Breastfeeding and Balancing the Family.

I would recommend getting as much help as humanly possible for the first 6 weeks that you have baby home with you. Just accept that you will not be able to take care of everything for that time, without judging yourself. If the house doesn't get vacuumed or dusted and the tub doesn't get scrubbed for 6 weeks, so be it!! Let others do the cooking and cleaning if you can. Prioritze the energy that you have "left over" once you factor in feeding baby and recovering from the birth- if it was me, it would be loving on my other kids and sleeping, anything else is a distant third (sorry, hubby :) ). You can use that time to get your breastfeeding relationship really established with your baby. You will figure out what type of eater and sleeper baby is, and you can go from there. Go easy on yourself at first, then figure out options when you have more information :)

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When you nurse, make that story time for the older kids. Or sit on the floor with your back resting on the couch while you build blocks with the older child. Nurse in the livingroom while they play. Or while the 7 yr old does homework on the coffee table. Wear the baby and nurse with a sling (I could never get it, but friends swear by it) while you do whatever. I would nurse on demand, and once baby settles into a nap pattern, use that time for chores and extra 1-1 with the older kids.

I don't see how breastfeeding is any more demanding than bottle feeding (?) either way your are required to sit down and do it.
"Breast time" with the baby was often my best time with the older ones, sitting and reading a story, playing a game or watching a DVD while snuggling on the couch :)
It was the rest of the time I was busy with housework that my older kids were on their own. They knew when mommy sat down to feed the baby she was all theirs! Though I never had one as young as 16 months while nursing another, I imagine THAT will be challenging, not sure I can help you there. A 16 month old is still pretty needy...

Get a sling and you can feed as you do other things. My girls could nurse while I took a long walk. I even took a nursing infant to a housewarming party and she was comfy, covered, mostly slept and could nurse. There are many beautiful ones out there, mine came from the LaLeche league, similar to this one:
http://www.amazon.com/Lite-on-Shoulder-Baby-Sling-Fern-Ba...
There are some really beautiful ones called Maya slings.
As for a schedule, it all depends on your kids. Mine are night owls and would sleep late in the AM. Some kids are up at 5 AM and asleep by 7. How about hubby throwing in a load of laundry every night and helping out on the weekend? You cannot do it all with 4 kids, I had 2 and thought I was cracking up some day from lack of sleep.

As a mom who exclusively breastfed my first child and then had to supplement with formula with baby #2, I can tell you it is way easier to get stuff done while breastfeeding. Why? Because breastfeeding is a one handed activity. Hold baby in one arm and get her on the boob and you can walk around doing all kinds of stuff. I once gave my older daughter a bath while nursing the little one. You can read to your older kids and help turn the pages with one hand while breastfeeding or sit on the floor and play with them . You can't do that holding a bottle because bottle feeding requires two hands - one to hold the baby and one to hold the bottle. Personally, I hate everything about bottle feeding. It ties me down and creates more work in a way that breastfeeding never did!

Plus a three year old and seven year old are old enough to help out around the house at least a little! :)

I think it might be a good idea to contact a lactation consultant that can maybe help you with this, or refer you to someone who can. There are wraps and carriers that you can actually nurse in. Your 7 year old and husband can help you with things. There is no reason to keep a baby at your breast all day. You CAN have them in a carrier all day, but no baby needs to nurse 24/7. And something could stop you from breastfeeding - you could get sick, etc. and be contageous. So don't set yourself up for disappointment if something beyond your control happens. Do your best, do what you can, ask your family to pitch in.

I would strongly suggest getting a baby carrier. That will help tremendously, both with the bonding, and with the ability to "do stuff" while still caring for the baby. You will need to sit down and nurse the baby of course, but having the baby in a carrier means the baby is right there next to you so you'll know right away if the baby is hungry or whatever.

Baby wearing is wonderful!! Also, after the 1st month, the baby;s need to breastfeed all the time will lessen - until the 3 month growth spurt. It's not a breastfeed or keep the household together. Your family/friends/spouse should be the ones worrying about keeping the house in order for at least the first 2 months. After a pregnancy, birth and baby being born, you DESERVE a break and relaxation time to bond and nurture the newborn.

You may want to look into a post partum doula - who helps with sibling care and household chores.

FLY lady has some good schedules; getting help is good; if you can, make up meals and stick them in the freezer; if you have friends that want to give you a baby shower but you don't need any baby items, ask for a "food shower", and they give you a meal (either all at one time for you to freeze, or they sign up for days after the baby is born to bring you a meal then); get a baby sling or other carrier, so that you can "hold" your baby and still have your hands free.

Hello!
Congratulations on #4. I'm impressed by your determination to bf. I nursed both of my kids until 1 yr (for my oldest) & 2 yrs (my youngest). My oldest didn't know any different. He knew that this was how his brother needed to eat. If you think your older kids are going to have trouble while you're nursing, set them up w/something specific just before the baby needs to nurse...play-doh, coloring, etc.
As far as a schedule w/nursing the baby, I think it's necessary when you have other children. For the first 3 wks, you're supposed to nurse on demand to ensure they gain the weight they lost back after birth. But after that, feeding on a schedule is easy to do.
I have friends that nurse on demand & they are always feeding their baby. They struggle going anywhere in the car b/c they hand to pull over all the time.
Don't let the docs convince you to supplement w/formula unless it's a health issue. Be strong!!

Have you considered wearing her? How much time is your husband taking off when she is born? If he is taking at least 2 weeks, that should help a lot with the older kids while you are getting into a routine. Plus - he needs that bonding time with an infant as well.