feeding in public is getting difficult

[_Lexi_]

Jessica is just so nosy. Trying to get her to feed anywhere is becoming a nightmare. She just gets distracted, pulls off to look round, leading to her getting sprayed with milk. I was in a feeding room in mothercare today, only one other mum in there, and she pretty much refused to feed because she was looking round. She barely had any milk all day because we were out and she just wanted to people watch. I know a few mums who have switched to formula for when they're out, but I really don't want to. Not after getting this far. I don't want her going hungry just because she's nosy though any tips? She hates being covered so that won't solve it x

 

[JenX]

I think this happens with most babies. For my LO, when she started being supper interested in the world around her she nearly stopped nursing during the day except for little short 2-3 minute sessions to keep her hydrated, I presume. She makes up for it at night. This is not ideal, but we're suffering through. In the breastfeeding group I go to, several other babies are doing the same thing- it's called reverse cycling. Does your LO feed a lot at night? If so, maybe just don't worry about feeding as much when you're out, unless you need to be out for a long time. If she's distracted there's not much you can do to make her focus other than to remove distractions by feeding in a dark room, but this doesn't work when out.

I tried things like nursing necklaces to keep her attention, but they never really worked. Now when we go out I take a straw cup with water for her in case she's just thirsty. This works for us, but we don't go out for long periods of time.

 

[w8ing4bean]

Phoebe is the same. She randomly pulls off so im left with boob on show to the world! She also likes to just stare at me lol.

I say "ok then, boobies are going" and do my top up, and she usually protests and feeds nicely again x

 

[_Lexi_]

She feeds loads at night. She's never slept through. She's never had a drink other than my milk. Should she be having water now? Does your lo get on ok with a straw?

 

[Peppermint25]

My LO does exactly this and has done since 4 months. She'll be nosey all day and not feed much then at night and is calm will drink non stop!

Iv given up trying to feed when we'r out as she just refuses and gets angry if I try to feed her. Too many times I have had her thrash about and my boob out on display so I'm just not bothering now. It's frustrating!

The other day we were out all day and I tried her in feeding rooms and a resturant but had no luck. So I ended up having to lie down in the back seat of the car and feed her that way. Not the most comfortable or convenient!

I hope it's just a phase but iv got a feeling that this will just be the way it is when were out

 

[JenX]

She feeds loads at night. She's never slept through. She's never had a drink other than my milk. Should she be having water now? Does your lo get on ok with a straw?

Yes, we use the Oxo Tot straw cup. She mastered it easily at only 4 months with breastmilk in the cup (she was an epic bottle refuser, so we skipped right to the cup). After 6 months it is fine to give little bits of water, or you could pump and offer breastmilk in a cup. Might be easier when out and about. If she's eating well at night, she's probably getting plenty and not very hungry in the day like my LO. I'm sure if she's hungry, she'll let you know!

 

[_Lexi_]

I'm out most days and don't really want to have to express constantly. I used to get about 6oz when I pumped, now I struggle to get 1.5oz. We don't drive so I never have the option if feeding in the car. I walk or get the bus everywhere. I was hoping to put her in her own room soon, but just seems pointless when she's feeding so much at night. I'd much rather she had more during the day! The days we don't go out she feeds fine during the day, but still the same amount at night!!

 

[Fortune Cooki]

I feed LO in the Ergo carrier while out and about. She pops off so many times! I just have this undershirt (no bra) where I can quickly pull my boob out, and another shirt over that one sort of covering my boob a bit. If she pops off, I cover my boob with the over shirt and so forth.

 

[SarahBear]

I'm confused... you say that she's not feeding because she's distracted, but then you say she's not feeding because she's noisy? I'm confused? Anyway, I'm surprised you made it this far without problems nursing in public! Violet started having trouble around 4 months. She became increasingly harder as time went on. I assure you though, this does NOT mean you need to switch to formula! It means you need to get creative and it also means she may be a bit hungry at times. It also means that planning around feedings may be a good idea. For a while, I would have to nurse her while walking and staying in constant motion. After a while though, should would NOT nurse in public. She even to got to a point where I had to lay down to nurse her. As she got older, closer to 8 months, she had a very difficult time nursing unless she was really tired and nursing to sleep. She nursed a lot at night during this phase. At some point, I discovered that part of the problem at 8 months was that she wanted to be upright. I found that she would nurse well in the mei tai style carrier. So then we went through a phase of nursing in the carrier or nursing in bed between sleep cycles. She will now nurse in various positions and will nurse in the carrier on a walk. The carrier is still the best tool for getting her to focus on nursing when she's distracted. If you do want to feed while out and you can't figure out what works, I have found bottles to be helpful at times. For example, my husband and I were traveling when Violet was about 8 or 9 months and she would NOT nurse. Finally around 2:00, I pumped out about 8 ounces and she downed it from the bottle. That was an unusual circumstance because we were traveling, but with general day-to-day stuff, I would just try to time things reasonably. You could also keep bottles and a pump in your car for back-up if it makes you feel better. There's no reason to switch to formula. Brest is best, I'd stick to it!

Edit: I just read that you don't have a car. I'd try to get a front carrier and see if, with time, you can get her to nurse that way.

 

[SarahBear]

I think this happens with most babies. For my LO, when she started being supper interested in the world around her she nearly stopped nursing during the day except for little short 2-3 minute sessions to keep her hydrated, I presume. She makes up for it at night. This is not ideal, but we're suffering through. In the breastfeeding group I go to, several other babies are doing the same thing- it's called reverse cycling. Does your LO feed a lot at night? If so, maybe just don't worry about feeding as much when you're out, unless you need to be out for a long time. If she's distracted there's not much you can do to make her focus other than to remove distractions by feeding in a dark room, but this doesn't work when out.

I tried things like nursing necklaces to keep her attention, but they never really worked. Now when we go out I take a straw cup with water for her in case she's just thirsty. This works for us, but we don't go out for long periods of time.

I'm not sure nursing necklaces do much good until they're older... I know Violet wouldn't have been interested until around a year or more.

 

[SarahBear]

She feeds loads at night. She's never slept through. She's never had a drink other than my milk. Should she be having water now? Does your lo get on ok with a straw?

Water can be offered, but it's not necessary.

 

[rainbowskin]

I stopped breastfeeding my son in public once he became distractable. I would offer a sippy cup of expressed milk and he'd usually refuse. He would take in a large feed once we got home.

ETA: If your baby is on solids she will be ok just having solids and water when out and about and can bf when she is home.

 

[PearDrops20]

My son too is a nosy so&so these days no matter where we are In public i just use a blanket to cover us so he's not as distracted while we're out as he can't see anything through the blanket, if he hears a sound he'll pull off but then just goes straight back on as he can't look at whatever was making the noise.
Could this work for you?
At home its different I just offer and if he doesn't want it or gets distracted i put boob away and let him play for a bit longer, turn the tv down etc and wait until he wants it again.

 

[LaraSue]

My sister-in-law makes nursing beads in her Etsy Shop. I promise I'm not getting a kickback or anything. She's out for Christmas at the moment, but she does very good work (made me my nursing cover for a baby shower gift). She says they work for most babies, but not all.