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AIBU?

Your experience of nursing/breastfeeding covers/shawls

141 replies

Cocacolathanks · 27/08/2020 22:33

Hello,

Are you currently using nursing covers/breastfeeding shawls? Or have you used them in the past?

Are they any good? Would you recommend to other mums? Also, is there anything annoying/negative about them?

I've not used them before but want to know if they're useful to other mums.


Thank you! :)

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DappledThings · 27/08/2020 22:41

I find them weird. I never felt the need to use one and they look like a right old faff getting arranged. They also draw far more attention to the fact that you are breastfeeding than just popping a breast out for a second and getting the baby latched.

An anecdote I have told before: some years ago I was hanging around departures at Heathrow near two older ladies. Opposite us was a cafe table occupied by a man, toddler and woman breastfeeding her baby. She was wearing a cumbersome cover/shawl thing and spent ages trying to get it positioned while the baby got crossed. The two.ladies near me were staring fairly openly at this. The husband was glaring at them, presumably thinking they were objecting to public breastfeeding. Being nearer I could hear what they were actually talking about and it was amazement at the show this woman was making of herself with this complex covering up when she could have just fed the baby right away without the cover and how odd a choice it was.

I wouldn't have used one if you paid me.

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DappledThings · 27/08/2020 22:43

But given as I suspect this is actually a thinly veiled bit of market research for an Etsy venture I'm clearly not your target audience Grin

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TestingTestingWonTooFree · 27/08/2020 22:46

Never bothered. At most I tucked a Muslin under my bra strap.

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StrumpersPlunkett · 27/08/2020 22:46

Even if this is market research I will add my tuppence.
They weren't a thing in the olden days when I had my boys.
If I felt the need to be covered up (very early on before I got to grips with whipping out boob, latching baby without milk squirting everywhere) I just tucked the corner of a muslin cloth into the relevant bra strap, it also meant that it was there and ready for burping at the end of the feed.
99% of the time there was no need and most people didn't notice I was feeding.

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Cocacolathanks · 27/08/2020 22:47

Hahaha! Definitely not for Etsy! Actually I have been thinking of buying some nursing covers as a gift for new mums (about 3 in the family at the same time - lots of post-covid catching up to do with gifts and stuff!) but wasn’t sure if they’re actually worth it or just another gimmick.

Thank you for sharing @DappledThings, and how interesting! Pleasantly surprised to hear the older women were not bothered about public breastfeeding 👍🏽☺️

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Rumplestrumpet · 27/08/2020 22:47

I used one with my first, it was very easy, I could see baby's face comfortably but didn't feel exposed - meant I could feed anywhere, including on the bus, and not feel uncomfortable. Plus stopped baby getting distracted pulling away and exposing even more.

Haven't bothered with my second - partly because I now don't really mind if peooply see a bit, partly because I've got lots of breastfeeding tops and dresses that make it very subtle - but mostly because with Covid I don't go anywhere 😆

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Macncheeseballs · 27/08/2020 22:47

I hate them

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Cocacolathanks · 27/08/2020 22:49

Lol the general consensus seems to be a no! Grin

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Igotthemheavyboobs · 27/08/2020 22:49

Nooooo! We shouldn't be encouraging women to be ashamed and feel like they should cover up!

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Stannisbaratheonsboxofmatches · 27/08/2020 22:49

I don’t think they are a good idea. Mums shouldn’t feel they need to cover up their babies to breast feed! Why should the baby feed with a shawl over its head?

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HoneysuckIejasmine · 27/08/2020 22:50

Hate. I wouldn't buy them for someone else unless they asked - it implies you think they should use it and that could be offensive. If you want to, it's your choice, but don't "impose" them.

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HoneysuckIejasmine · 27/08/2020 22:50

if you want to use them I mean.

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DappledThings · 27/08/2020 22:51

Actually I have been thinking of buying some nursing covers as a gift for new mums (about 3 in the family at the same time - lots of post-covid catching up to do with gifts and stuff!) but wasn’t sure if they’re actually worth it or just another gimmick.
Personal opinion obviously but if I'd been given one I would have been quite offended. It would have said to me that either you think I ought to be hiding when I had no intention of doing so or that I shouldn't be hiding but I'm not confident not too.

Would have gone straight to the charity shop anyway.

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DramaAlpaca · 27/08/2020 22:52

I had my babies back in the 90s. I never bothered with any sort of cover, just latched the baby on under whatever I was wearing and fed discreetly like that. I had no issues feeding in public. A cover sounds like a major faff, and arranging it would be more likely to draw attention to what you're doing.

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Weathergirl1 · 27/08/2020 22:56

I think they attract more attention to be honest. I used a JoJo waterfall cardigan that buttoned at the shoulder when it was colder (over a normal shirt) but just prefer using nursing tops now that still allow me to be discreet. I do have a Seraphine shawl that I was planning to use this summer over normal buttoned shirts but obviously with the current situation haven't actually used it!

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Itsjustabitofbanter · 27/08/2020 22:58

Awkward, uncomfortable, and I could feel my babies face getting hot under them, they wouldn’t tolerate them for more than a minute or so

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TheKeatingFive · 27/08/2020 23:00

Total pita. And not a suitable present, no.

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SpeedofaSloth · 27/08/2020 23:02

I never needed one, it would have got in the way. If I had got one as a gift I wouldn't have used it.

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Zhampagne · 27/08/2020 23:02

I wouldn't buy any kind of feeding accessory for a new mother that hadn't been specifically requested, except perhaps a cute bib for the baby. Feeding decisions are very personal and can be intensely emotional.

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Ginfordinner · 27/08/2020 23:05

I would never have needed one. Having small boobs no-one could see anything once DD was latched on.

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Cocacolathanks · 27/08/2020 23:06

All great advice - thank you everyone!

I exclusively breastfed my 3 (one pair of twins, and tandem-feeding) and I’ve never covered up (Psh!) but these relatives in question all expressed the desire to ‘cover up in public’ because they feel shy/uncomfortable - totally understand cos everyone feels differently.

But tbh, you guys are right, I think I’ll avoid them just because they sound like extra faff!!! Thank you for the advice.

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Meatshake · 27/08/2020 23:08

More noticeable using one than not.

Vest+normal top, top up, vest down, nip out, no one will know.

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mumwon · 27/08/2020 23:08

loose shirt top - when we did long flight I got dh to ask for large paper to read :)

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Blackbear19 · 27/08/2020 23:09

Faff and not a suitable gift, sends a message that you don't want to see them feeding or flashing.

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EventRider1 · 27/08/2020 23:09

I have a giant muslin that I occasionally use if I am in a very busy area but most of the time I don't use anything.

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