Lying down while Breastfeeding

[BeeBU]

Since I sleep with my daughter, we do alot of feeding while lying down, so much so, that she pretty much refuses to feed any other way...It drives me a little bonkers, because it means we spend alot of time in bed...then again is that so bad? Does anyone have a similar problem?  I guess what it boils down too is that I won't be breast feeding forever, and should simple relax and enjoy it while it lasts. 

[treeoflife3]

We were unable to nurse lying down until my kiddo was over a year old so she was used to nursing laying on my lap... and still somehow she has decided she will only take her nap lying down on the couch... not a bed or the floor, not on my lap... lying down on the couch.  She also refuses if I'm laying on the wrong side haha.  No clue how she decided that is how it has to be because we don't co sleep and I always nursed her sitting up... she just one day wanted to nurse laying down and has since refused to nap any other way.

I figure eventually she'll not even need naps anymore and it won't be a problem and in the meantime, I could use the rest.  I don't have any other kids or anything to worry about so I just go with it.. easier than dealing with a tired and frustrated toddler, amirite?

[FarrenSquare]

My little guy loves nursing in bed, he loves everything about it whether it is naptime or not. I desperately try to nurse him in other ways so he doesn't get attached - just so that we can get out of the house and still NIP if we have to! I mean, I'm not going to be able to lay down in the middle of the grocery store, buddy!

One mom at my last LLL meeting was talking about how she slowly worked from laying down nursing in bed, to gently raised nursing in bed, to sitting up in bed, to sitting up at the edge of the bed, to nursing in the livingroom - she had other little ones she needed to supervise, though. I'd say if it doesn't get in the way of your life and isn't causing you any problems, lay back and enjoy the moment! I love snuggling in bed with my little nursling.

[1stTimeMama4-4-10]

I have this problem with my one year old. although it only started when she was around 9 months.  Before that she was fine nursing wherever, but now she will only latch for 10 seconds if we aren't in bed. It's so annoying because she makes is clear that she REALLY wants to nurse, but won't do it until I take her upstairs to bed.  Not even lying on the couch!  In bed she's a champ and we spend a lot of time there too - I try not to let it bother me and I try to set aside special time in bed and other time to get things done. 

[adelle]

I feel otherwise because my baby wont feed if we lie down. If you find yourself feeling tired then breastfeeding while lying downis a great technique to master.  It not only will help your baby drift off to sleep, but it places you in a safe place to get a little extra rest as well.

[SweetSilver]

My daughter really preferred lying down from very early on.  She would get so upset by any jostles or ANYTHING while I held her.  Lying down was so relaxing for her, she wouldn't have it any other way.  I did have luck, though, nursing her in my arms if she had just drifted off, and as long as i didn't move much, she would nurse easily, at least until she realized where she was and started fussing but by then she had a little "nip" in her tummy to get us to the next good place to nurse.  (We had other nursing difficulties, so I accepted this as what I needed to do so I could continue breastfeeding.)

Second daughter nursed as you would expect, and yes, I did nurse her much, much longer.  There is something sweet to a toddler smiling at you coming in from work and asking for "mama milk", but with each I guess I did what i could....

[Ma Cactus]

My boy went through a period like that from about 2 mos til probably 5 mos or so.  I just made a few cushion stations around the house so we didn't have to go upstairs and lie in bed (with older children around, that can be unpractical).  They were basically quilts folded into quarters that I could curl up on pretty comfortably for long enough to nurse him.  Then if he fell asleep, I could just let him lie there (sometimes, others he wouldn't let me get up!) and do the dishes or whatever. 

He got over it when he started crawling and then he wanted to do 'adventure nursing' all the time - crawling across me while latched on etc, and eventually when he started walking he would want to nurse kneeling or in other wierd ways.  We just go with it!  (unless it hurts of course)

[KateDavies45]

my dd is the exact opposite...she only wants to nurse while I'm carrying her AND walking...not just swaying, only walking will do. So I understand that it can be sort of frustrating when you want to change up where/how you nurse and baby doesn't want to cooperate. For us if I wait until she's sleepy and nursing well I can pretty much put her in any position as long as I'm carefull not to pull my nipple out of her mouth, if that happens the cycle starts all over. Have you tried starting out in bed and once things are going moving to another location?