Tips for going public!

[Savannah11]

We are going on holiday in August and I don't plan to take anything to express my milk with so I want to get comfortable nursing in public with my nursing cover.
I'm going out tomorrow so going to give it a go then does anybody have any tips? What do you do about people staring? My worry is that people know what I'm doing and it's awkward or if someone asks me to go somewhere else? Xx

 

[Twinmum87]

6 months and I have never had anyone looking or any comments of any form. �� Hopefully it will be the same for you. Have a good holiday!

 

[jessmke]

I have never had anyone stare or make any comment and I don't even use a cover. Honestly I think you attract less attention without a cover because it just looks like you are holding/cuddling your baby, but if you put a cover over yourself it's like wearing a big sign saying 'I'm breastfeeding!'. If anyone does say anything just tell them that if they are bothered by it then they are welcome to look away, and that their staring is far more inappropriate than you feeding your baby.

 

[Snufflepop]

Agree with pp about nursing covers. They never worked for me as baby would just try and pull the cover away to look around and I ended up constantly having to fix the cover. I tend to do the two top approach and pull one top up and the other one down so that there is very little actually boob on display and at a quick glance would just look like you are cradling your baby. Maybe practice in front of a mirror so that you actually see how it looks and it might make you feel more comfortable about how little you can actually see. Also I eventually learned to not care which was very liberating compared to frantically trying to find a private place to feed with a screaming baby. If baby needs a feed then I would feed wherever and I must say I have never had any negative comments or reactions. Good luck and enjoy your holiday.

 

[staralfur]

I did have an experience once when I got some nasty stares from an older couple in a restaurant and to be honest it just made me more determined to feed my daughter wherever I needed to. It's so silly that anyone looks down on it and I wanted to be a part of normalizing it as much as I could.

I found that things got much easier and much more discreet once I ditched the cover. When you have this big thing draped over you with little baby legs sticking out the end it's VERY obvious what's going on and draws people's attention to it. My LO would fuss and kick the blanket around and I found myself having to juggle keeping the blanket on top of her while trying to get her to stay on the breast while trying to lift it up to see what was going on without lifting it too much, etc... it was a nightmare.

I found once I just started wearing two tops and pulling one up and one down that most people didn't even notice that I was feeding and if they did they couldn't see anything anyway.

I think feeding in public naturally becomes much easier the more you do it and you realize that really the vast majority of people don't notice/care. If they do and they have the nerve to say something then tell them where to stuff it and keep doing what you're doing. Good luck!

 

[Savannah11]

Thanks so much for the advice girls! I like the idea of ditching the cover and doing the 2 top method as using my nursing cover has to be the biggest faff ever and I'm constantly trying to adjust it to see him etc xx

 

[noon_child]

I never had any bad reactions from people (although I know some people do), even though sometimes I was quite exposed through bad wardrobe choices! I don't know if I just never noticed the people scowling at me or if people are more accepting than we are led to believe.

 

[mac1979]

I wear my cover through my initial letdown then take it off and use the two top method, I still have OALD and she tends to pull off and I spray everywhere. She does well with the cover though as long as she can see me. With my cup size being an E/F its hard to be discreet.

 

[Twinmum87]

I do two top sometimes but I just get way too hot so I mostly use a muslin cloth to cover myself up a bit without putting anything over my baby rather than a feeding cover.

 

[Amalee]

I nursed my son until he was 17 or 18 months, and never had a negative comment or look. Or, if I did get looks, I didn't notice. I don't think many people could tell when I was nursing, versus just holding my son close (my family often couldn't tell). I usually just did the two top method as other posters mentioned, or had a light blanket to drape over my shoulder and cover the top of my chest.

How old is your baby?

 

[Marumi]

People only ever stared at me with a nursing cover They were all wondering what I am doing and if the baby is okay.

I would recommend the two shirt method. Most won't even notice you are nursing and if they do not give it a second thought because they see the baby is being fed. No one has ever given me problems about feeding the baby and I have done it everywhere. I firmly stay put in Starbucks with my coffee in one hand and baby on the boob nowadays. It really makes your life so much easier if you learn how to NIP freely.

 

[hulala]

No worry. I have done it many times and it seems very natural.

 

[FeleciaPhelps]

I think you can take the help of nursing covers if you are not using any pumps or bottles.

 

[AngelofTroy]

I have found lots of lovely nursing tops and dresses which have discreet littles holes/panels for bf. H&M have a good selection of basic tops and I have got some lovely dresses on ebay/amazon.

 

[penelopejones]

Okay, related question - what position/hold do you use? At home, I use a breastfeeding pillow and cross-cradle hold. I find cradle hold really awkward, even with a pillow. I have giant boobs (like a 36G) and need to support my boob with one hand, and with cradle hold it sort of squishes the boob and my baby has trouble latching on. Without a breastfeeding pillow I find myself leaning over uncomfortably with my leg crossed to prop baby up. He's 3 months. What am I doing wrong? How do you sit comfortably to nurse without a pillow?

 

[Sarah Lou 80]

Agree with pp about nursing covers. They never worked for me as baby would just try and pull the cover away to look around and I ended up constantly having to fix the cover. I tend to do the two top approach and pull one top up and the other one down so that there is very little actually boob on display and at a quick glance would just look like you are cradling your baby. Maybe practice in front of a mirror so that you actually see how it looks and it might make you feel more comfortable about how little you can actually see. Also I eventually learned to not care which was very liberating compared to frantically trying to find a private place to feed with a screaming baby. If baby needs a feed then I would feed wherever and I must say I have never had any negative comments or reactions. Good luck and enjoy your holiday.

I could have written this reply! The two top method for sure. It might help to have a looser fitting top on top as that really allows for less exposure. And I would definitely try in front of a mirror first as it will boost your confidence to see how discreet it is.

I've also never had anyone stare or comment. Once you've done it a couple of times, you will feel a lot more relaxed.

Enjoy your hols 👍🏻

 

[Elsa50501]

My daughter is almost 22 months old and I still nurse her. If I nursed in public under a swaddling blanket, no one ever cared, second glanced, whatever, and honestly, why would they? There is nothing wrong with that even to prudish people, there is nothing showing.

When she was 6 months old she wouldn't do the cover or swaddling blanket/infinity scarf nursing anymore, so I'd just do it in the car before going in a place, or go into a corner or quiet spot (my daughter was very distractible). I recently went on a whale watch,and now that she's older I don't normally let her nurse while out, and she also normally doesn't ask anyway. But we went on an evening ship ride, and as it was close to bedtime she asked to nurse. So I let her crawl under my sweatshirt. One lady mentioned "Oh, I don't think the lady behind you wants to be in our picture because she's nursing her baby" .. but other than that I got no comments at all.

 

[La Bergere]

I found that a muslin with the corner tucked in my bra or bikini strap (on the shoulder) worked a treat while breastfeeding while out and about or on holiday. Its not big and bulky or too warm for the baby and you usually have a muslin with you so its reasonably quick to get out and set up!

I could never get on with nursing covers, but did get a couple of breastfeeding tops that have a wrap over front so its quite discreet while feeding.

Good luck!