To ask for your breastfeeding in public experiences?

[AlwaysFuckingTired]

Currently BF 3 week old DD2. I avoided BF in public with DD1 as much as possible due to anxiety about how people would react, but this led to me doing ridiculous things like feeding her in a toilet so I've decided I'm going to be braver this time.

How did you find BF in public? Did you get any unkind looks or comments? Did you use a cover or not?

I did it loads with all three of my DC. Sometimes they’d be in the sling anyway so it was naturally covered but other times i didn’t bother covering at all. I did it on buses, trains, in restaurants and shopping centres. Honestly never noticed anyone batting an eyelid.

Currently breastfeeding my 7 month old and have fed her lots in cafes, pubs, parks, beaches, on trains...basically whenever she has been hungry when we're out and I have not had any negative reactions either, only positive with older people telling me how great it is to see someone breastfeeding and knowing smiles from other mum's. I know exactly how you feel though, I was very nervous and waiting for a comment when I first started. It just makes it more fiddly when you are nervous though. I have never used a cover and mostly do the 'one up, one down' clothing method people have mentioned (worth looking up the 'can I breastfeed in it uk' group on Facebook for discreet clothes ideas).
It is so refreshing to see so many mum's saying they haven't had any negative experiences when you hear so much about it in the press 😊

Literally not had a single bad comment! I breastfeed everywhere! I find the easiest thing for me was to get some feeding tips and dresses, I like the ones that have a flap over the top like the one below.

I've had lots of positive experiences. Train ticket inspector the other day was understanding when I couldn't get up to get my ticket out. A nice lady at the library got me some water. Many smiles from old ladies!

If you don't already, go to some baby groups where you can spend time with other mums feeding in the wild. Totally normalises it!

Happy Mama. Women's Nursing Double Layered Vest Top Round Neck Sleeveless. 042p (Graphite Melange, UK 12, L) https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B071S1XMX5/ref=cmswwrcppapi_53eFBbJRVRD6Z

Fed in public for 6 months with a pashmina chucked over my shoulder for modesty. No negative comments but I did have one old lady who stared at me with a face like a bulldog chewing a wasp. And one lady who commented how lovely it was, which felt weird like she was watching.

The only time I felt uncomfortable was when I was feeding on a park bench in a predominantly Muslim area. I felt like the men were staring and it made me uncomfortable because their women were shrouded from head to toe and I was sitting with a boob out.

The only thing I honestly ever had was when Ds2 was about a month old, we were in a pizza restaurant and I started to feed. A waitress saw and started to walk over, I was all ready to utterly rant about my right to feed, how dare she etc etc..... She said "would you like a glass of water?". I said yes please that would be really kind of you. And nearly cried,it was so nice of her. I'm still feeding at 21 months and no one batted an eye lid in Yo Sushi the other day either! Bit tricky sitting on a stool, mind...

I was really comfortable breastfeeding my babies in public. The only time I caused any attention was when an older lady went out of her way to catch my eye to give me a supportive look 😍. I think I was fairly discreet anyway.
As opposed to the lady who stood up in the middle of Sainsbury's cafe to view the menu on the wall, and immediately unleashed both baps upon hearing the first little chirrup of her baby. Nearly knocked me out 😬. I always think of her when I read about people being shamed for BF in public. No one needs to see anything, it's not a spectator sport.

I'm currently bf 3 week old DS2, and before the that bf DS1 and DD for 14 months each. With DS1 I used a cover but didn't bother with DD. I live in a part of London where most mums formula feed and seeing women breastfeed isn't the norm. But all comments I've had were positive and most people just ignore it.

I've breastfed pretty much everywhere imaginable, including bus stops, the tube, and while running after my toddler at playgroup.

Go for it op!

Never had any comments. I don’t think most people notice. I once got a free cuppa in a cafe which was lovely as I’d gone in just to feed as it was pouring with rain outside and I thought the staff (was entirely Male run) might be a bit funny about it but they were lovely.

Fed all 3 of mine everywhere - like other posters, I never had a negative comment anywhere. Lots of positive comments though and once a lovely half hour conversation with a lady who asked if she could share my table in a very busy cafe, she hadn't realised I was feeding until she sat down. She told me how nice it was to see young mums feeding out and about and told me all about her kids and grandkids. I use the one up one down method with tops with a vest underneath, to be honest I think the breastfeeding covers make it more obvious that you're feeding (which is fine, but if you're trying to be discreet then they basically advertise what you're doing!)

I have breastfeed for over 3 years collectively (3DC) and never once had a comment - positive or negative.
I’ve BF wherever I happened to have been. I tended to wear a BF vest under whatever top I was wearing so there was never much to see anyway and baby’s head always covered everything.

Hopefully once you start feeling a bit bolder you will soon realise really the vast majority of people won’t notice and aren’t the least bit interested.

Life is far too short to feed baby in the toilet or to feel trapped in your own house.

I see many others have experienced the ninja pro-breastfeeding force that is elderly ladies

A cafe manager brought me a glass of water once, to keep me going until my cup of tea was ready. Otherwise, it was barely noticed for the full 12 months. One of DH's friends raised an eyebrow when I answered the door while feeding, but I pointed out that there was more boob on display in my wedding dress and he swiftly wound his neck in. I found bump bands to be really useful for wearing under a top, having never quite seen the point of them while I was pregnant.

