First Proper Trip Out & Advice Please!

[bambikate]

Hi girls, hubby and I took Izzy to Exeter shopping on Saturday - our first proper trip out! Perhaps it's because everyone was there or cuz we're inexperienced but we found it really hard to find somewhere to change her and for me to feed her!

After wondering round for aaaages looking like lost sheep we ended up finding Debenhams baby changing room with some chairs for breastfeeding so I fed her in there. (Followed by a nappy change from hell - triple poo and vertical wee whilst the nappy was off all over herself - arrrgh!!! lol.

I've never BF in public before and was unsure of where to do it?? I know it sounds silly but I feel a bit nervous but want to be comfortable where I do it - do you know of any high street chains that are good or can you do it in any restaurant / cafe without everyone staring?? Going to Cribbs Causeway in January and I really want to feel more confident this time around as we felt kind of lost!!!

x x

 

[jenjen]

I know how you feel. I've gone back to the car before now to feed Eva because I couldn't find anywhere to feed her. I'm not the sort of person who's happy to just lob a boob out in the middle of M&S restaurant! We live in Barnstaple and the only place I know of is the baby change and feed room in mothercare here. I'm pretty sure most mothercare branches have them.

 

[bluebell]

It is really difficult to find suitable places to bf / change nappies. I've got a bf cover
(off ebay) for indoors and a wool poncho if I'm outside in public. I always prefer to feed Jay at home or in our van, but sometimes needs must

It might say on the Cribbs Causeway website which shops have changing / feeding facilities

xx

 

[jenstar]

There is a scheme here called "breastfeeding welcome here" and places that are in it have stickers in the window in the shape of a heart with a baby's face; if the cafe or whatever is in the scheme and someone complains they are supposed to tell the complaining person to move and not the BF mother. There might be something like this in your area so you know what cafes are best to go to. Also these places tend to have good changing facilities cos they are baby friendly.

Also many baby changes are in the ladies loos instead of a separate room so check them.

You will soon get to know what shops are baby friendly! Sometimes it is suprising how good the facilities are in small shops/ cafes and how crap the big names like Asda or M&S are!

 

[nikky0907]

I was also troubled for the first couple of weeks on where to change her.There was a changing unit in one supermarket in the middle of an isle! And I was uncomfortable changing her there as people were walking by
But later on I found places where you have a little separate changing bit in the ladies bathroom.

 

[Serene123]

I have the same problem! I still hate going out for fear of not being able to change her / feed her!

 

[bambikate]

Thanks girls - oops I never thought of Mothercare!

I remember seeing one of those stickers in Costa Coffee before but it was sooo packed in there we wouldn't have got a seat! lol

Will have a look on Cribbs website x x

 

[poppy]

I totally sympathise - it is a nightmare isn't it! I found the same issues when I first went out and about with Tristan. Even in Edinburgh, where you would expect loads of facilities, it is amazing how many big stores don't offer baby rooms. Even Boots on Princess Street doesn't have one!

The places I found that are quite good are: Debenhams (I think you mentioned it), John Lewis is brilliant, Boots (usually - but not in Princess Street branch), Mothercare and M & S.

As for breastfeeding in public, at first I was like you and was really nervous about it. I juggled Tristan under about three tops and he kicked off big style every time I fed him - it was so stressful. Now, I am more relaxed and can breastfeed him quite comfortably in public - remember, it is illegal for restaurants and cafes to stop you breastfeeding in public. I think I am more comfortable now that I don't care as much about what people are thinking. Most people know it is a natural thing and don't mind and those who do (and stare) - just forgot them! It is not as if we are running around topless.

Alternatively, you could do what my friend does when she is out and about and express milk into a bottle to feed your little one. She doesn't like breastfeeding in public and finds this much more comfortable.

As for changing facilities, if somewhere doesn't have a parent and baby room to change your little one, they should at least have a disabled toilet which has more space to wheel in your buggy - they should allow you in there to use it.

Good luck!

xxx

 

[Jemima]

It's really tricky isn't it? I still struggle with this. I have found that Boots, M and S and Debenhams are pretty good. Some large shopping centres even have dedicated rooms for nursing mums, which I have found very useful.

There is a website that lists baby friendly premises, I will have a look and see if I can find it.

Lol at the triple pooh and vertical wee! The same thing happened to me once. There was a queue outside the changing room, it was our first time out and I was trying to feed, change nappy, change clothes while someone was huffing and puffing outside waiting with their LO. I came out of there bright red in the face, stresses out, with one bra strap undone and a screeming baby, nightmare!

 

[isil]

the mothercare in exeter is in the guildhall shopping centre if you don't know and it is okay to bf in but EDIT: I just wrote a whole thing about how nice debenhams is to do stuff in then reread your post! glad you found it. The phoenix (gandy st) is really bf friendly and usually very quiet in the day.

where else...boots do have a mother and baby room that always seems very quiet but I've never been up there. It's an option if you're up that end of town though.

m&s's mother and baby room is awful. don't go there.

Saturdays are particularly awful in Exeter at the moment but it's definitely not always that bad. I saw a Mum bfing on the high st in May and she must've felt comfortable enough to do it there. I've only ever bf Alasdair in mothercare but I don't really bf in the day any more so I have no need to find a nice place!

 

[nessajane]

Ive been wondering about this too hun, im no bf but ff and we went out to mothercare and asda yesterday and i was rusHing round like crazy as i was worried about where to change and feed LO if he woke up!!

