Breastfeeding

Sarah - posted on 07/09/2009

THANK YOU ! all so very much...you have really eased my fears of humiliating < not myself or my spouse, but of humiliating other people in public...I really am appreciative of all the support and advice ya'll have given me..

Emma - posted on 07/09/2009

it is perfectly legal and expectable to breastfeed in public (with all on show) until the baby is 6 months old. i personally take out a small blanket or muslin. there is usually special rooms too. sometimes in shopping centres, boots, mother care and department stores sometimes provide rooms too! good luck. its so natural and a beautiful experience. it wont be as big a problem as u feel it is now, as u will wont to do all you can for you baby especially if they are crying and hungry. x

Vanessa - posted on 07/09/2009

Sarah.....can i suggest that you get into contact with your local breastfeeding support group (i'm guessing its LLL in the US, i am in Australia)......and go and spend some time with some other breastfeeding mothers......firstly you will get heaps of support and secondly you can be around other breastfeeding women and see how easy and natural breastfeeding is. the more time you spend being exposed to lovely, healthy, easy breastfeeding relationships....the easier it will make your own breastfeeding journey. (i promise). i found a huge key to success in breastfeeding for me is total acceptance that breastfeeding is normal and healthy and being around other supportive women.

all the best.....ask for help.....theres lots out there if you want it. :)

Vanessa - posted on 07/09/2009

breastfeeding is not a dirty little secret you have to hide!

one of the joys of breastfeeding is that its portable at the drop of a hat, its ready, its warm, its clean.

what are you going to do when you stay out longer than expected and you have already used all your bottles and your boobs are very full (even engorged and painful from not breastfeeding all day or even a few hours) and your baby gives off the hunger cues and your boobs start letting down and leaking (your bodies way of tell you to feed your baby).......are you going to run off somewhere to express to relieve your boobs and prevent problems......or are you going to breastfeed your baby (btw, thats the most effective way of getting the milk out of your boobs).

i breastfeed anywhere anytime.....and guess what......most people don't take any notice, and those who do are supportive. its my childs right to be breastfed where ever and when ever he wants too.

hiding breastfeeding only perpetuates the idea that its wrong, dirty, unnatural.....and perpetuates the idea that artificial infant feeding is normal......BREASTFEEDING IS NORMAL!!!!

the more women that breastfeed in public....the better i say!!!!

Carly - posted on 07/08/2009

I must say I was always more worried about people seeing my jiggly bit that my breastsI used my shawl to cover my tummy, neither of my kids liked to have their faces covered. Wear layers one shirt up one shirt down and a good nursing bra.

Jana - posted on 07/08/2009

I breastfed my daughter and never got over being nervous about nursing in public...but I did it, I had too. In malls, I would nurse in a dressing room or in a Family Bathroom that had nursing stations. In resturants I would nurse in my car. In airports I would just find a gate that wasn't being used and nurse there. I was always covered, just because I didn't want anyone seeing any part of me they shouldn't. People could always tell that I was nursing, but I figured as long as I was covered, if they had a problem with it, they needed to grow up and learn the facts about breastfeeding. Good luck with breastfeeding, besides the health benefits, it is so much easier.

Stina - posted on 07/08/2009

Forget the hassle of packing bottles! One of the best things about breastfeeding is that it is so very mobile. No need to worry about warming a bottle or mixing the formula and nothing to clean up later.

Bring a lightweight blanket or a nursing cover. If you feel self conscious, find a more secluded place. At the malls they sometimes have family bathrooms that have nice sitting areas. With my first baby I used to go out and sit in my car. Now with # 3 I nurse whenever wherever with a blanket- or if I forget one, with the cover of my Moby wrap.

Just go for it and know that you are doing the most natural thing.

Kelly - posted on 07/08/2009

A lot of malls and/or stores have baby rooms with change tables and chairs to sit in to feed baby. Or big bathrooms with chairs. I covered up with a nursing blanket and parked myself on a bench where ever we happened to be. Although I didn't do this for the first 6-8 weeks. It took me that long to get the hang of breastfeeding, never mind trying to do it at the mall discreetly. But once we did it a few times, it was much easier. Don't worry too much about it, like so many things, once baby is here you two will figure it out and make it work!

