Your experience of nursing/breastfeeding covers/shawls

[Cocacolathanks]

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! :)

[brightbluegentian]

I loved mine! I had a really good one ( generous coverage, a rigid neck part so DC and I could see each other clearly and easy to put on and off) sorry can’t remember the brand. - but bought at TK max and the RRP was over £50!

DC was an awkward feeder - reflux and tongue tie so it gave me confidence to just get in with it.- I couldn’t use some of the more discrete positions. Later on she was so nosy that she wouldn’t feed if there was anything going on so we used it to give her a quiet space.

I also found it helpful to feed around people like my in-laws who are firmly bottle fans.

DC was a fussy easily distracted baby and both DP and I used it over our carrier to get her off to sleep put and about. It also fitted over the pram to provide a good sun shade!

However it did attract negative attention and comments. I never had anyone (bar in laws) comment on BF in public but several people had a go because I was covering up.

That and the comments above means they are definitely not a good gift. It worked for us but it is a personal thing.

[pollysproggle]

I just use an extra large muslin draped over my shoulder if I ever want a cover. Most of the time I don't bother- I use the double top method

[speakout]

I dislike them.

Not only do they do the oppositite of what their intention is - ike a big red flag saying "look at me I'm breastfeeding", covers also reinforce the idea hat breastfeeding is something shameful, dirty and needs to be hidden.

[minnieok]

Never used one, would you eat under a blanket? I fed my DD's until toddlerhood on 3 continents and never covered once

[Nonotthisagain]

I'd have been deeply offended if I'd been given one as a gift. Totally unnecessary.

[speakout]

I'd have been deeply offended if I'd been given one as a gift. Totally unnecessary.

Me too- I would have used it as a pet blanket.

Never used one, would you eat under a blanket? Absolutely- babies are social creatures and like to interact while eating, looking at mother's face, it is a bonding experience- as it is if a baby is feeding from a bottle I may add- there will be a lot of eye gazing and interaction whilst feeding.

They may be useful however to put over the head of any adult who finds breastfeeding offensive.

[4amWitchingHour]

I've just bought one as DS currently flails a lot at times and seemed calmer under a muslin when I used it when we've had visitors, but I never thought I'd want one.

Echo PPs - giant pretty muslins would be a good gift instead, I just thought a cover would be easier now I know I'll get some use out of it

[4amWitchingHour]

@Nonotthisagain

I'd have been deeply offended if I'd been given one as a gift. Totally unnecessary.

Totally unnecessary for you, but everyone's experience is different. Don't look down on others who feel more comfortable with them, that's as bad as the people who get arsey about breastfeeding

[Pbbananabagel]

Massively faffy but, it wasn’t till I’d tried one and found it awkward for myself that I realised the vest and t shirt combo was a better choice. Sometimes it’s nice to have these things to try and the scarf like ones are actually really nice. The one thing I have loved and virtually lived in exclusively for months is my 2 pack of nursing vests with built in bras and drop down catches on the sides from H&M. I only got a 2 pack as £20 for 2 vests is pretty bloody expensive but 13 months on I’m still sleeping in them and wearing regularly. Next baby I’m investing in a lot of them!

[LittleRed53]

I just used a shawl or wide scarf in the past, or went in another room when we had company, but decided to buy a proper cover for this baby, and I LOVE it! As I've never been comfortable getting my boob out to feed in public or in front of friends/family (even very discreetly) I have found my cover indispensable. It's lightweight and has extra width on each side so I can be fully covered. Literally the only downside for me has been it's a bit warm when the weather is very hot, but I can flap it a bit to let the air circulate around my baby a bit.

[LittleRed53]

Just to add, it has that boned neckline so I can still see baby's face. So it's not at all like she's under a blanket and doesn't hinder bonding at all.

This is my fourth EBF baby and like I said, I absolutely love the cover and wish I'd had it for the other three.

[WeeWelshWoman]

My baby hated them. So they were soon ditched.

[LittleRed53]

speakout I get what you're saying, and some people do need to change their attitude towards BF. But I have no problem with people knowing I'm feeding my baby. I'm just extremely modest about showing my body, always have been, so the cover is for MY benefit so I can comfortably feed whenever, wherever, without worrying about anything being visible. Surely you don't think I should have to force myself to be on show and extremely uncomfortable just to try to force others to change their attitude? I don't care what anyone else thinks, I care how I feel and how well I can feed my baby.

[Achilleus]

I see MN attitudes on these things haven't changed in the many years since I had my last baby

I failed at breastfeeding with my two DC, for many reasons, but one was I was so embarrassed by the size of my breasts (34K). Neither baby's heads were big enough to cover that, believe me! And whilst I'd love to be body confident enough to get them out for their purpose anyway, I'm just not. Not then and not now I'm pregnant with DC3.

