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Mothering More Than One
Make Nursing Time Special for Everyone By Lisa A. Goldstein
Use a SlingWhile it may not work for everyone, using a sling is another way to cope. The baby is held in place and both of your arms are free to play interactively with any other kids while you're nursing. Aken recommends checking out different brands, as some will fit certain body types better than others. This is the ultimate in multitasking, says Carol Stevenson of Stevenson Ranch, Calif., who had three babies in three and a half years. "Slings are a great investment with second and subsequent children," she says.
If you've been through this nursing gig before, at least it's old hat. Stevenson also says it helped that she had a pretty high comfort level by the time her third child came along. "I could breastfeed and walk around the house either wearing the sling or carrying the baby with one arm," she says. "If I couldn't do what [the older siblings] needed me to do, I simply told them they'd have to wait until I was done feeding the baby. Luckily, I don't think I inflicted too much psychological harm."
Having a supportive spouse is also helpful. Your spouse can try to keep any other kids occupied to give you and your nursing baby some space.
Ultimately, it's important to remember the reasons behind your older child's behavior and do what you can to correct it. When Aken's daughter's angelic behavior changed upon the arrival of her third child, she called her pediatrician asking him what to do. Here's what he said: "Your daughter can't believe you can love your son and still have room in your heart for her, so she's testing you to get your attention. Once she knows that she has your attention, either for good or bad, she's happy."
