https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Tue, 19 May 2026 12:53:39 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/screen-time-and-babies#post-529121 Sat, 26 Jan 2013 14:26:43 +0000 BelugaBean 529121@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I watched so much TV during the first couple of months and every time she had a growth spurt. I wouldn't feel bad at all! By the time she was getting distracted by the TV regularly, she was also only taking a super short time to nurse so it wasn't an issue. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/screen-time-and-babies#post-529118 Sat, 26 Jan 2013 14:24:57 +0000 Thenetexan 529118@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We are almost 14 months in and trying to have no screen time at least until LO turns two. As soon as LO started noticing the TV, off it went. I think it was somewhere between two and three months. Prior to that, I frequently had it on while he nursed. He sees TV sometimes at restaurants and it amazes me how captivated he is by the lights. We were never people who had the TV on for background noise, but we would watch TV with dinner and after. We probably watched two hours of shows each day. It has been easier to manage than I would have thought. Football season was the hardest. My husband also loves to watch movies which he doesn't do near as much anymore. Once LO started an early bedtime, we started back to watching TV at night though closer to an hour now. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/screen-time-and-babies#post-528949 Sat, 26 Jan 2013 11:30:08 +0000 sarac 528949@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My daughter nursed for about eight hours a day for her first few months. Television was not optional. I say do the best you can, and that's enough. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/screen-time-and-babies#post-528933 Sat, 26 Jan 2013 11:08:09 +0000 Mrs. Pen 528933@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Don't feel bad - or else you'll make me feel bad hahaha!</p> <p>I watched SO much TV during the first 6 weeks whenever DS nursed and he also slept on me during the day, so the tv was on all day long. But he was WAY too little to even notice. I still sometimes have it on when he's awake and he's nearly a year old. I DO let him watch a show each day because heck I'm a SAHM and need a break too! I have to consciously tell myself that I cannot allow any mommy guilt! I am with this kid 24/7 because we have one car and DH takes the car to work - so during the work week I am stuck at home from morning to night. It is REALLY hard! So 30-60 minutes of TV time a day is not going to make me feel bad! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/screen-time-and-babies#post-528930 Sat, 26 Jan 2013 11:05:25 +0000 owlmom 528930@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Regardless of whether you're watching tv, reading a book, using your phone, etc, please don't feel bad about doing something else while your newborn nurses. Newborns spend so much time nursing! Newborns are wonderful and amazing, but it's totally okay to sneak in a little you time while baby is eating. My guess is that the vast majority of women do it. You'll still have plenty of bonding time even if you check your email or watch some tv occasionally. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/screen-time-and-babies#post-528893 Sat, 26 Jan 2013 10:19:43 +0000 mrbee 528893@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>A smartphone/table with earbuds can help split the difference!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/screen-time-and-babies#post-528892 Sat, 26 Jan 2013 10:16:58 +0000 Mrs. Tricycle 528892@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I don't stress about it. Baby boy probably nurses 5 or 6 hours a day -- that's a lot of time for me to stare lovingly at his little bald head. He doesn't face the TV while nursing, so I'm not worried. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/screen-time-and-babies#post-528878 Sat, 26 Jan 2013 10:10:15 +0000 wheres_c 528878@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Same here as Hilsy. I leave it on in the background, make sure i dont ignore him, and try to keep him turned away </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/screen-time-and-babies#post-528871 Sat, 26 Jan 2013 10:04:33 +0000 Weagle 528871@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I rarely turn the TV on during the day. I just don't think about it. I am guilty of using Mr. Roger's Neighborhood as a distraction when LO is super fussy and I need to make a meal. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/screen-time-and-babies#post-528794 Sat, 26 Jan 2013 08:38:31 +0000 hilsy85 528794@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Lo loves the lights from the tv, and I don't stress if it's on in the background sometimes. I just try to make sure he's turned away from it and that I'm not just watching and ignoring him. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/screen-time-and-babies#post-528700 Sat, 26 Jan 2013 05:18:31 +0000 Bao 528700@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I have the tv on at certain times of the day, and LO will look over at it. I'm. SAHM so I'd go nuts if the TV were off all day long. I live the background noise! I think everything in moderation is fine. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/screen-time-and-babies#post-528689 Sat, 26 Jan 2013 03:54:34 +0000 mamimami 528689@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I sometimes watch while nursing but with my first I stopped when I noticed he was noticing the tv and trying to look at it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/screen-time-and-babies#post-528673 Sat, 26 Jan 2013 01:50:01 +0000 mrskc 528673@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I watch tv and browse on my iPad while LO nurses. I figure his head is turned away from the tv, so he's not watching it. He's 3 months old now and I'm amazed at how entranced he is by tv already. I don't keep it on anymore except when he's nursing. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/screen-time-and-babies#post-528670 Sat, 26 Jan 2013 01:40:14 +0000 Kemma 528670@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I spoke to my Well Child nurse about tv watching and she advised that a little tv isn't going to harm LO providing she isn't watching R18 movies or traumatic content!</p> <p>She said that tv is just another form of stimulation and that babies often really enjoy the faces and colours.</p> <p>I try to keep the tv off during the day but don't worry too much if LO watches some golf with Dad :-) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/screen-time-and-babies#post-528662 Sat, 26 Jan 2013 01:31:00 +0000 MaisyMay 528662@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I have shows going when LO is eating, sometimes it's the only way I stay awake. I figure that at this point, she can only see about a foot, so the tv on 10 feet away isn't likely to interest her. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/screen-time-and-babies#post-528661 Sat, 26 Jan 2013 01:25:32 +0000 LittleFox 528661@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I've seen lots of places say that the AAP recommends no screen time under age 2. I'd like to keep my LO, who is 1 month old, from watching TV and generally follow the recommendation. The hard thing is that he nurses a lot, so I often watch TV once he starts getting sleepy or leave something on in the background while nursing. Should I cut out all TV now so he doesn't get used to it or start watching without me noticing? If not now, then when? And what do you do while nursing - full attention on LO and bonding the whole time (even when he/she is nursing sleepily), or do you distract yourself with something? </p> <p>I'm sure it's just postpartum hormones and first time mom worries, but I sometimes feel like a bad parent that I need or want a distraction while nursing and that I watch TV- like I'm damaging him or something. Any advice from other parents? </p>