Breastfeeding discreetly

[handlemecarefully]

I breast fed for 3 months with dd (well mix fed) - basically I breast fed at home and used a bottle when out, because I could not master the art of discreetly feeding. I would look at other mums and marvel at how they could feed without an inch of flesh showing, whereas I would be inadvertently putting on a Jordan type display. My inability to do it discreetly led to the bottle approach when out and about.

With 'ds to be'(due in April), I'd like to be able to have the freedom and simplicity of being able to breastfeed when out and about in public (rather than bothering with bottles)...but won't do it unless I can prevent flashing!

So what's the trick of discreet breastfeeding. Any tips?

i just used to wear huge baggy shapeless tops

or maybe i'm just shameless

Scarf or big baggy tops, and a little confidence too!

I sometimes turned away to latch on then turned around when full gluggage was in operation

Did you guys ever get hard stares or comments when breastfeeding in public? (I don't like conflict and try to avoid it)

Baggy tops (not buttoned ones) and a scarf or pram blanket. It's the latching on that causes the most exposure, so maybe turn away like Coddy says. You do soon develop a thick skin about it though, even if you're generally painfully shy like I am in real life.

hmc i must've been very lucky because i never had one comment or even funny look (well, i didn't notice any anyway!) in the 3 years i was bf dd and ds, and i'm normally v self conscious at the best of times

No comments yet, but yes to stares to which I would just stare back. Or wave.

never ever

And no, I never had a single stare or comment in my 2 year bf career. Mind you, I never looked anyone in the eye whilst doing it. Made me feel like no one could see! You just need to pick your spot to feed. Choose a corner table in a restaurant or somewhere with a wall behind you, a pillar, anything that makes YOU feel comfortable. Don't worry about anyone else.

yes I never revealed flesh at all. I would say I ma bf ing if someone cmae too close. like FIL...

baggy top over a tight t-shirt with no bra(once supply has settled down!) means no struggling to get it out

Yes - I can see that choosing your location wisely (eg corner table) is sensible.

I think I might invest in some of those rather unstylish tops that you can buy which have a separate integrated flap purpose designed for breast feeding. What do you think?

You definitely need to choose your feeding bras carefully! Try them on and practice to see if you can get them undone one handed without having to have a good rummage under your top

I had one of those feeding shirts but didn't like it. I found I kept flashing yself through the flaps when I wasn't feeding. I guess some are better than others though.

Like Janet Jackson soupy!

I wear a vest (just a cheap thing from M&S) under my top and use that to cover myself up, not very sexy but useful!

Have had loads of stares, let it upset me with dd, just stare back/smile with ds . Was approached once but by someone who said how pleased they were to see bf in public. In general though I find that more people stare at a screaming baby than a bf mother. Good luck!

Wear baggy shirts and grow your hair long (do I sound like a hippy) so you can get them latched on behind a curtain of long tresses. I must have got to good at feeding discretely because other people would come up and stroke the babies head and goo and then jump back when they realised I was feeding. (Some didn't and carried on stroking which was a bit to weird for me). You can do it its much less hassle than bottles

Awww - that's nice that someone made a point of coming up and saying something supportive.

NO way to camouflage the noise of gulping tho

ds1 was horrendous!!

I've even been feeding dd2 in church lately, I'm so discreet!

I hated breastfeeding in public, but was better at it with dd2 - I used to wear a baggy top with an M&S vest underneath - and, darling, I am afraid I had a pashmina which was very useful. But I am sure a scarf or similar would do the job

those m&s vests with the built in support might be good

hmc - I was a bit shy first time round and made sure I always knew where the closest (nice) baby feeding & changing rooms were when out shopping (M&S always used to have nice comfy sofas in the feeding room!) A couple of times I fed in the park in the more secluded formal gardens section. I got more confident as I went on.

This time around it'll be a lot harder with a toddler around so I'm resolved to be brazen and get my beligerant breastfeeder look on if anyone starts to glare. It'd be so unfair to ds to stop what we were doing just because his little brother was hungry, and like you I found bottles a bit of a faff compared to the simplicity of lifting up my top

THere's also no way to disguise an over efficient letdown, where the little beggar pulls off and milko jets everywhere...

HMC, I'm shameless. And nobody has ever commented except nicely.