CALLING ALL BREASTFEEDING MAMAS!!!!

[MamaMammalon]

HELP!!! OPINIONS NEEDED!

When bf both at home and in public, I pull my top DOWN under my boobs rather than UP as I really dislike baring my now-less-than-perfect stomach and would rather show a bit of boob instead (albeit with the aid of a strategically placed muslin square).

A friend who breastfed her babies about ten years ago keeps hinting about lifting the top UP from the bottom, thus baring less boob (but more tummy).

What do you do? Do you pull up your top or pull it down? Do you cover up or bare your mammalons? Use a proper nursing cover/apron/cape? Wear cleverly designed nursing tops?

Does anyone know of anywhere that sells covers/specific bf tops as we can't get anything like that over here.

I live in Cyprus and come back to UK for Christmas and although I KNOW it's about personal choice, I just want to see what the norm is!

Thanks in advance!!

[SharpMolarBear]

I pull my top up because I find it gets in the way otherwise. I try to sit in such a position that my tummy isn't on show, or at least I can delude myself it's not!
I wear maternity tops as they're a bit more baggy / forgiving, but don't cover myself with a muslin uinless I'm feeling particularly on show- DS would probably end up waving it about like a flag
LOL at your friend's hints, does she keep pulling hers up?

[TrinityRhino]

Pull your top up and baby hides belly

[SharpMolarBear]

i'd need a very big baby

[phdlifeneedsanewname]

I lift up. (that is I did until ds decided he did not feed in public any more.)

one day in a pub I had my shirt lifted up, ds refused to feed (this was the start), so we stood up to move. Felt breeze on my tummy. "Hmm, my shirt must not have fallen back down, where is it?" groping with left hand until I found moist bare nipple! No wonder that bloke by the fire was staring!

[JodieG1]

I pull mine up.

[lemonaidtreasonandplot]

It varied depending on the top, to be honest. I did actually rather like proper breastfeeding tops as they tended not to be so voluminous as the "just hoik it up or down" variety -- and they do mean that you don't show off your belly.

[fishie]

a vest! you need a vest! then pull top up and vest down.

[weeonion]

like fishie - i wear a vest under my tops. teh top comes up, the vest pulls down so not too mych stretchy tum or saggy boob exposed. i did buy some boob tubes in the sales - not that i wear them like that! i sue them more like a belly band under tops.

cant seem to get on with bf tops -my boobs and the openings dont quite go together!

[Indith]

I'm with fishie, vests are great, tis all about layering! Plus they stop you getting a chilly tummy and back when pulling your top up out and about.

[RomanCandles]

I prefer to pull up. You can layer with vests or a pulled-down boob tube; or wear a cardie or jacket or loose unbuttoned men's shirt which will drape over or under baby; or simply wear loose enough shirts that you can tuck the 'other' side into your waistband once the baby is latched on.

If you're big (like me) then it's quite difficult to find decent breastfeeding tops, but there are plenty available for up to, say, size 16, and they are useful if you want a more fitted look.

[FrannyandZooey]

you can get a kind of bandeau thing to cover your tummy if that would help you feel more comfortable

I think it depends what your breasts are like, but the top down way does expose a LOT of breast, usually a great big milky blue veined breast - it is a bit of an eye popper I

I read the following tip: get an ordinary vest or t-shirt and cut a slit where your breast would be. Tuck this top into your skirt / trousers and put your ordinary shirt or top over it. Then you can unbutton shirt / lift up top and feed baby through the gap in your underneath top. Your tummy remains covered and you don't get freezing cold in winter.

[milou2]

Just to encourage you, I have always fed from under my tops apart from in the early days.....however it was seeing a friend of mine on her 6th baby feed as you do in the doctor's waiting room that gave me an extra boost of confidence in breast feeding.

I hope you don't mind, but for me it was seeing her lovely round boob being devoured with joy by her son that gave me that extra "of course, that's what it's all about, warmth and roundness and milk as well"

[moondog]

Pulled my top up although seem to remember unbuttoning entire shirt in dramatic fashion in early days.
Lordy!!

[amidaiwish]

i used these vests which have a built in bra support. They unclip from the top (like a feeding bra does) and leave you quite well covered.
here

or these wraps are lovely and light and you can feed the baby from underneath
here

i'm sure they could post to Cyprus as they're only light?

[policywonk]

I pull down. No shame.

[WriggleJiggle]

When out, I lift my top up. At home, I do whichever feels more comfortable at the time.

If you're comfortable with what you're doing theres no reason to change.

[Evenhope]

I pull up. Pulling down leaves too much on show. Baby covers nasty flabby tummy!

[BalsamicVinegar]

I lifted my top UP.
I hated showing my stretch marked tummy too so used to cover that with a muslin.

[BalsamicVinegar]

The vest idea is great. i'll use them next time.

[BabiesEverywhere]

I lift top up and have a large nursing toddler hid to hid my wobbly belly.

If you were worried, wht not wear an oversized vest or a 'bella' pregnancy band under your main top.

Ebay has a selection of breastfeeding tops and many at the .co.uk and .com versions will post to Europe.

I first used a 'boob tent' when my DD was little but I had trouble feeding under it, plus it drew too much attention. So when I got more confident I past the tent on to a new mum.

[FireworksScareMossyPets]

I think with me it's about fifty fifty!

I'm not especially discreet but I don't actually believe I should have to be. Especially if I'm at a Mums &Tots group or something like that. But if I'm in a pub or something I'll pull up - I wear a strappy vest underneath my top, pulled down under my bra, so that when I lift my jumper I don't show off my tummy. (Because I do think I should be discreet about exposing my flab and stretch marks!)

It's quite normal in many parts of continental Europe to breastfeed without anyone batting an eyelid as this rather funny cartoon shows.

[andiemisletoe]

I pull up and use baby to hide scary white belly

[TheBlonde]

I pull up
nothing wrong with pulling down if that is what you prefer though

[cmotdibbler]

I pull up, and normally have strappy vest to cover the white expanse of tummy(either H&M maternity ones that actually tuck into my jeans properly, or M&S ones that I seem to have 15 of now). The control pants that come up to your bra strap are good on two fronts of coverage and anti wobbliness too.