At Expectful, we’ve created a Safe Space for new moms and moms-to-be to share the good and the bad, the real and the raw. Every two weeks we’ll be asking a new question and publishing a selection of our community’s responses. To make sure you don’t miss it, sign up for Expectful’s newsletter.

Feeding your baby—in whatever way works for you—is a beautiful thing. It’s a time to bond, to soak up every little detail, to get to know your new family member as a human out in the world.

But, let’s face it, it can also be really boring. Babies spend A LOT of time eating—every 2-3 hours when they’re newborns, which means you will be settling in for a feed eight to 12 times a day. 

So, we asked Expectful readers: What did you do to keep yourself entertained during feeding? We want to know it all—the rules or habits you developed, the shows or entertainment you relied on, and the advice you would give soon-to-be moms who are about to be in your position. If their answers inspire you to share your own, you can still do that here.

Melanie, 34:

I’m reading again! I haven’t read really since graduating from school and it’s been amazing. In the one month that he has been born, I probably read six books between listening and reading. I look forward to nursing him so I can read and listen to [my book], and we both let the voices lull us to sleep. 

Anabel, 35:

First few days to weeks I binged Dubai Bling and loved it. Then I moved right on over to Real Housewives of Dubai—double love! Then I tried learning how to use Figma while wearing my little one in a wrap. When I fed him his bottle, I’d sit at my computer to work on my website, and I’m still guilty over that ‘til this day. 

I honestly felt guilty as a new SAHM to just sit on the couch and watch TV. I always have to be “doing something” which is not the way I would do it if I had to do it one last time. Advice for future moms (and myself), especially SAHM’s, leisure leisure leisure…and don’t feed into the guilt. 

Christina, 42:

I’ve streamed an incredible amount of television. It started with period dramas (The Gilded Age, Downton Abbey, Death Comes to Pemberley), then limited series (Quiet on the Set, Inventing Anna), new-to-me shows (Death and Other Details, Not Dead Yet, The Boys), and now I’m on to shows with as many seasons as possible. I also got deep into Veronica Mars. Like wayyyyy deep. 

I’d recommend going through your streaming services and adding shows to your queue before the baby gets here so you have a curated list of things you want to watch ready to go. And set up your closed captioning so you can keep the volume low enough for the baby. 

Chelsea, 29:

I get bored with doing the same things so I switched it up quite often while nursing. Some days I just wanted to gaze at the miracles (twins) in my arms. Other days I was so exhausted I would close my eyes and rest, almost falling asleep as I nursed. Other times I read a book or a news article. Sometimes I binge-watched my favorite guilty pleasure shows on Netflix or tried learning something new from a YouTube video. And then came the days I had to multitask while breastfeeding my baby(s) like the bada$$ mama that I am! 

Lori, 27:

When I was growing up, some of my first memories are of being in church sitting in my mom's lap while she sang hymns. Those hymns became something I've always known, deep in my soul. I've forgotten most of the lyrics over the years, but the melodies stuck with me. During the first few months of feeding my daughter, I started looking up the lyrics to those hymns and singing them to her, so she can build those same memories.

Anonymous, 35:

My habits and rhythms ebbed and flowed over my feeding journey. Towards the beginning, I spent many hours endlessly scrolling on my phone. After a couple of months of this, I began to create different rhythms. I began to switch up feedings with different things to keep me feeling motivated throughout the day, whether it was reading while feeding, listening to an audiobook or podcast, watching a TV show, eating, or journaling. I would encourage soon-to-be moms to take a moment to listen to their needs. What are they needing in that moment? Do you need a chill cozy moment? Or a moment of productivity? Or a moment to be encouraged? Or a creative moment? 

Paige, 33:

I developed a TikTok addiction! During the last feed of the day, I did implement a no-scrolling policy, though, and instead, I play calming music to set the mood for sleep. 

Anonymous, 34:

We're huge tennis fans and had a summer baby. We spent our early newborn weeks watching Wimbledon matches from the couch. It's really inspiring to watch moms at the top of their game. 

Allison, 43:

During those newborn all-nighters, I memorized the overnight lineup of the Hallmark Channel—The Golden Girls, then Frasier, a couple of episodes of Cheers, then Reba ‘til dawn, and back to The Golden Girls 😊. Lots of old friends helping me stay awake! (kind of)

Anonymous, 40:

With one earbud in, I listen to podcasts and usually hum a melody that matches the podcast. I also talk to my little one like a girlfriend and share discussions of the day.

Anonymous, 34:

Lots of audiobooks! Meal planned, ordered grocery delivery, re-installed my social media accounts (and scrolled too much!), shopped Facebook marketplace for all the deals…lugged home a new couch four days postpartum! Forgot I ordered a large rug in the middle of the night—it randomly showed up a couple of days later and my husband was there when it arrived 🤣. For middle-of-the-night feedings, I set a silent timer that wakes me up, so I don't sleep in my rocker all night (or end up buying random stuff).

Madison, 30:

Podcasts are a lifesaver. Just pop my AirPods in and off we go. 

Angie, 38:

When I first had my baby home, I found a documentary series on Netflix about babies, it’s fantastic. Then I started investigating kids' TV, wondering what my son would watch when he was older. I fell in love with Bluey and we still watch it all the time. For nighttime feeding, I got comfortable with laying on my side to breastfeed my son. It was pretty restful.

Jess, 33:

So far I’ve binged all six seasons of Sex and the City and two seasons of the remake, And Just Like That. Here’s to hoping my baby boy doesn’t subconsciously absorb a weird ‘90s perspective on love and dating haha. 

Anonymous, 31:

My favorite thing to do is to learn on my phone. Today I found out what happens if two black holes collide; the question suddenly popped into my head and I googled it. I’ve definitely had to take breaks from the phone entirely because the scrolling sucks me out of the moment sometimes. I found my current job while nursing my first child. I had lost my job while postpartum and looked up job listings at 4 a.m. 

Anonymous, 29:

Stroked my sweet babe’s head, kissed her tiny hand, stared at her perfect profile. Be in the moment, people!

Caroline, 33:

Played a lot of New York Times games—crossword, wordle, spelling bee! 

Anonymous, 37:

I spent a lot of time with my iPhone—mostly reading fanfiction at all hours of the day/night. Bless everyone who loved the 2020 Netflix movie The Old Guard as much as I did and whose hundreds of thousands of words on Archive of Our Own got me through the roughest cluster feeds. Fanfiction has always been a part of my life (and continues to be), but that particular time period and fandom still stood out as noteworthy and meaningful.

My advice to others would be to (1) do what works to keep you sane, without any shame or (self-/other-) imposed sense of what you're "supposed" to be doing with that time and mind space. It's weird and new! And (2) don't forget the things you genuinely enjoy and that make you "you." For me, it was reading fanfiction and (in the evenings, anyway) watching a lot of Marvel shows and the Fast & Furious movies. When everything else was strange and different and still being figured out, those familiar mainstays were everything—high-art and fine parenting, or otherwise.