Babies: 0 - 3 Months

S/O nursing in public...

I have a wrap coming in the mail (me and the UPS guy are going to be on a first-name basis with everything I have coming!!!) and am excited to be able to head out of the house and nurse where ever I am - but I'm nervous too.

If you were nervous or uncomfortable at first - how did you ease into it? Did you just jump or slowly get in?

How public is "too public" (if there is such a thing?). Do you nurse in the middle of the mall on those couches/chair set-ups, or go at one end of the mall where it's a bit more discreet? Ugh - the stupid $hit I think/worry about!

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Re: S/O nursing in public...

  • NOt stupid at all mama. This is my biggest hangup about breastfeeding.
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  • I really don't know how other woman do it. I am way too clumsy to ever breastfeed in public. I need my pillow and I need to see my nipple.
  •  I started in the Mother's Room at BRU, then moved on to other places once I was comfortable.  If I can, I try and find some place that's quiet and out of the way, but I'll sit on a bench in the middle of the mall and nurse if necessary (there aren't always cozy out of the way places).  No one can see anything, so I'm totally comfortable. 
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  • I have a huge chest and nipples, which is my big hang up...Im afraid to accidently flash and cause a car wreck or something lol. So far Ive only breastfed in the car and if I can get the hang of using the cover (I still fumble to get and stay latched--DS likes to pull off--often bc he probably cant breast bc my boobs are smothering him!) I may venture out. Im only comfortable nursing around DH and my mom. Im stressing about being around other relatives soon.
  • imagejay.otter:
      I need to see my nipple.

    This exactly! There's times where I'm bumping and nursing and think all is well,...look down and nope - all is not well. I have to do checks still. Hmmm..maybe I'll have to wait and practice first in the house with not looking and see how it goes.

    I read the responses in the post below - I think BRU would be a good way to ease into it for me. Good idea!

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  • I used to worry about it but now I actually enjoy it! Once we got really good at bfing it was much less of a hassle, which inturn made me more comfortable. I started going to the car, or in dressing rooms, but now I will do it anywhere.  

    I dont think anything is too public. I have a cover or I use the moby. I will nurse anywhere....while shopping, at the park, on a plane, sitting at a restaurant, walking the grocery store (if the hubs is there to do the actual shopping) you name it.

     I am feeding my son, I dont care what anyone thinks, and I think most people don't even know whats going on.

  • here's my reccomendation. start easy. baby steps. wear a nursing tank or button up shirt to begin with. that way you can cover with the wrap but still only have to expose a little skin under the wrap. it'll make you feel better in case a tornado hits the inside of the mall and blows it up or something! i also found that it was easiest to start nursing in discrete places. the women's lounge at a department store, a secluded corner couch, etc. once you get better at manipulating everything you'll become more comfortable and be able to be in more public places as well as get the boob out faster & easier. i just think start slow and private to ease your worries. maybe even practice with the wrap at home. pretty quickly you'll feel much more comfortable!
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  • imageCassandra1028:

    imagejay.otter:
      I need to see my nipple.

    This exactly! There's times where I'm bumping and nursing and think all is well,...look down and nope - all is not well. I have to do checks still. Hmmm..maybe I'll have to wait and practice first in the house with not looking and see how it goes.

    I read the responses in the post below - I think BRU would be a good way to ease into it for me. Good idea!

    I have a cover that lets me look down but no one else can see...

    https://www.bebeaulait.com/

    it is a God send!

  • imagelesliemostly:
    I have a huge chest and nipples, which is my big hang up...Im afraid to accidently flash and cause a car wreck or something lol. So far Ive only breastfed in the car and if I can get the hang of using the cover (I still fumble to get and stay latched--DS likes to pull off--often bc he probably cant breast bc my boobs are smothering him!) I may venture out. Im only comfortable nursing around DH and my mom. Im stressing about being around other relatives soon.

    ?

    my boobs are pretty massive. practice at home with the cover so you become more comfortable with it. at first i totally thought i was going to flash people but it has gotten so much easier.?

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  • imageMarineSweetie20:

    I have a cover that lets me look down but no one else can see...

    https://www.bebeaulait.com/

    it is a God send!

    Oh good - this is the one that I'm waiting for in the mail! Glad it works well!!!

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  • imageMarineSweetie20:

    I used to worry about it but now I actually enjoy it! Once we got really good at bfing it was much less of a hassle, which inturn made me more comfortable. I started going to the car, or in dressing rooms, but now I will do it anywhere.  

    I dont think anything is too public. I have a cover or I use the moby. I will nurse anywhere....while shopping, at the park, on a plane, sitting at a restaurant, walking the grocery store (if the hubs is there to do the actual shopping) you name it.

     I am feeding my son, I dont care what anyone thinks, and I think most people don't even know whats going on.

    Ditto!

    I started slowly--in the car (parked FFS!), in the BRU mother's room, etc.  Then restaurants, etc.
    I also dress in a way that makes it easy for me to nurse without flashing the whole world and I always have the hooter hider with me.

  • I nurse everywhere!  I am always covered with a swaddling blanket and if anyone tells me I am being inappropriate, well, then they can put a blanket over THEIR head!

  • I usually go to a fitting room if one is available, then I don't have to even cover.  If not I use my hooter hider where ever I am.  I refuse to hide to feed my baby.
  • I remember when she was little and I was amazed at women who nursed in public just because there was no way I could do it without my pillows and I needed to see what was going on. By about 6 weeks I nursed in the car, then chair in a coffee shop, etc. Now I throw on the hooter hider and will nurse anywhere. Only problem is she gets all fidgety now and plays with the cover, but if I hold her hand she usually is content enough to play with my fingers.
  • I'm almost 5 months into BFing and I am still terrible at nursing in public.    I've only done it a handful of times (once at a restaurant, in a nursing room at a store, and on airplanes when we were traveling).  I usually go to the car to nurse DD if we're out and about.  Actually, nursing at the restaurant was fine...we were in a booth so I had some privacy.  The airplane nursing was a disaster.  I was on the aisle (so no privacy) and DD was hot and mad she had to be covered, so she kept screaming and kicking, which of course made everyone look.  I would start somewhere with a little more privacy and as you get more comfortable, nurse wherever you are comfortable doing so. 
    The little love of my life... Image and video hosting by TinyPic Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker Pregnancy Ticker
  • I hide in corners.
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