Is it illegal to ask a breastfeeding mother to cover up?
Under the 2010 Equality Act, it is illegal to ask a breastfeeding mother to cover up. Anyone who asks a breastfeeding woman to leave a public place, such as a café, shop, bus or park, is breaking the law.
Are breastfeeding covers safe to use?
Nursing covers that are specifically designed for the task are perfectly safe to use. Just make sure that your baby has plenty of room to breathe and that air can circulate. It’s also important to make sure that there’s no chance of baby overheating, especially during the summer months.
Which type of nursing cover is best?
There are a number of different types of nursing cover on the market. Opinions on the best type of breastfeeding cover vary among mums.
Apron: These have exploded in popularity over recent years. Boning is used to create a hoop that pulls the material away from your body so that you and your baby can maintain eye contact during the feed. Aprons usually come with a substantial amount of material, so this type of cover is particularly good for new mums who want to keep their feeds totally private, as well as plus-size and larger-breasted women. Aprons usually come in a great variety of colours and patterns although, as some mums point out, this can actually draw more attention to you. Some have also likened it to wearing a tent.
Scarf: A breastfeeding scarf wraps across your body and then baby can be slipped inside for easy feeding. When you’re done, it can be taken off and popped around your neck to be worn as an everyday scarf. Beware about wearing one to breastfeed outdoors in windy weather - one gust can cause the whole thing to blow out like a windsock.
Cardigan/shawl/wrap: Maternity clothing, which can later be used for nursing, is ideal to have in your wardrobe. This type of clothing can often be worn in multiple ways to help you nurse your baby comfortably, and sometimes poppers on the shoulders conveniently hold the material in place. The downside is that you’ll likely need more than one if you go out often and need to feed your baby.
Muslin cloths: An oversized muslin cloth tucked into a bra strap and draped over baby and breast are a popular choice of nursing cover, particularly among women who are experienced at breastfeeding. But while a muslin is quick to use, convenient and cheap, it can be fiddly if you are new to nursing. Another downside is that you can’t see your baby’s face while feeding.
How do I choose a nursing cover?
As well as considering how easy your breastfeeding cover is to adjust, how much cover it provides so that you can breastfeed confidently, and whether the material is soft and breathable enough for maximum comfort, you should think about price, as this can vary quite a bit. Also you should consider whether one cover is enough or if you should buy another, just in case.
Which breastfeeding cover is best?
Mumsnetters rave about the Bebe au Lait Nursing Cover. This large and breathable breastfeeding apron allows for convenient feeding while enabling you to keep an eye on your baby as you nurse.
How we chose our recommendations
We scoured Mumsnet forums to find out which breastfeeding covers our users rate highly - and which ones they weren’t impressed by.
We also consulted consumer watchdogs and took note of what they looked for in breastfeeding covers and which they were recommending to their readers.
Finally, we collated all that information and then looked at other online reviews to see which breastfeeding covers had received the best recommendations.
Why you should trust us
We work hard to provide unbiased, independent advice you can trust. We do sometimes earn revenue through affiliate (click-to-buy) links in our articles. This helps us fund more helpful articles like this one.