Breastfeeding in public- any feedback or thoughts?

[oremstango]

I have an 8-week old and still trying to get comfortable with breastfeeding him in public. I don't want to end up in the disabled toilet every time we're out! Any thoughts on what you found successful for this and reactions you found?

One additional twist is an upcoming leisure trip through work and need to get confident enough to feed around people I work with- ugh.

I've bf in church, at my graduation, while listening to students' presentations, while reading a story to a group of 15 3-6-year-olds and their parents at a local library... Have never had any directly negative reactions as such. I was once bf in the street in a little German spa town and a boy of about 5 or 6 came up and asked what I was doing - me: 'feeding my baby' - boy: 'oh, did you put sausage in there?' I just wear a top and jumper or cardigan and shove it all up (my breasts are not big enough to need a nursing bra). There really is 'nothing to see', and if anyone has an issue with it I quite frankly see it as their problem.

Hi

I have BF everywhere too. I have just given up but used to do it on demand. I think you can be discreet and if you are discreet, no one should complain. You do get the odd funny bugger but let them stare - it is natural!

I wore either:

1. a BF top from Jo Jo Bebe Maman - i think they were 2 for £15 ish and these had a prestud line just under boobs so could just discreety feed.; or

1. a breastfeeding vest under normal tops and i wore this under tops so i did not expose my flabby belly at all times.

I think being discreet is key and as soon as you are happy with BF in general, you'll feed anyway.

good luck

Also, you get to learn cafes which are better

i tend to try to have a table between me and the person im talking to - perhaps psdychological but i feel more shielded.

use my coat rolled up asa cushion.

my dcs tend to be such slow feeders that onlookers assume they're asleep and im just cradling.

make sure to remember to order some water (tap or otherwise). bf makes me thirsty, and its a short step from that to hot and flustered.

take one thing at a time. don't rush the baby for the sake of not drawing attention to yourself. unless hes a champion latcher, he'll just get frustrated with you and make more fuss. when he's latched, stop worrying about him, and dig into your cafe snack, and enjoy your companions.

peresevere - i don't think twice about it any more, and get out loads. i'll frequently just take my purse to go out - ds in the sling - nothing to carry no fuss. worst that'll happen in a big poo and i have to carry him home wrapped in my coat. Have you thought of trying a mother and baby cinema screening?

kathryn - i always go m and s!!

I bribe dd (3 yo ) to sit still with their sticker books!

its strange but i use the cushion idea too - or used too !

i found pashmina style scarf v useful for draping over ourselves if i began to feel uncomfortable under scrutiny. if you get a cheap one off the market then they also double as an emergency posset wiper

I never felt all that confident bf in public as I used to use nipple shields which I found embarrassing. I used to find a corner in an m&s cafe or similar nice cafe or just come home for feeds ( he only ever wanted 4 hourly feeds so this wasn't too difficult)

Changing bag is a useful cushion I always found as I used to get really uncomfortable without something to lean the fat boy on

Changing bag - of course! I knew that ridiculously padded m&p monstrosity had to come in useful for something...

Muslins are great for draping over your shoulder thus covering any exposed flesh, this is also good if older baby keeps popping off for a look around! Top tip I found was to get a bf bra that you can just push to one side (bravado wrap over type bras were my fave) as this is quicker to do discreetly and no fumbling with tricky straps to put yr boob away. In cafes a coat over the buggy handles provides a useful screen if no wall available.

Main thing is to be brave and give it a go, it gets easier the more you practice, the first time is the hardest but if you leave it too long you'll get more and more scared! I found it easiest if I was with someone else...this meant I could say loudly 'oh I must feed the baby, please excuse me I'll be very discreet' giving any saddo with a complex the chance to overhear and move away.

Loads of big stores have bf rooms if you really can't face it, esp. mothercare, boots and shopping malls. You'll soon know the location of every one in your local town LOL!

the wraps on here are fantastic, hides your post baby tummy (i hated that more than my breastfeeding boobs, funny i didn't mind exposing those as much as my flab!) here