Distracted breast feeder

Anyssa is becoming such a pain to breastfeed! She frequently comes off the boob to have a look around and make sure that she isn't missing out on something -it's the same if I'm in a quiet room with no TV etc.

I've tried draping a muslin over my shoulder, but she thinks we are playing peek-a-boo. Very cute, but not the effect I was aiming for.

She is still having 5-6 breastfeeds a day, and for the last couple of weeks 1-2 solids feeds (she has 2-3 teaspoons twice a day now). So, I'm wondering if she isn't really that interested in the boob that often anymore - but seems eager enough in between the looking around the room.

Last time I dropped the number of feeds down, she started waking in the night hungry (but that was before I started solids). I also found my day quite unstructured when we weren't doing the sleep, feed, play thing.

So anyway:
1) what is the best way to deal with a distracted baby while breastfeeding - especially now she is teething and it don't want her pulling away like she does with teeth?
2) do you think she is having too many feeds for her age?
3) how do you move to less freq feeding, but still maintain some kind of pattern/ structure to the day?

Thanks
Deb

hehe, sorry deb im of no help whatsoever, just made me giggle with Anyssa playing peek-a-boo, hehe, sorry hun

1) i tried to feed her in the same room pretty much of the time. Always fed her on her breastfeeding pillow and just persisted with offering boob.

2) i really don't know if 5 to 6 feeds is normal or not. But every time cath woke from sleeping i breastfed her. When she woke, I fed her, she played then kept an eye out for her tired signs and put her to bed. I didn't have a routine as such but as soon as she started scrubbing at her eyes or moving her arm jerkily I put her to bed. She went down more often than not.

3)plunket might have some advice for you. They have feed/sleep guidelines (guidelines only mind you) that might prove useful. Um, as i did demand feeding and cath was pretty regular (at that stage) with when she fed/slept I don't think I'm much help.

If it's any consolation I'm having the same problem and Jonathan is five months too.   He is just getting super nosy and if anyone is in the room or TV on, or even if he just feels like it, he'll pull away sharply. Usually taking my nipple with him which makes for very uncomfortable feeding times

Not sure theres anything we can do about it. I do the same feed and sleep routine as Rackhell so it sounds pretty normal, sorry to say.

Put a necklace on for her to play with or better still get a BF necklace - I swear by them.