Breastfeeding without a cushion/sling etc

[ItsAllGoingToBeFine]

Sorry for yet another post here but as you can tell I am a bit new to this whole thing.

Feeding at home is mostly ok (apart from lying down but I started another thread for that ) and I am starting to think about venturing further afield. I am not too worried about feeding in public as long as I can latch baby on as fast and efficiently as I can at home.

Problem is I cannot figure out how to do it without a pillow support for my arms and I'd rather not have to lug a pillow everywhere with me .

I'm sure I'm being really dense about this so help appreciated

Find a chair with arms, and rest the elbow of the arm on the side you are feeding on on that

I used to find sitting on a chair with arms worked well for me. I think in the early days position is critical and you need the cushion, etc to get it right. Like everything else it gets easier with practise and you'll soon find a natural position which you can manage without a cushion.

I seem to remember sitting cross legged on the floor working quite well for me too.

is there a baby cafe or other breastfeeding group or even just a new baby group near you?

it is hard to give tips on this without seeing what you are doing at the moment, but if you can go somewhere where there are trained advisors or even just a load of other feeding mums I'm sure you'll get ideas and no one will mind you bringing a pillow until you figure it out. In fact they often have pillows at these groups.

Failing that, you will probably find things change very quickly as your baby grows bigger and more used to feeding, you can suppost them more with your lap and they latch on so much quicker.

I do have a friend who, due to body shape I guess, need to feed with a pillow or cushion even with an older baby- she gets around it in public by using a rolled up blanket, jacket, scarf or whatever is to hand!

since the early days i've put my baby's changing bag on my lap to lift her up a bit/support her and to stop me getting backache - then i put a blanket on top for her comfort.

I use my backpack/changing bag as a cushion, though today I just sort of held his head shoulders up and let the rest of him hang onto my lap.

Rolled-up coat or cardigan is good for support when BFing out and about. I used a Lapsac (second hand on ebay) and it weighed nothing (is filled with polystyrene balls) and has a handle to sling over the buggy handle. But as others have said, as the baby gets older, you'll find it easier without.

Choose your cafe seat carefully - the lower, the better for breastfeeding, particularly if you're not using a support on your lap.

I found that if I crossed my legs, the upper leg acted as a support - especially if I put my foot on something, so if out at a cafe and feeding from left breast I would rest my right foot on the cross bar of another chair and cross my left leg over the right and then the baby was propped up enough for me to feed comfortably - hope that makes sense. With DD1 it took me ages to be comfortable without a cushion, but with DD2 and DS I never had a problem. It's just a matter of practice, the more you try it, the more you will work out how to manage it.

Hiya, I know what you mean,try Thrupenny Bits portable breastfeeding pillows, I found it impossible feeding without a cushion, I used to lug my giant boppy around until I discovered www.thrupennybits.co.uk they do really small portable cushions which not only look good, they're virtually weightless and carry like a bag & they tie on so no slippage, mine went everywhere with me, I can honestly say having one transformed my breastfeeding experience second time round. I never did master the art of comfortable breastfeeding without a cushion, sorry!

I agree with Caughtintheact. Find a Baby Cafe or LLL, ABM or NCT group that meets near to you and go along. You will be bfing in public but you'll have lots and lots of support while you're there and you might make some friends along the way.

thanks for all the suggestions guys! I am gradually working up to leaving the house for more than 20mins

Let us know how you get on. I'm sure you'll be fine.

I had to use a pillow for the first few weeks too, now I sit in a chair and cross my legs and use my crossed leg instead of the pillow for extra height. Probably not a recommended position but it works for me.