Breastfeeding on a beach

[GracieGirl]

Off to Cornwall in 2 weeks and after the fun and games of breastfeeding in the heat last weekend I'm wondering how it works on a beach? Does anyone have any tips? DD is 15 weeks old and doesn't like her head covered when feeding but will need shade, some protection from the sand and hopefully a bit of comfort!!

We fed quite successfully a few days ago both lying on a rug in a field, but we were under a tree for shade and had no sand to worry about - or pesky seagulls!!!

I would get one of those little pop up shade tents so you can retreat in there, and maybe a wide brimmed hat for you so you can shade her as well if you are out and about? Glad to see you are confident about the weather!

Take a big umbrella/parasol to lie under? Or would you
both fit in one of those little tents they sell to keep babies in the shade?
Or, a HUGE floppy hat for you that shades her under the brim?

hiya you can get those tents that protect them from the sun, when ds was a baby we were in a very very hot country on holiday and i had one, i didnt however take him to the beach between 11-2 i will look and see what it was called!! i would worry too much about the sun if i were u it looks like its gone!!

www.babyexperiences.co.uk

Thank you cath, Traffic and mehdis. I will look for a tent thingy and a big hat.

What about breast feeding positions? lying down? leaning on a rock? or take a deckchair? I'm a bit unadventurous normally - a pillow on my knee at home on the sofa or lying on my bed.

Will prob be on the beach whatever the weather. I'm going with a family of artists.

the tents you can get can fit you in too, so just do whatever you are comfortable with, congrats on your dd btw and well done on the bf xx

Thank you mehdi. Those tents look good, I might take it with me next time a try to feed discretely (loudly and clumsily) in a cafe!

oh god i was never discreet!! i just chucked a blanket or scarf over us!! ds is 4 now and fed up till just b4 3rd birthday!!

I used to feed under a big beach umbrella and wrap dd or ds in a light weight towel if they needed to snuggle up. I just used to sit on the floor.

oh god I'm not sure the people of Cornwall are ready for me in a swimsuit!!!

Not wishing to sound dumb but can you try to describe to me exactly how to sit and feed on the floor without leaning on something? I'm quite tall so DD would need to suspend a long way off the floor and my arms can't take the weight. Leaning against a wall with knees bent she sits on one thigh and feeds from opposite breast and it sort of works as her weight is on my leg.

Apart from in front of my father-in-law (who won't be with us! ) I've given up on discrete, I just can't do it! It amazes me when you notice people quietly feeding babies in public places. Mine's too interested in everything and very loud! And generally poo's mid feed!

Sooz you mean I can't take 5 cushions with me to the beach as well as the 10 tonnes of other essentials we'll need?!

Lean up against the chair or the pole of the umbrella. Or park yourself near the beach wall.

I BF DS on a beach lying down a few times. It was much easier on my back which aches when Bfing unsupported.

Also lying down next to baby is fairly discrete - especially if you have some kind of windbreak/sun tent for shade.

Get the family of artists to sculpt you a nice supporting chair out of sand.

I can just see my DH ranting whilst dragging our sofa down the beach!!!

Thanks everyone for your advice.

I took ds2 to the beach when he was 6 weeks and I took a camping chair with me and sat in that to feed him. I wore a halterneck swimsuit and popped a t shirt over the top when I wanted to feed him
have a lovely holiday

You're definitely going to need some sort of shelter on the beach at the moment, the weather is rather chilly here now! I tend to use our pop up beach shelter and sit in it, but if it's a short trip and I've not got all our paraphernalia I just sit in the shade of the buggy. Position wise I find if I bring my knees up it acn help but now DS2 is bigger (and I'm a shortarse) we tend to meet in the middle much easier now anyway.

Have a lovely time

I have had great success with this type of chair but I confess I did test it by sitting down and feeding in the camping shop before buying...

Don't buy an expensive sun tent, we got ours from a camping shop, was made by Coleman I think, about £13, really big.

You can get inflatable breast feeding cushions ( ie very portable)- like a long U shape which goes round you and the baby rests on. My sister used one loads on the beach, I just googled it and lots of people seem to stock them including Boots.

Everytime I scroll past this thread on my 'Threads I am on' list the words inflatable breast pop out at me and I snigger like a small boy.

Too immature to be allowed on MN really.

check out stol seats, great for breast feeding outdoors! going to order one now for camping trip next week end, not used one yet but they look a good buy.