Currently bf'ing baby #3 and never experienced any comments - I'm much more confident now than with #1 and now just feed anywhere - discovered the two top technique with my second which made things so much easier. Breastfeeding clothes actually made it harder for me !

BF both of mine each for just over a year - lots of public feeding in random places. I liked those feeding vests with the flap down bit as they were discreet. I honestly think I showed less breast than a lot of lasses dressed up for a night on the town!

The only place I encountered any problems was in Sainsbury’s. It was busy and my small baby was hungry so I sat on a bench in the (deserted) clothing department to feed him. Middle aged JS employee ran over and shrieked - you can’t do that, that’s DISGUSTING. I asked where I should go and she told me to use the toilets. I left, in tears. I’m normally quite easy going but I was quite upset by this and complained to JS. They didn’t even reply to my email...

Saddest experience was in a children’s hospital. DS1 had to have a small procedure done at 10 weeks under local anaesthetic. The surgeon said to feed him whilst she did it and was a bit flummoxed about the logistics when I flopped a boob out - up until then she hadn’t encountered a BF baby which I thought was really sad.

@ASqueakingInTheShrubbery brilliant idea with bump bands! Sometimes so hot wearing two tops (haven't bothered in recent heat and showed off flabby Mum tum) 😅

I breastfed twins for 18 months.

Feeding two babies takes a while and is more noticeable than feeding one (largely because twin babies draw attention anyway).

I never used a cover and I never had any negative comments.

As a PP said most people don’t notice and those that do largely don’t care.

I had regularly supportive smiles from other parents (Mums and Dads), occasional offers of water or tea from cafe/restaurant staff and a few lovely supportive chats with very elderly ladies telling me I was a wonderful mother. .

I never, ever had negative comments or nasty looks.

Occasionally surprised looks when they realised what we were doing but not nasty.

Again, like others I fed everywhere, parks, offices, shopping centres, cinemas, cafes, restaurants, baby groups, family parties and churches.

Nearly all my friends breastfed too and none of them experienced any unpleasant situations either.

I bf my ds for a year and currently breastfeeding my dd. I have a cover as it just means I feel comfortable doing it anywhere. I literally take my dd anywhere and don't worry about how I'll feed her so have breastfed her on a train, in a pub, in a church service, etc. Without the cover is might feel a bit more self conscious. Also my dad and fil seem to feel a bit uncomfortable (eg. look away, leave room) so having the cover makes me feel more confident doing it in their presence. I don't use it all the time though.

No negative comments here either. A couple of nice comments.
Occasionally if the cafes were really busy (on market day, say) I preferred to ask for a changing room. I would never use a toilet to bf.

Today I fed my 18 month old on a bus, on the seats near the tills at Sainsbury’s, at the playground, in a cafe, and on a bench by the Thames surrounded by tourists.

That’s pretty typical for me.

I’ve never had any negative comments, dirty looks, or any issues at all.

It’s possible I’m just cheerfully oblivious to anybody who does have a problem with it.

I don’t use a cover, and just do “one up one down”, I feel covered enough that way.

Places I have breastfed include:

Cafes
Pubs
Garden centres
Trains
The tube
Parks
Shops
Restaurants
Service stations
Libraries
RHS Wisley
Lords Cricket Ground

I have never had a negative comment or funny look in the 7 months I've been feeding my son, just a few warm smiles. I was lucky as the first time I did it I was with a gang of new mums and we all felt very brave the 6 of us in Costa - tbh we should've been more worried about pissing people off with the amount of space 6 prams were taking up! I can't imagine feeding him in the loo, I think it would make me feel quite sad.

It gets easier to be more discrete with practice and as the baby gets older but in my case I stopped caring too much after a while.

I BFed DD for nearly 5 months. I fed her in numerous cafes, in parks, standing by the road as a parade went by (which was accompanied by national TV reporters), walking around the supermarket on one occasion, on a bus (bumpy, wouldn't recommend), trains - including one full of male & female teenagers just let out of school, no-one even commented. I never fed in a public toilet, though. The only people who commented negatively were my mother & sister.

I am small of nork & used regular vest tops pulled down & either a cardigan, or a scarf around my shoulders. DD displayed her dissatisfaction with my mother's attempts to cover me up by yanking back with an angry yowl, several times. I also yowled as DD hadn't de-latched first & I gave my mother short shrift about it! Moral: don't let people mess with you or the baby, even if they claim they mean well.

Most people didn't even notice. Everyone else who did, was unfailingly lovely about it. And frankly, bollocks to them if they weren't. It's hard enough work having a tiny baby anyway (although lovely) without arseholes giving their unhelpful & unsolicited opinion. They could just get in the sea, as far as I was concerned.

Currently breastfeeding my second. Never had any negative experiences. Have been offered glasses of water a few times.

Feeding in playgrounds sometimes seems to attract the attention of girls under 7 who seem to be very curious about it! This was fine till DD started getting distracted so now I just explain that I need a quiet place to feed.

Still feed in public every now and then at over 2 years old. In the first year I’m not sure I ever left the house without feeding because he just fed constantly. I used to actually walk down the road with the baby latched on.
No one ever said anything bad or good. As it should be.