindful in the way you use it. This can be as simple as thinking ‘I’ll look up X on the NHS website’ (but not Google everything anyone has ever uploaded on the subject) or ‘I’ll read this blog post on Y and then put the phone down.’
1. Complete A Wordle
You can take as long as you need to solve these daily puzzles so Wordle is a good one to start and pause if you need to. You can create a simple log in to keep track of how you do, or just start afresh every day.
2. Arrange A Coffee Or Playdate With Another Parent
Using your phone to arrange a face-to-face meet-up is a great use of tech. Rather than having really long conversations digitally, save some of those topics for a walk or coffee.
3. Send a WhatsApp Voice Note
Instead of typing and getting cramp in your hand, you can respond to those well-wishers on WhatsApp by recording a quick voice note. Easy for you, and lovely for others to hear your voice (and baby’s gurgles).
4. Listen to a Spotify Playlist, Podcast or Audio Book
If your baby regularly feeds and falls asleep for half an hour or longer, why not catch up on a favourite podcast or audio book? There are some great ones out there, from fictional thrillers to practical life advice and humorous takes on parenthood.
5. Book A Baby Class
Baby massage, baby sensory and baby rhyme time are all really popular for young babies. Read more about the benefits of baby classes here and search here to find a baby class near you.
6. Read A Regular Newsletter Or Blog Update
If you subscribe to a regular blog, this can be a good time to follow the links in the emails they send and catch up for the week. You can subscribe to our Happity newsletter here, or read our blog posts. We also love this parenting blog by Janet Lansbury and decluttering advice for busy mums by Erica Layne.
7. Do An Online Shop Or Food Order
Some parents do actually find this fun! There’s something satisfying about ticking something off your to-do list and knowing that food will turn up at some point over the next few days.
8. Use your Favourite Mindfulness App
Whether it’s a meditation app like Headspace or another mindfulness app, now can be a good time to get into the zone as you and your baby are relaxed and chilled out. Try watching this video from The School of Life on managing your mood and tips to stay present. Or have a go at this two-minute letting go of self-critical thoughts exercise.
9. Have A Go At The Guardian Crossword Online
It’s not as tricky as it sounds! You can opt for the quick cryptic crossword and reveal the answers online too when you’ve had enough. Or you can go for the full cryptic crossword.
10. Play Chess Or Scrabble Online
Give your mind a workout while your body is resting. With chess, you can choose to play online against a person of similar ability, a bot (the computer) or you can invite a friend to play along too.
11. Watch/Listen To A TED Talk
TED talks have something for everyone with topics ranging from AI and democracy to smartphones and K-pop. If you want to avoid staring at a screen, the beauty of TED talks is that you can put the phone down and listen to them instead.
12. Learn A New Language
With Duolingo, the world’s your oyster when it comes to language learning. Fancy giving Welsh, Portuguese or High Valyrian a try? Well, now you can. And who knows, maybe some of that second language learning will filter through to your baby too (and exposing them to the sounds of different languages can be really helpful). Just turn the sound off if your baby is actually asleep!
What Should You Not Do While Breastfeeding?
Here are few things you should try to avoid while breast or bottle-feeding:
- Drinking really hot cups of tea or coffee near your baby! Always put the cup on the side away from your baby and wait for it to cool down before even picking it up
- Holding your phone near or above your baby’s head. You’ll be amazed at how many stories we’ve heard of mums actually dropping their phones on their baby because they’re using one hand!
- Doing activities that actually take the focus away from your baby in the first instance.
- Multitasking if you don’t actually find it fun! There’s nothing wrong with sitting there and ‘relaxing’ (i.e. staring like a zombie on the sofa for half an hour while you regroup).
Want to get out and about, have fun with your baby or toddler, and meet other parents?
Search Happity to find everything that’s happening for the under-5’s in your local area – from music and singing classes, to messy play, arts and crafts, baby massage, gymnastics and more. Simply enter your postcode and child’s age to search, and then book your spot in a few taps. Enjoy dedicated fun time with your little one, watch their skills develop, and make friends at the same time. Mums, dads, grandparents and carers will all find something to love!
If You Found This Post Useful, You May Also Like:
Breastfeeding Tips For New Mums – This Is Family
What Your Newborn Baby Needs – The Essential Checklist
9 Fascinating Baby Facts (That Even We Struggle To Believe!)
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