Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Flip

Original poster

breastfeeding when out and about!

16 replies

barbareebaa · 01/03/2009 20:48

Hi!
My lovely boy is 14 weeks and is doing really well with breastfeeding - I am using a breastfeeding pillow ('my brest friend')

But...

I'm finding it hard to feed him when I'm out when I don't have the pillow with me. (boobs too high up )So end up having a bit of a struggle. I haven't been far away from home so the bf-ing has been mainly for comfort rather than necessity!

Can anyone please share any top tips/ positions to try/ anything I can take along with me that will help?

Thanks muchly in advance!

Barbsx

OP posts:

CMOTDibbler · 01/03/2009 20:55

I never got on with using a cushion as the gap between my lap and my boobs was too far for baby + cushion. So I used the same arm as boob, head on arm, legs on lap when long enough, all on arm before, and my elbow on the arm of the chair. Worked pretty well.

hellymelly · 01/03/2009 21:00

Yes I found that tricky too,I used to make a pad out of my coat or whatever,or end up hunched over for 10 minutes.Now my baby is 21 months so I don't feed her as often and I take a pillow out in the car if we are off for a day out.Are you tall? I am tallish (5'8") so maybe that is the reason.

wastingmyeducation · 01/03/2009 21:01

Pram blanket?

LadyOfWaffle · 01/03/2009 21:03

Coat/blow up feeding pillow or cross your legs (but resting an ankle on your knee) I find gives a boost .

CharCharGabor · 01/03/2009 21:04

I've always done the same as cmot.

Original poster

barbareebaa · 01/03/2009 21:39

Thanks for your suggestions
I am also 5'8'' hellymelly so maybe that's the thing.
Have tried using blankets/ coats/ changing bags to boost him up but he just ends up on an unstable tower which is a bit tricky!
Will have a practise with positions Cmot and Ladyofwaffle.
I think part of the (admittedly ver lovely) prob is that he loves to be attached to me/ my boobs (whether he's hungry or not) so I need to find a comfy position for him so I can also talk/ drink coffee/ eat cake etc rather than wrestle!

OP posts:

wastingmyeducation · 01/03/2009 21:54

Sounds like a sling might be handy.

CMOTDibbler · 02/03/2009 08:54

I forgot to say that a ring sling may be handy - I (5'10", modest of nork) found it really easy to feed in - and you can use the tail to stop your baby being covered in cake crumbs..

Annabel1 · 02/03/2009 09:18

I used to turn car seat upside down and put my foot on it which raised up a bit. Cross your legs?

littlelamb · 02/03/2009 09:23

I'd get a wrap sling. You can have baby cuddled up to you very high up on your chest and just move your tshirt down when you need to feed- because of the coverage of the wrap noone will even know. Truly hands free as well. I never got on with ring slings, but that might be because my norks are enormous and I just never found the one shoulder design very comfortable.

notcitrus · 02/03/2009 13:44

I'm 5'8 and a MBF lover. When out I manage if I can slump backwards, eg on a sofa, or on a chair with my legs up (often in the pushchair...so elegant!). Failing that I wodge blanket under him, cross legs and get him tucked under my left arm on the right breast - he won't drink for long but keeps him going until I can get somewhere more comfy. I tend not to use my left breast without the MBF.

From 4 1/2 months he's got better at feeding sitting up astride my thigh - this is now great if there's no comfy chair, and stops him punching me in the face! Also all the weight is on my leg so just need to balance him with my arms, so have hands free. And looks seriously adorable, according to a mum I met this morning!

notcitrus · 02/03/2009 13:46

when I first fed in public, I sat at a table in a cafe and laid A on it with blanket under his head. Not ideal to do regularly for your back, but fine a couple times a week.

Poledra · 02/03/2009 13:54

I cross my legs, with my ankle on my knee then I can rest the baby on my thigh (am tall but also rather large of nork). So, similar position to CMOT but with my thigh providing more support for my arm/baby's body.

Jennylee · 02/03/2009 14:07

i found it hard too and i am very small, it does get easier as they are older, but really you have to make a bundle and put the baby on that if you find it hard without a pillow.

Annabel1 · 02/03/2009 14:36

Really intersted in the "large nork" sling feeding debate. Would really help me if I could but at 34K (and not proud of it) I had assumed I couldn't. I have a Karri-me and a coorie (pouch sling) but would happily invest in another if I thought it would help. DS is 4 months and pretty long. Will start new thread if this is gate crashing!

Dragonhart · 02/03/2009 21:55

I did the same as CMOT too. I am tall (6ft) and I just cross my legs as also suggested so that my hip support them and my arm.

When I had ds1 I used a pillow at home and it was a bit of a security blanket for me as I had a bit of a struggle to start. Then I started to practice at home without it and although it took a while I got the hang of how to do it without the pillow. Then you are at home rather than out and about working out the best way to do it.

Flip