Nursing in public

[momofone08]

How did you ladies get over the fear of NIP? I am absolutely terrified that someone will say something to me. I am a tremendously shy person so this is rather hard for me and I have moved to exclusively pumping. I would like to feed baby without the bottle, but am not sure how to do so. I have a nursing cover, but what kind of clothes is best so that I don't flash my stomach or other body parts while attaching baby? I've only NIP once, on easter, because I ran out of bottles during a family outing but I went to the car. I need to get a nursing wardrobe so any advice would be appreciated.

 

[Rachel_C]

Two tops has always worked for me. Whatever top I'd normally wear with a vest top underneath. To feed LO, you lift one top up and pull the other down - I'd normally pull the vest top down and the normal top up to avoid stretching the neckline of the top layer. All you 'expose' then is enough boob for baby to latch on. Often, as LO gets settled, you can let the fabric slip closer to baby's face so there's no boob out at all - baby will cover anything that is exposed.

If you're nervous, why not practise in front of a mirror at home? You'll realise how little people can see (remember that you get a bird's eye view of yourself so see a lot more than other people!). You could also prepare a response for if somebody does say something e.g. "I have every right to be here and to feed my baby. It's illegal to ask me to move or harass me for it. Please feel free to check with the Police". If you google for 'breastfeeding rights' you will probably find something you could print out and keep with you to give to anybody who is stupid enough to say something, if you don't think you'd be confident to say it.

Nobody has ever said anything negative to me though. Lots of people don't even realise you're feeding the baby/child. The only time people have commented (that I've heard!) has been when they didn't realise LO was feeding and came close for a look; they've all said how nice it is.

 

[overcomer79]

I have a ring sling. It's wonderful. I was walking and doing my grocery shopping and no one knew what was going on. My baby has to eat. I'm very modest so it did bother me but I did it anyway. I purposefully didn't carry a bottle lol.

 

[supertabby]

I'm also a fan of vest underneath to pull down, and top over that to pull up. I practiced at home first and it really is discreet. Most people don't know you're feeding - when I was 10 weeks pp one of my friends who I see every week asked me if I was breastfeeding or bottle - I'd bf loads of times around my friends.

I was terrified of nursing in public too but you just have to take the plunge and do it, the more you do the easier it feels. Start off with places like baby classes, weigh in clinic etc, where other people will be bf too. My local mothercare has a quiet feeding room - it's not lockable, there's 2 armchairs in there so at times you may have company but also it'll only be another bf mum.

I've never had anyone be negative towards me, I know you do hear about idiots having a go but I think they're few and far between. I don't know anyone who's been harassed. I've had an old lady tell me it was lovely and not enough people bf nowadays.

 

[angelandbump]

Stock up on vest tops. I got the size up so it would stretch under my bust. Also have a few nursing tops from H&M, jojomamabebe ect. I find if a person looks over, give them eye contact. It sounds silly but it always works for me.
Try to watch out for your babies hunger signs and find somewhere to feed sooner because it's easier to get settled with a happy baby then a starving screaming baby who is bringing attention to you x

 

[Bunnikins]

Im shy too. I bought a bebe au lait cover, which covers everything and is really lightweight so baby isnt too warm under it... plus you can still see baby so latching on is easy too. It comes right down to my waist so covered no matter what i wear, but i usually tend to wear two tops, or a wrap dress for easy access

 

[Girly922]

I would also suggest layering. You can buy nursing vest tops that unclip so you don't have to fight to pull them down while you pull your other top up, you just unclip that cup. I'd also recommend the bebe au lait cover, I was terrified of NIP to begin with and used to go back to the car if we were out. Once I had the cover, I plucked up the courage to try feeding DD in Starbucks, no one even noticed let alone said anything. Since then I've fed everywhere and anywhere, sometimes with my cover, sometimes without. I have never had anyone say anything to me.


I know you're in the US and I'm UK but if it gives you any comfort, today hundreds of women across the country rallied in separate stores of a chain to nurse in public as a protest after one of their stores threw a lady out for BFing while her dad was shopping there. Head office are refusing to apologise, so a peaceful protest nationwide ensued.

 

[MoldyVoldy]

Nursing tanks under my normal clothing.

I also just DID IT. I got used to it after a while obviously, but at first I was nervous. I just pulled my shirt up, undid the the nursing tank, and latched LO. DONE.

At first I avoided eye contact with people walking by, and instead chose to make an effort to just look at my LO.

Later on, I was comfy enough to flash a smile at people who stared or looked for too long. LOL.

Most everyone to be honest were very nice about it.

If you can learn to nurse in a carrier of some sort i'd do that, too When nursing with my wrap I could cover my breast and LO's head and no one ever even looked twice I practiced at home a lot before my first time out

 

[Feathers]

I was very nervous, even at home when family were visiting and used to go into another room or go home to feed when I was out. The first time I fed in public was with another bf mum in a cafe and I realised no-one was noticing. After a few weeks I didn't even think about it any more.
I wear wrap dresses or just a normal top. If I'm somewhere very busy I have a lightweight shawl I use to wrap LO in and I just drape that over us No-one has ever looked or said anything to me

 

[moomin_troll]

Personally I was never worried. In the early days I used a bf cover, it has a stiff neck so I can see Corey and no one can see what I'm doing, I still got dirty looks, but I'd just stare back haha
Once he started to pull that off I'd wear a too with a tank top under so I was still covered.
I stopped bf and I still miss it haha I only stopped because 4 months ( he got teeth at 4 months and I fed till he was 8 months) of Corey seriously biting me took it's toll
When feeding take a deep breath, relax and find a nice comfortable place. Not many people actually have the nerve to say anything,