Looking for advice for feeding in public

[peonyjam]

I have a 9 week old baby and we are starting to venture out and about a bit more. We had a difficult start with breastfeeding but it is getting a little easier each day - I'm finding I don't have to do quite so much to get him latched on as he's doing more himself.

I'm not looking for advice on being discreet but more practical suggestions about making it comfortable for both of us.

I've so far found feeding in public okay but now my baby is getting much heavier and also more wiggly I'm finding it a lot more difficult and uncomfortable.

At home I lounge back on the sofa/bed and can use cushions to support my arm but this isn't really an option in a restaurant.

Does anyone have any advice or a similar experience? Does it get better or maybe even more tricky as he gets more interested in the world!?

Coffee shops are your best friend with the nice sofas! I found breastfeed tops and jumpers (in the winter) amazing as I found it easier access.

Park benches aren’t great or any hard chairs imo. I do find as they get heavier that leaning your forearm on a table can help take some of the weight.

Thank you - that's a great tip! I had been sort of leaning back today and awkwardly trying to raise one leg to support my arm quite unsuccessfully.

I hold DS2 really quite tightly across my body with my arm, which I find quite helpful, rather than have it just my hand that's supporting him. Also means the flailing is a bit more under control (he's 5 months, but admittedly dinky).

My other tip is to find local places that are good to feed without needing to spend money. The library is particularly useful where I am.

Anything with an arm to rest on is ideal. I actually took a small cushion with me while I was getting to grips with it (and lived with a vest top under everything that I pulled down to cover my tummy while pulling the main top up).

Mines 5 months now but I EBF so lots of public feeding still. I’ve found:

• if the table is a good height I sometimes rest him on the table whilst he feeds and sort of lean over it/him to take the weight off my arms
• cross my legs and have his head on the top leg side so he’s closer to my boob when sat upright
• sometimes I can loosen and adjust the sling and he’ll feed sort of sat up, which is fab as it’s pretty hands free, but sometimes he doesn’t fancy it and I have to get him out and lie him horizontal
• I tend to wear those clip vest top things under a shirt or sweater for easy access
• for a bit of privacy I like the corner of a coffee shop, with my back to the shop

I propped my arm up on the nappy bag, if I couldn't find a sofa with the right height arm. Or you could use a sling/baby carrier and lay him sideways.

It gets easier as they get more helpful. I had a breastfeeding supporter show me how to latch mine on upright so I could arrange her straddled across one thigh, held against my body, which made her just the right height for my boob.

Thank you so much this is all really helpful! He is not a fan of the pram so we mostly go out in the sling or carrier so I think learned to feed in the sling could be a huge help.

Yes learn to feed in the sling! It will change your life
Just loosen the strap a little so there is room to get your boob out and then latch your baby back on. Re tighten the strap if you like to keep baby in place. At carry on walking hands free!

Lots of shopping centres have started to have feeding areas for mums which is great. They also have bottle warming equipment too, so really inclusive. So if you're going anywhere, check the website first to see if they offer anything so you're organised.

If I'm sat in a chair without an arm rest, I cross my legs and support my forearm that's holding baby with the leg on top. Hope that makes sense! So my arm is holding very little of his weight. Tbh, it's how I hold him for most of feeds now even at home as now he's bigger (7.5m) and it's easier not to faff on with the cushions for a short feed.
Also yes - it can be a bit trickier when they're more interested in the world haha. Top tip always have a muslin to hand/tucked in your bra strap to cover yourself up/catch milk sprays in the event baby pulls off quickly to crane their neck completely backwards to look at everything that's far more interesting than you however, feeds tend to get shorter or they're happier with quick feeds out and about as they get bigger, so that makes it easier.

Thanks so much everyone for all of the advice. I really appreciate it. We are going out for lunch today so I'll be trying some of them out!

Feeds still tend to take half an hour and can be stop, start and at home there is often only a 30-40 minute gap between feeds. So it's nice to hear that this will eventually change!