Breastfeeding!

[Shannyxox]

Hi mummies to be !

So i plan to breast feed, and know that if you breast feed thats all you should do for the first month, and after that i will also be using the pump and bottle feed In the fist month i really dont want to breast feed in front of people though (sept my boyfriend of course ) Does anyone else feel this? And what will you do about it? xx

 

[Rachel_C]

I felt like that with my last LO but once baby arrived and was screaming for milk, that all went out of the window! People said it would and I didn't believe them, but it really did. By then, you've given birth in front of a couple of people, maybe peed, pooed or farted in front of them, you have a midwife checking you're healing ok every few days, plus that baby screaming literally becomes the only thing you can think about when it starts, you just don't care! I was the shyest person in the world, I would barely show a bit of leg, but my sister commented a week after LO was born that I'd really changed and it was true.

So I'd say don't worry about it for now, you may well find that you feel very different once LO arrives. If not though, you can get all sorts of BF tops that show nothing, or BF covers or just drape a muslin or scarf over you.

 

[Brieanna]

I plan on exclusively breastfeeding. Even though I am so happy when others breastfeed in front of people or in public because it shows how it is more acceptable and that society is not trying to make women "hide" such a natural act, I know I will not feel comfortable doing it in front of other people (except my OH and my sister).

I am very self-conscious of my body and I don't even feel comfortable wearing shorts in public (I have always had body issues) so I plan on feeding in the nursery when company is here and have the door closed. I have a little area set up with a recliner, small table and lamp, basket with everything I need for breast feeding (pads, lansinoh, etc) that I will use. My friend used a sign taped to the door that said "nursing in progress" or something to that effect and I might steal that idea to keep people from barging in. I also plan on timing my outings around feeding times and/or taking a blanket to cover up with.

 

[keljt1127]

yeah i really dont feel up to feeding my son around people other than my bf as well !

I also plan on feeding him beforehand so that I dont have to when we are out! but of course I wont really be going anywhere much in the first month! and afterwards I plan on just expressing n bringing bottles for when we are out and about! but when people visit him I will prob just excuse myself and go to anther room if we are at someones house and if I am out in plublic and he needs to be fed I plan on bringing a blanket and going to my car? lol idk...
havnt gotton that far yet! my AC doesnt work so it might be wayyyy too hot .... maybe i will jsut slip into the bathroom because i dont feel comfortable even covered up to BF out in the open

 

[Shannyxox]

I will just go to a room todo it awell, i just dont know about when im out either, but i shouldnt think i will be going out much in the first month either x

 

[leahsbabybump]

i have bought a breast feeding cover up scarf its great just pop it over your shoulder whilst baby is feeding and no one can see whats going off

 

[Kiddo]

I felt the same at first but once you get the hang of it, you can bf easily without showing anything.

When Harvey was first born I'd go into another room to latch him on, check in the mirror that nothing was showing then come back into the room with visitors. After a couple of weeks I was confident enough to latch him on in the living room. If you're out and about then having your OH or a friend with you the first few times you bf in public is handy as they can reassure you you're being discrete.

I used to wear a vest top under my regular top then I could pull the top up and the vest down, keeping both my tummy and the top of my boob covered. Anything not covered by clothing was hidden by Harvey's head.

If you're really uncomfortable then don't be shy about leaving the room - your baby getting fed is way more important than visitors getting a chat.

 

[scuffer]

I would go insane if I was stuck inside with a baby, even for a week let alone a month! Muslin squares are great as you can drape them over your shoulder and the babies head while you feed if you are worried about people seeing. It is possible to feed discreetly and I have found that people didn't even realise I was feeding. Just because you are feeding it doesn't mean you have to get your whole boob out, I know some people are relaxed doing this but I never was. But I also won't go and feed in a little room, it can be very lonely, I think you're much more likely to be able to feed longer if you get used to feeding where you can talk to people or in a coffee shop where you can get a drink and read a book or something.

It's worth seeing how it goes when the baby arrives, but try not to worry about what anyone else thinks as if they do feel negatively about a woman feeding her baby they are only displaying their own ignorance.

 

[Shannyxox]

I know im the sort of person who wont do it infront of people though :/ Sept my boyfriend ofc.

 

[scuffer]

I know im the sort of person who wont do it infront of people though :/ Sept my boyfriend ofc.

You might get used to it, when you have a hungry baby that becomes your only priority, it still only takes a newborn crying for my boobs to go "woah, what's that, we need it to stop!"

 

[krisab]

I was quite shy a BF with my first, however with my second i grew confidence and didnt mind to BF in front of other people. I will be BF'ing again for baba number 3

 

[Pixie2320]

Honestly I don't buy nipple confusion, obviously you want to buy the most breast like nipples/bottles - but of my friends who breast fed every single one of them had to go back to work within weeks and every single one of them BF when at home and pumped/bottle fed when not at home and not one baby refused the breast after being exposed to a bottle/pacifier.

I do plan on BF,but I will also be pumping and bottle feeding when in public because like you- I just don't feel comfortable doing it in public. I think BF can be done tactfully and discreetly in public, but unfortunantly I've had my fair share of women who think it's AOK to just whap their entire breast out in front of everyone and anyone and go to town, just turns me off of even trying.