Breastfeeding in public issues...

[ItsAllGoingToBeFine]

1. What do you do with your breast pad? Do you just casually place it on the table next to your coffee?

2. What do you do when baby pops on and off your boob when feeding, allowing liberal amounts of milk to dribble everywhere - how do you stop big milky patches on your clothes?

3. When baby pops off the boob that sprays how do you juggle milk spray, boob and baby in order to minimise embarrassment, milky mess, and upset to baby?

It's a while since I had pad/dribble issues but in the early days...

1 - kind of tuck it into the folded-down cup, and then rearrange it when clipping bra back up.

2 - I didn't dribble that much, but a muslin tucked under boob/baby face took care of most drips.

3 - forget about being in public as much as you can (easier said than done I know), if you're anxious you're likely to faff more .
Priority - don't drop baby or spray too much milk on it, get baby back on breast if it wants to, stem the spray and then worry about exposure.

Good luck! If you're struggling to feed in public comfortably, find a few places that are less stressful while you practice the bra strap shuffle.

Use it as a coaster?!

I tuck breast pad under leg, or on lap under baby (but then can't find it and always have people asking me what I'm looking for

Tuck muslin under boob area to catch any spillages and to quickly whip up if baby pops off and you need to hide boob or contain spray!

Sit with back to as many people as possible. The spray thing shouldn't last as it becomes more of a supply and demand thing and less of an engorgement/milk pouring out of you thing!

It becomes much easier quite quickly - good luck and remember it's all going to be fine!

I was asking myself these same questions just a month or so ago! I don't even think about it now, it starts to feel 'normal' very quickly once you start doing it. I have a toddler to juggle with too so my biggest worry was how to keep him safe & entertained whilst I fed little one.

In answer to your questions:

) What do you do with your breast pad? Do you just casually place it on the table next to your coffee?

• Yes, in a word! I came to the conclusion that I'd draw more attention by self consciously trying to hide it away, so now it sits on the table next to the host of other baby and toddler paraphernalia. I doubt most people even notice it. Another option is to leave it in the bra and sort of fold in down with the bra cup to offer some protection against dribbling (see #2!)

2. What do you do when baby pops on and off your boob when feeding, allowing liberal amounts of milk to dribble everywhere - how do you stop big milky patches on your clothes?

• Umm, sometimes I don't . When I am better organised I use a muslin and/or a carefully placed breast pad.

3. When baby pops off the boob that sprays how do you juggle milk spray, boob and baby in order to minimise embarrassment, milky mess, and upset to baby?

• If my boob is full (and therefore likely to spray) I make sure I keep a muslin draped under the arm supporting DD's head. I can then quickly lift DD up my chest whilst the muslin soaks up the milk and stops me flashing nipple. (Hope this makes sense - feel like I need a diagram to illustrate!)

My best tip is to start out feeding in 'Mum-friendly' type places for a week or so until you get used to it. I started off at DS's toddler groups before moving to quiet corners of baby-friendly cafes like Debenhams. This weekend I was bfing on the grass at the Biggin Hill airshow without so much as a second thought.

neverquitesure that muslin tip makes perfect sense I shall start practising at home forthwith

first, remember that these things will only be an issue for a very very short time.

breast pad, tuck it in you bra, the other probs, muslins! I always had about 4 muslins on me at any time!

i push the pad down with my bra cup into the fold it makes.

keep a muslin/napkin in your hand and when baby pulls off just move your hand over your breats straight away to catch any drips or sprays.

and wear a big smile to let everyone know just how relaxed and chilled bf makes you feel

btw, i havent had to use breastpads or had leakage since about 7 months.

1. What do you do with your breast pad? Do you just casually place it on the table next to your coffee?
   while feeding? Just leave it in your bra, or casually fish it out and bin it. DD is 9 months and I can't remember the last time I needed one.

2. What do you do when baby pops on and off your boob when feeding, allowing liberal amounts of milk to dribble everywhere - how do you stop big milky patches on your clothes?
   If you're like me, scream as a jet of milk squirts across the room, drawing everyone's atention to it. If you're sensible, have a tissue or muslin handy.

3. When baby pops off the boob that sprays how do you juggle milk spray, boob and baby in order to minimise embarrassment, milky mess, and upset to baby?
   You'll get the hang of it very quickly

Advice pretty much as above, but best advice I can give is to avoid special breastfeeding tops with flaps or slits, or wrap tops - too much risk of excess boob exposure! I had easy-to-lift tops (t-shirts that weren't too snug fitting or tunic tops) so it was easy to unhook the bra strap, leave the pad in the bra cup and shove DD3 on. Have muslin to hand for squirts or dribble. If you have a loose top, when the baby pulls off you can just about manage it that the muslin stays near boob and the top slips down to cover as you lift the baby up!

Don't know if you are asking in advance or if you already have baby, but rest assured there is a lot less faff and mess the longer you do it! Breast pads weren't necessary after a while, and DD only pulled off when she'd stopped sucking unlike the squirty early days!

I managed until 12 months, only stopped as DD3 wasn't particularly bothered and she liked the novelty of using a cup like big sister.

It's really worth getting yourself a nursing cover (eg. cgi.ebay.co.uk/Sweet-Pea-Nursing-Cover-up-Hooter-Breastfeeding-Hider-/250654489355?cmd=ViewItem&pt=U SCSAWCShirtsTops&var=&hash=item800f0a0085 ), which you pop over your head and as well as keeping the baby covered (jet-stream over waiter avoided!), I found it stops your baby from getting distracted.

Anything touching my babies heads absolutely enraged them and you might as well paint yourself red and stick a sign on your head saying BREASTFEEDING NOW using one of those covers. Not that this is a problem, I like seeing everyone out and about BF.

OP, breastpad down beside coffee cup is fine I find a clothe nappy the most useful invention ever, great absorbency for leaks and sprays and also good for putting between you and baby in the hotter weather so don't get too sweaty.

Hardly anyone notices you know and the vaaaaast majority of people don't actually care.