Bfeeding in town during covid

[SodOffCovid]

Any ideas how to do this now that no coffee shops or similar are open? I'm assuming all the nursing rooms are shut. I haven't been out yet with my six month old but have got to the point I now need to. DH is working full time.
I've seen online my shopping centre has put tape on benches so I'm not sure where I can feed my baby?

Find this a concern as well. Only have a 6 week old so don't really want to have to go out but staying in is making my anxiety about going to shops worse and DH is back at work.

public bench?
You have been out with the baby... somewhere? I hope?

@lljkk I have but never for longer than a trip to the coop. My house flooded in Feb when my son was four weeks old so I spent the time at home dealing with that. The week the house was made safe covid started 😕 so I haven't been anywhere with him. The house was fully repaired last week after the builders returned after lockdown.

I'm keen to get out. As I said, the mall I would go to has appeared to put tape on the benches

Could you learn to breastfeed in a sling? Total game changer!

Bench? Car?

I’d never normally advocate the latter, but needs must.

I’ve bought a collapsing stool. I find somewhere out of the way and feed like that!

I would sit on the ground if I truly needed to ever visit that mall, but I am obviously not that fussy. I hope you find a solution that works for you.

The baby change and feeding rooms in my local shopping centre is open. I saw it mentioned on their Facebook page - might be worth having a look/contacting them.

A low wall/steps?
Since lockdown I've only fed DS2 outside in the park on the grass or on a park bench, apart from one occasion in April I had to feed him on a low wall outside A&E (111 sent me to get a hurt food checked out, nothing serious, but obviously couldn't take him inside)

I haven't been to town since lockdown either, I was thinking an out of town retail park might be easiest as a first outing (I have a 5m old)

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Ask in shops maybe? I've asked once before in a shop when I couldn't see anywhere else, they gave me a seat and water and were lovely.
Also in your car if no other option?
I've also, like pp suggested, just sat on floor.
Try and learn to do it in a sling maybe? I could never master that. I did master feeding standing up though and did it at the zoo once. Got some funny looks but needs must.
You will be fine.

I read that as "bleeding in town during covid" must clean my glasses!

Just because it has tape on doesn't mean a breastfeeding mother should be denied feeding her child. Just sit down and feed your baby.

I second pp of bfeeding in a sling. It was life changing for me! I used to feed baby on the school run. No one else would have a clue. I felt like supergirl!

Hmm OK maybe I can trial run feeding him in the carrier. I will YouTube some videos maybe. Thanks

I would contact the shopping centre to find out what their policy is, if they have feeding rooms etc. Tape on the benches is ridiculous. If my baby was really hungry I would probably just sit on a taped bench but I would prefer not to due to judgement from others.

@frugifan that's a great idea, I will do that thank you. With my first I used to bee line for John Lewis or Marks and Spencer feeding rooms if I didn't fancy or couldn't justify a costa coffee but obviously circumstances have changed. I appreciate this is probably a first world problem in the grand scheme of covid but I don't think I can stay In much longer

I usually go for a bench (eg on high street or in park); I’ve also fed in the car. Comfiest option if you have to do the latter is to sit in the passenger seat pushed back as far as possible - but we have two car seats in the back.

Are there no benches outside?

No I just called the shopping centre and they have blocked off all benches. M&s have shut their feeding room. I may just sit on the floor

I've had to sit on the floor before. I now embrace these things under Making A Point About the Capitalist Patriarchy and get ready to death stare anyone who makes a fuss. Hopefully someone would actually offer a nicer place to feed :)

I used to take a cushion in a cloth bag to either sit on or rest baby on.

I wondered if the seats around the shoe area in m and s would be an option? Or are they gone?

And, to be fair, mothers who are ff young babies would also have an issue.

Standing?

I’d rather stand than sit on the ground but that’s just me lol.

I usually bf while walking around if DH is with me to push the pram, or just stand and feed.

Yes, I always get a better latch when walking about. Not in sling just walking and feeding.

Just sit on the floor! I did it all the time with my 3 and it was fine. Just find an out of the way spot so no one trips over you.

I fed mine anywhere. DS3 would feed really well in a wrap sling, but I never got that to work with the others. But I fed them walking, sitting on a wall or floor, plonked on any chair I could find, on buses, in shops, basically anywhere I was when they needed a feed. It was very, very rare for anyone to comment and when they did it was usually an older woman saying something encouraging and positive and nice :)

I would either feed standing or sit on the floor. In fact I sat on the pavement yesterday!