Thoughts on this....??

[membas#1]

yes olivia does the same...everyone sees my nips now. i'm pretty well over it though...but i still start out trying to be discreet!

 

[Natsku]

I usually like to start out by shouting "Hey! Nipples over here!"

 

[lisaf]

lol!

 

[membas#1]

might as well

 

[DLA]

I have a feeling I'm oversimplifying how easy it will be to express. I feel dead set against myself BF in public. It's giving me anxiety just thinking about it. I don't want to do it in front of anyone except OH. I really hope I luck out and am able to express easily or maybe my feelings will just totally change once I start doing it.

 

[tina3747]

I have a feeling I'm oversimplifying how easy it will be to express. I feel dead set against myself BF in public. It's giving me anxiety just thinking about it. I don't want to do it in front of anyone except OH. I really hope I luck out and am able to express easily or maybe my feelings will just totally change once I start doing it.

It can be really hard, especially to get an amount that's worth all the effort!
The only way you get your supply going is to breast breast breast feed! That means if your not happy doing it in public then your tied to the house like I was. I didn't mind doing it, didn't bother me but my Lo would scream whilst latching every feed and milk would just go everywhere, just wasn't possible for me. I found in the first week after my week stay in hospital would be just be in the most easiest top you can find, like a zip up one as you'll find the cluster feeds really draining! Plenty of drunks and snacks round you and a remote control!!
Good luck! Xx

 

[Blah11]

You could research using a sling or carrier to feed too.

 

[MikaylasMummy]

I have a feeling I'm oversimplifying how easy it will be to express. I feel dead set against myself BF in public. It's giving me anxiety just thinking about it. I don't want to do it in front of anyone except OH. I really hope I luck out and am able to express easily or maybe my feelings will just totally change once I start doing it.

i had a decent supply i think and i could only express in the mornings because by the end of the day they would bf so much only they could get more out.bf can be very discreet if you want it to be especially when they are too young to be distracted by other things.also with breast milk it is obviously made up so you cant take it out for too long..where as breastfeeding its always perfect i hope you feel a bit differently once you feel comfortable with feeding cos i think it will make your life a lot easier

 

[DLA]

I have the moby wrap so that will be an option but I think I just have to accept that I will be stuck in the house for a while in the beginning.

 

[aliss]

I have the moby wrap so that will be an option but I think I just have to accept that I will be stuck in the house for a while in the beginning.

I wouldn't even try to think or worry about it right now - most women here who NIP had some sort of fear before. It may or may not even be an issue for you when the time comes. I myself bought a cape but never used it anyways.

 

[Palestrina]

I have the moby wrap so that will be an option but I think I just have to accept that I will be stuck in the house for a while in the beginning.

Oh jeez don't expect to get out of the house any time soon in the beginning. BF babies eat all the time in the first few weeks! And don't use words like "dead-set against" because you're just painting yourself into a corner needlessly. Leave a window open for the possibility. All of us who BF our kids have to lead our lives and eventually we have to leave the comfort of our home with our babies. It will happen and you find a solution that works best for you. If you find it easy to express and your baby takes a bottle without fuss then that might be the right solution. But be prepared that baby has his/her own opinions about BF lol!

Or you may be like me, who thought expressing would be ideal and that I'd have lots of stored breast milk for leaving etc. To tell the truth, it was difficult getting LO to take the bottle and once he did it broke my heart. Only my OH feeds him but godforbid if I walk in on the feeding I'm heartbroken that he's getting food from a bottle... can't explain the feeling though.

 

[Palestrina]

It is an art. I suggest wearing a zip up hoodie, then a tank top underneath. Pull tank top up and cover boob, keep hoodie zipped up over the bottom of your boob. I have big ones too, lol

Great idea! Now that the weather is cooling this will be a great alternative to those nursing covers that are such a hassle for me!

 

[DLA]

I have the moby wrap so that will be an option but I think I just have to accept that I will be stuck in the house for a while in the beginning.