Cribbs has quite a few toilets if i remember rightly and im sure they have mother & baby rooms in the loos!!

You could ring ahead and find out if you want to make sure and ask about their facilities x x

 

[bambikate]

It's really tricky isn't it? I still struggle with this. I have found that Boots, M and S and Debenhams are pretty good. Some large shopping centres even have dedicated rooms for nursing mums, which I have found very useful.

There is a website that lists baby friendly premises, I will have a look and see if I can find it.

Lol at the triple pooh and vertical wee! The same thing happened to me once. There was a queue outside the changing room, it was our first time out and I was trying to feed, change nappy, change clothes while someone was huffing and puffing outside waiting with their LO. I came out of there bright red in the face, stresses out, with one bra strap undone and a screeming baby, nightmare!

Awww bless you - luckily hubby was there on Saturday but I reckon if I had taken a solo trip just me and Izzy i would have come out of the room exactly the same!!!

the mothercare in exeter is in the guildhall shopping centre if you don't know and it is okay to bf in but EDIT: I just wrote a whole thing about how nice debenhams is to do stuff in then reread your post! glad you found it. The phoenix (gandy st) is really bf friendly and usually very quiet in the day.

where else...boots do have a mother and baby room that always seems very quiet but I've never been up there. It's an option if you're up that end of town though.

m&s's mother and baby room is awful. don't go there.

Saturdays are particularly awful in Exeter at the moment but it's definitely not always that bad. I saw a Mum bfing on the high st in May and she must've felt comfortable enough to do it there. I've only ever bf Alasdair in mothercare but I don't really bf in the day any more so I have no need to find a nice place!

Thank you for the useful local info!!

Ive been wondering about this too hun, im no bf but ff and we went out to mothercare and asda yesterday and i was rusHing round like crazy as i was worried about where to change and feed LO if he woke up!!

Cribbs has quite a few toilets if i remember rightly and im sure they have mother & baby rooms in the loos!!

You could ring ahead and find out if you want to make sure and ask about their facilities x x

Just had a look at the Cribbs map and they have 5 Mother and baby toilets around the mall so thats ideal. Also Costa Coffee and John Lewis.

I'm glad it's not just me then!!! Thank you so much girls your all so helpful!!! x x

 

[lady3]

I was exactly like you and very subconscious of bfing in public so I bought one of these:
https://www.babybabette.co.uk/

It made it so much easier! I've even had a waiter in a restaurant thank me for being so discreet about it. I love mine.

 

[angie0235]

John Lewis is always a good place. They usually have a changing room and feeding room too that is comfortable.

 

[keelykat]

Hello, i can't comment on bfing when out but i can sympathise with changing nappies.

I've gradually learnt a few fave places to go and change Elliot, aswell as somewhere to warm his bottles up and feed him (although i bottle feed him, it can still be tricky finding a seat, and somewhere to warm the bottle up).

Asda isn't actually too bad, the two i go to have fairly decent change facilities with a loo and seat in (but i know one asda that my sister uses that is terrible, she actually complained once as the pull down change table thing was broken off!!).

In my local town (wolverhampton) there is a good (in my opinion anyway) change facility, it has a loo, two changing room type rooms (so if you want to bfeed in private you can), a long row of seats, several bottle warmers, two sinks, and two change mats (with a roll of paper if you want to use on mat). I like going in there, usually end up chatting to other moms in there!!

Mothercare is ok, but always busy when i need to go in and can't actually get in! but my local one is tiny, the one in merry hill is better.

I try to plan out my days out now so i dont get stressed out!!

keely.

 

[artypants2008]

Good for you on the bfing. I think poppy posted that people can't actually ask you to stop bfing your baby in public. I found the back seat of the car a god send on many occasions and I also got a bfing cape which are quite stylish now and very discreet. Mothercare are great for both bfing and changing and even have free nappies for you to use. I quickly realised that feeding my baby was more important than what other people thought so became quite comfortable feeding him in public. A few other tips I learnt were

Use the disabled loo when you need to go as you can get your pushchair in there with you. You can also change your little one in the pushchair in there in an emergancy.

If you are out in the car on your own and you need to fill up go to tesco as they have the pay @ pump so you don't have to oof your little one out to pay.

In a cafe find a table in a corner and sit with your back to people, they won't even realise you are bfing.

If you need anything just ask someone. People are far more accommodating when you have a little one and are only too pleased to help.

It does get easier. Good luck and keep up the bfing.

 

[bambikate]

Good for you on the bfing. I think poppy posted that people can't actually ask you to stop bfing your baby in public. I found the back seat of the car a god send on many occasions and I also got a bfing cape which are quite stylish now and very discreet. Mothercare are great for both bfing and changing and even have free nappies for you to use. I quickly realised that feeding my baby was more important than what other people thought so became quite comfortable feeding him in public. A few other tips I learnt were

Use the disabled loo when you need to go as you can get your pushchair in there with you. You can also change your little one in the pushchair in there in an emergancy.

If you are out in the car on your own and you need to fill up go to tesco as they have the pay @ pump so you don't have to oof your little one out to pay.

In a cafe find a table in a corner and sit with your back to people, they won't even realise you are bfing.

If you need anything just ask someone. People are far more accommodating when you have a little one and are only too pleased to help.

It does get easier. Good luck and keep up the bfing.

great tips thanks hun! also just ordered a bf cover yay x x