Oh, now I understand the scenario....you are asking if it is okay to distract baby with some entertainment so he will eat and drink automatically. Many parents turn on the TV to "shove" some extra food into their infants` mouth, so I think the cell phone idea and soft book are definitely a unique idea. If he were underweight, I too would use different methods to get him to drink and eat.
However, if he is normal weight and especially once he is a bit older, there is always the danger that toddlers develop bad eating habits if they are distracted. They munch away without realizing when they are full and that habit can sometimes lead to being overweight later on. It is much more natural to give them time to focus on their meals and let them discover their own likes and dislikes. For now I would not worry too much though.
is it reg. milk you're giving him or breastmilk/formula? i didnt think you were suppose to give milk until after 1 year? i dont think thats a problem. as long as he's getting the milk/formula, thats all that matters. i give my son a bottle before bed also. he drinks it by himself in the crib and falls asleep right after. to each his own.
He is bottle fed. He also eat solid food but lately it has been hardtime feeding him also. My schedule of feeding will be 10 am - 1 pm - 4 pm - 7 pm - 10 pm (optional) of milk. So to make me keep this schedule, I would put him in my lap if not mealtime or highchair and let him watch his video clip on my cellphone or camera then he will drink his milk (8oz).
can you put it in a cup?
milk before bed is'nt good.
hmmm. im not quite positive as to what you're doing either but my son is 10 months old and he started having trouble drinking bottles recently too. he is just growing up i think, but maybe i'll share with you and maybe it'll help. with his bottles, he doesnt want to be held like a baby while he drinks anymore. he doesnt want me to hold him at all while he drinks his bottle unless he is sick or completely exhausted. so, whenever he has a bottle, it is one of these scenarios, in the car whilst we are on our way somewhere (he does fine with this) or sitting at the highchair ( i have a bottle with a straw built in to the nipple so that he doesnt need to hold it up to drink from it). the only other time he drinks a bottle is by himself in the crib before bed and this is how he falls asleep. it may not be perfect, but these are the only ways i can ensure he gets his formula. as far as regular mealtime, breakfast, lunch and dinner, he sits in the highchair either at home, at my moms or at daycare and is allowed to have toys on the tray while he eats. hope this helps.
Is your baby breast feeding or bottle feeding? Is he on solid foods? I'm having a hard time getting a visualization of exactly what you are doing here.