I plan on getting one of those covers with the boned top so I can see the baby feed (I also had great difficulty with latch with my other two, so often they would come on and off anyway) It was such a battle and not one I was prepared to do in front of my stepfather/uncle/in the coffee shop (I found it extremely distressing).

This allows me to stay where I am, I don't have to leave the room etc. and if people want to judge me for using a cover then they're a little short sighted, lots of people have issues, breastfeeding (or the lack of) caused my PND. I'll do everything I can to try and make it a success this time. Another friend of mine used one because she was raped and she has issues exposing her breasts. I can't imagine the amount of devastation she would have experienced if someone had confronted her about her cover.

[OwlinaTree]

Achilles, you get one and go for it! Women should do what they feel makes them comfortable when breastfeeding. If you feel comfortable covering up then go for it.

I think people on here are saying that women shouldn't feel they have to cover up, if they want to breastfeed without a cover they can. It's not that it's bad to use a cover.

Good luck, I hope it works out well.

[pigsDOfly]

@MadameMeursault

If people don't want to see a woman bf then they don't have to look.

If people don’t want to see a woman bf they need to take a good long look at themselves and try to work out why that would be. Then they need to re-educate themselves and stop being a twat.

Well yes, I think that's a given but it seems that a great many people get very twitchy when they're around bf women.

That's their problem, and yes I agree that they're twats but tbh I don't tend to give much head space to twats so never thought about them when I was bf.

[User0ne]

I would recommend that as an alternative you buy them Holly McNish's "nobody told me". The poem "embarrassed" might give them pause for thought if they're worried. Also available on YouTube.

Neither of my 2 would tolerate any sort of cover; the fuss it would create resulted in far more attention than when I just fed them.

[1940s]

I really liked mine when baby was under 3 months. For the first three months my bra was full of breast pads, nipple shields and milk would squirt and would take a few minutes to get baby latched. I used a breastfeeding cover with a 'bone' of some sort that allowed me to look at baby the whole time. Once baby was 3+ I didn't need one and could use a Muslin for latch on and latch off and the rest of the time kept baby uncovered. I couldn't have done without mine in the first few months and really gave me confidence to feed whilst out

[Cocacolathanks]

@Itisbetter I’ve spoken to these mums about feeding before (I’ve done a course with the ABM so they asked me to help with latching/positioning. Two are exclusively breastfeeding, one is combination. I am close to all of them. Like I said, they expressed the desire to have some ‘privacy’ when feeding. One said she didn’t want to leave the house until baby had longer breaks between feeds so she wouldn’t have to feed outside. Hence the idea of the cover to make HER comfortable, Not others!! But after hearing that most mums consider them faffy, I’m thinking maybe skip the covers and stick to the easy ‘top up vest down” methods! I don’t know for sure, will see!

Definitely not selling nursing covers!!! I don’t have the time or business mind to do such a thing But if someone else wants to use this thread for research then feel free to! Lol

[Cocacolathanks]

Honestly thank you everyone who is contributing with their experiences, it’s great to hear from you all.

What I’ve deduced so far is:

1. Don’t buy a nursing cover as a gift unless the recipient specifically asks for one.
   

1. Nursing covers work for some, don’t work for others. Normal part of life!
   

1. Everyone’s experience with breastfeeding is different and unique to their own circumstances.
   

I will probably ask the mums if they have something in mind that I could gift them instead! Along with the usual chocs and flowers

Thank you for sharing your opinions, it’s always nice to hear both sides. xxx

[Itisbetter]

One said she didn’t want to leave the house until baby had longer breaks between feeds so she wouldn’t have to feed outside. Hence the idea of the cover to make HER comfortable, or just respect her choices? Do you like to be encouraged and facilitated into doing things you’ve explicitly mentioned you don’t want to do?

[EmilySpinach]

Direct them to the Can I Breastfeed in It? Facebook group.

[SnuffleBadger]

I just tucked a muslin into my bra strap if I felt self conscious. Never felt the need to purchase or carry a special cover for feeding.

[SchmooobyDoo]

Nothing to add on nursing covers...

But, on gifts - I always buy something for the new mum, like a posh hand cream or nice chocs. There will be so many presents for the baby...

[KitMarlowesCodpieceOfthigh]

My baby actively disliked any attempt to cover anything up. Luckily, I never needed to.

I certainly wouldn't buy one for someone as a present in case it sends the message that she ought to cover up if she's breastfeeding.