Oh jeez don't expect to get out of the house any time soon in the beginning. BF babies eat all the time in the first few weeks! And don't use words like "dead-set against" because you're just painting yourself into a corner needlessly. Leave a window open for the possibility. All of us who BF our kids have to lead our lives and eventually we have to leave the comfort of our home with our babies. It will happen and you find a solution that works best for you. If you find it easy to express and your baby takes a bottle without fuss then that might be the right solution. But be prepared that baby has his/her own opinions about BF lol!

Or you may be like me, who thought expressing would be ideal and that I'd have lots of stored breast milk for leaving etc. To tell the truth, it was difficult getting LO to take the bottle and once he did it broke my heart. Only my OH feeds him but godforbid if I walk in on the feeding I'm heartbroken that he's getting food from a bottle... can't explain the feeling though.

I actually do hope all my feelings change once I start doing it. Like I said I'm really anxious about it now so I hope when I do it I will surprise myself and not find it strange whatsoever.

 

[DLA]

I have a feeling I'm oversimplifying how easy it will be to express. I feel dead set against myself BF in public. It's giving me anxiety just thinking about it. I don't want to do it in front of anyone except OH. I really hope I luck out and am able to express easily or maybe my feelings will just totally change once I start doing it.

i had a decent supply i think and i could only express in the mornings because by the end of the day they would bf so much only they could get more out.bf can be very discreet if you want it to be especially when they are too young to be distracted by other things.also with breast milk it is obviously made up so you cant take it out for too long..where as breastfeeding its always perfect i hope you feel a bit differently once you feel comfortable with feeding cos i think it will make your life a lot easier

I'm a huge worrier when it comes to everything and 9 times out of 10 I end up worrying for no reason. So there's a good chance I will look back and laugh that I was so anxious about it.

 

[membas#1]

DLA--you will be fine with whatever you decide...and honestly if you end up having to NIP you really can do it in a way that nobody can see anything. I have a picture of me nursing my LO at the park that my DH took and you can't see a thing...nothing. Please don't let NIP scare you into the house for too long...being tied to the house is really depressing sometimes Do you have one of those breastfeeding covers? That would work really well for you. My SIL uses one as she is very private and discreet...they are designed so you can get baby latched on and nursed and then get yourself covered back up all without anyone seeing anything, and then you can look into the top and see baby while nursing. They are quite nice for someone who would rather stay covered. You'll be fine...do not stress!

 

[lisaf]

DLA - I also recommend going out to mothers groups... or lacation groups. I lost a lot of my anxiety about it by simply seeing other women do it. Its also a bit of a 'safe' zone for trying to BF in a public setting... nobody there is going to stare or say anything.
Then you can try places that have private resting areas for mothers.

Just so you know though, its not JUST the modesty/anxiety that is an issue... learning to do it in public is a whole learning curve on its own! When they're tiny and you have to hold their necks up, its really most comfortable to do it at home where you have pillows etc. Once they're bigger and you can hold them at an angle it gets better. My trick for getting proper support for my arm while BFing was to put my leg up on something... either the stroller wheel, or in the car, I'd push my foot over towards where the floor slopes up etc. One of the girls in my mom's group had this little travel pillow (about the size of a textbook, but super fluffy/thick) to tuck under her wrist while holding the baby up which was ingenious and I wish I'd had one, lol.

 

[lovealittle1]

DLA - definatley attend any sort of breastfeeing groups you can. Even if you get to one before baby arrives just to meet other BF mummies and see them bfing .

When you do go out there is always a way to NIP discreetly. I have many times nursed in the car. If you are at a mall ask to use a fitting room. Many places do have nursing rooms as well and if they don't you can always ask if there is a place you can use. When I was in Chicago airport when ds was 8 weeks I had no confidence at all and was still very shy so I asked at the first aid centre and they kindly let me use someone's private office.

 

[aliss]

DLA,

I hope she doesn't mind but another poster just posted a picture of her nursing in a mei tai. I highly suggest getting yourself a proper sling. As you can see from the picture, you would have zero clue that the baby is feeding.
https://www.babyandbump.com/natural-parenting/752920-made-my-own-mei-tai-style-carrier-dance.html

 

[DLA]

wow you really can't tell. That makes me feel a lot better. Thanks for that. And Thanks to everyone else for all the suggestions. I am actually starting to feel a little more at ease with the whole thing