Sarah - posted on 07/08/2009

i have found that dressing rooms are not to bad, but people need to know that what you are doing is the best thing for your baby! if some one has a problem they can stick it

Nicole - posted on 07/08/2009

Hi Sarah .. i never put breast milk in a bottle my daughter never took one and that was fine because nursing is alot easier. in the begining i use to cover up now i could care less what other people think. if my baby is hunger im gonna feed her and i would never go to the bathroom to feed her. i dont understand why people are shy about bf in public. plus after you have a baby its hard to get imbarest.. good luck

Christi - posted on 07/08/2009

i felt the same way. at first when your trying to get the hang of breastfeeding, stay at home and take the time besides you will be tired. i don't know where you are but if it's cold you probably would want to be indoors and not fall on ice, at least for a month. they do make these covers that strap around your neck and cover you up. i felt the pillow and the cover was too much to do while holding a baby plus open my shirt when the baby is crying for food. i bought some nursing tops which help with modesty and i always carry a receiving blanket with me but now being summer if i'm not comfortable in public i'll cover up with a burp cloth.
i hope this helps, christi*

Michele - posted on 07/08/2009

I was always nervous to bf because I am so large busted and nobody makes nursing bras for my size. But I manage, and I would rather bf then have to spend a week pumping enough bm for a day out.

Vicki - posted on 07/08/2009

Don't worry about breastfeeding in public at all. It makes some people uncomfortable, but that is their problem, not yours. I'm sure your baby won't care at all.

Carlyn - posted on 07/08/2009

Honestly I never brought bottles when I went out. It was much easier to BF. At first, when she was very little and we were still getting used to the idea, I would go out to the backseat of the car and BF there. As she got older and we grew more comfortable together, I usually just tried to find someplace comfortable to sit down, but a little out of the way. For example, I would sit in a bench in the mall rather than the middle of the food court. I found it easiest to just wear nursing bras and loose fitting t-shirts. Then I would just get comfortable, pull up the shirt, and latch her on. Sometimes I found it a little easier if I had a book or newspaper to read and sort of run visual interference. I know some people really like nursing cover ups/blankets/shawls, but I found that actually just drew more attention to what I was doing. Honestly, I think at least 75% of the people in the mall don't even notice I'm nursing. Of the other 25%, most are supportive or don't care. I never had one person make a negative comment to me.

I did have one little three year old come right up and ask what I was doing. When I said "I'm nursing", she asked what that was. I told her milk was coming out of my boob and my baby was drinking it. She was stunned. Now that I have a toddler myself, I have to laugh because her poor mom was mortified that she was "making a scene", but I'm also glad to be a positive role model for all those kids to see a mom happily breastfeeding in public.

When ever I was nervous, I tried to remind myself that every time a woman breastfeeds in public, she makes it more normal and more accepted. So I made it into a sort of social battle in my mind, which helped give me the courage to do it.

Good luck and congrats on your decision to give your baby the best.

Carly - posted on 07/08/2009

I used a large tye up beach skirt they are light weight and keep things tucked in

Kat - posted on 07/08/2009

As a new mum I liked my privacy when feeding. Feeding in public made me nervous. But I did have to do it. As time goes on I have become more confident. #1 I purchased tops made for breastfeeding. The one I went with was from a company in Australia called Peppermint. They keep your back & mid covered & only expose what you need to feed. #2 I used a wrap to throw over my shoulder & bub to give us privacy. I believe there are special throws you can use for this. #3 It was easier confidence wise when my Husband was fully supportive of me - he is supportive of breast feeding & he is supportive of breast feeding in public. So I knew he always had my back if someone ever approached me. And no one ever has.
They say once you have more kids you get use to it more, because of the older child you can't go hiding away in a mothers room or in a corner, you just have to get on with it. Here's hoping I feel that confident by then. You might find eventually taking bottles with you is a pain in the butt & pulling out the boob anywhere any time is going to be much more convenient. Good Luck.

Mhairi - posted on 07/08/2009

I don't think you should need to cover up to BF, but if I'm not wearing a breastfeeding top with an opening to feed at the bust I do wear a singlet under my top. That way, I can pull up the top and pull down the singlet and my giggly belly isn't exposed. ;-)

If you do feel uncomfortable you can buy blankets that cover you both. http://www.nursingangel.com.au/c/165295/...

This is an Australian site, but you get the idea. I have tired to use a shawl to cover us at a party but Lauchie hated it (because he's usually free to look around), and it ended up drawing more attention to us.

Rebecca - posted on 07/08/2009

It is pretty easy to do in public, you can use a nursing cover or recieving blanket if you want to (expecially when they are small) when they are bigger they hide everything. And now a days most people dont care where you do it anyway, and even if they do well thats another topic lol! By the time that you decide to go out you will have gotten breastfeeding down and should have no problem doing it anywhere, if anything it just takes a bit getting used to being out in public. Alot of places have nursing rooms you can use as well, but dont feel as though you should be forced to go to a bathroom and do it because thats not right, who wants to eat in a bathroom? You will figure out what works for you once baby comes, and you will decide how comfortable you will be.

Lexie - posted on 07/08/2009

Breastfeeding in public is surprisingly easy to do. I just bring my breastfeeding pillow and a nursing cover, and she goes to town! I was a little embarrassed at first, but I got over that real fast. You need a life outside of staying at home to breastfeed, so have no shame!