Brexting. Also known as texting or using your mobile phone while breastfeeding. It’s the latest no-no being flagged up by ‘experts’ and yet another thing we’re supposed to feel guilty about. As if there isn’t enough already.
Apparently brexting can interrupt mother-baby bonding and cause mums to miss signs and cues that their baby is trying to make contact leading to an overly-clingy child with attachment issues.
As a mum who works from home with an exclusively breastfed baby being able to write and respond to emails while nursing is vital for me, and my phone is always on the arm of the chair. In fact, my email signature is ‘sent from my Samsung Galaxy, probably while breastfeeding’.
So here’s why you should never feel guilty about brexting:
1. Brexting is no different from watching TV, reading a book or having a power nap while nursing, and nobody criticises any of those.
2. Sitting there doing nothing but making eye contact with your baby while they feed is weird – who wants to be eyeballed while eating? Most disconcerting.
3. I don’t know about you, but the minute either of my babies have latched on their eyes glaze over and roll to the back of their heads, and within minutes they’ve usually closed their eyes in milk drunk bliss. Which means they’re not even paying attention to what you’re doing anyway.
4. There’s so much more to mother-baby bonding than making eye contact while feeding. Like when they explore your skin with their little hands or tuck a fist in your chest.
5. I can’t think of another reason, but there must be one…
I just don’t buy it that my baby is going to be scarred for life or mentally impaired by a bit of brexting which ultimately helps put food on our table and a roof over our heads.
And nor should you.
Linking up with…
It really is unbelievable… it is such a fabulous, unselfish thing to breastfeed and we need to encourage more mothers to do it rather than putting barriers up… as if being on the phone affects the baby, such rubbish! #fromtheheart
Glad you agree – I know there’s debate about whether phones near babies are dangerous but that’s another story…
I – like – you was a working mummy while breastfeeding and so brexted a lot. At the end of the day, you gotta go what you go to do, to make being a mum work…that includes brexting! #MyFavouritePost
Couldn’t have put it better myself!x
Hah I totally agree with you! 5. You have yourself a little break and baby is occupied so perfect time to catch up on texts x #fromtheheart
Yes that’s a good one for number 5!x
There’s another thing breastfeeding moms aren’t supposed to do? Seriously?! For the love of…look, my philosophy has always been the BEST thing for my daughter is a SANE and HAPPY mommy. If that means texting or playing lots of Plants versus Zombies while they breastfeed every. two. hours. then do it. #fromtheheart
I’m with you!x
I can’t believe they even have a term for this. It’s outrageous. My first fed every three hours round the clock for over a year and was an inefficient feeder so would sometimes spend an hour and a half on the boob. There’s just no way I could have been gazing into his eyes that whole time. I brexted. I bratched tv. Sometimes I even bralked around and got on with other stuff. Like brife. Great post #fromtheheart
Bratching, bralking, brife – me too! Love the terminology! I often walk around feeding too, like you I find he can spend literally hours on the boob…
I don’t even know where to start! Of course staring into your baby’s eyes while they nurse is wonderful…but so is mum catching up on some sleep, or connecting with her friends via Whatsapp or even earning a living on her phone….
Have to say that i’ve always been a brexter, and proud of it
Thanks for sharing #fromtheheart
So pleased with all the support – thank you!x
I didn’t even know this was a thing! So fab to have another thing feel guilty about 🙂 I usually needed something to hand to stop me getting immensely bored when feeding. I worried that if I got bored and squirmy I might inadvertently end a feed too early. Thanks for sharing #fromtheheart
That’s true – I hadn’t thought of that!
There’s so much guidance and information and criticism out there that new parents don’t know what to do and constantly question themselves. At the end of the day you’ve got to do whats right for you. interesting read x
Yes I wholeheartedly agree x
Yes! We spend so much time nursing, there’s no reason not to use this time to multitask and get stuff done. Great post!
I wholeheartedly agree!x
Quite right when I heard about it I thought what a load of c**p you’d get a crick in the neck looking at your baby the whole time! No one criticises bottle feeders who prop up the bottles under the baby’s chin so they can do whatever which is really dangerous. #justanotherlinky
Precisely!
Long live brexting! I’ve managed to do so many things while breastfeeding, the whole staring at the baby thing is so not what I do. #justanotherlinky
Glad you agree!x
Seriously? What do these people get paid for?
I find it hard to believe that we’re supposed to just sit there doing nothing whilst feeding a baby (who is most likely snoozing on job anyway).
Well said! x
#justanotherlinky
Mine ALWAYS sleep as soon as they’re latched on…
I haven’t heard of this but it is completely crackers!! I texted whilst breastfeeding and, especially in the middle of the night, it was a bit of a lifeline! Do people really expect us to sit completely engaged with baby for up to an hour (my eldest was a long feeder at first!) whilst they, as you say, glaze over and practically fall asleep immediately that they latch on!! Thanks for sharing this – and carry on brexting! #justanotherlinky
Brexting rules!x
Great list & post. Thanks for linking up to #justanotherlinky xx
Thank you! x
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