Getting used to breastfeeding at home is hard enough, but trying it on errands outside the house can be quite a challenge. However, I’m not one to sit at home all day everyday, so I’ve gotten used to feeding baby TTT in many different places. Here are some tips based on my experiences!
- Fitting rooms are your friend. Whether or not you’re actually trying on clothes, breastfeeding in a fitting room is private and convenient. If I’m at the mall or Target or anywhere that sells clothing, I know I can duck into a fitting room to breastfeed at any time if baby TTT starts fussing or it’s time to feed him.
- Use a cover. I have two, but the one from Udder Covers is my favorite. The boning on top allows me to see baby TTT and it’s really easy to get on and off. I went to the mall today and left my cover at home, but I had a large swaddle blanket in the diaper bag (good old aden + anais) so I just tied it around my neck like a bib and it worked perfectly.
- Find the right position. It’s most comfortable to nurse with my Luna Lullaby pillow, but I’ve discovered other positions that work when I’m away from home. I tend to cross my legs and sort of hunch over, which probably isn’t great for my back, but I don’t do it often enough for it to be an issue.
ADVERTISEMENT - Nurse in the car. Since Mr. TTT hurt his foot, I’ve had to drive him to many doctor’s appointments. Usually, I drop him off and go to drive-thru Starbucks while the baby sleeps, but sometimes he takes longer so I have to nurse the baby in the back seat. I still use my cover, but the car and tinted windows provide a lot of privacy, so I don’t feel like I have to be super cautious.
- When dining out, request to sit on the patio if possible. I live in Southern California, so most restaurants have a patio and the weather is usually warm enough to sit outside. I always feel more comfortable nursing on the patio for some reason. Plus, if baby TTT cries, it doesn’t echo like it does inside a restaurant.
- Practice makes perfect. If you never nurse away from home, you’ll never get used to it. Start by going out with a friend or family member first so they can help you with the baby, then try venturing out on your own.
What makes you feel more comfortable breastfeeding away from home?
grapefruit / 4120 posts
Learn to love those huge department store restrooms that have sofas etc. I always wondered who would sit in the “ladies’ lounge” in the restroom but when I had my baby I had all these places scoped out!
clementine / 889 posts
This definitely is something that is much easier the more you do it. DS used a nipple shield for the first 3ish months, so that made things a bit tricky when I tried to get DS to latch. I did spend a good amount of time nursing in dressing rooms at the mall or in the car so that I had more privacy. Once we got the hang of things and I was able to wean DS from the shield, we nursed everywhere and anywhere. In the restaurant, sitting on a bed in Sears, on a bench at the mall, at a picnic table at the park.
The nursing covers with boning are great so you can see what you are doing while still maintaining some privacy. Also, nursing tanks are awesome because you expose very little and can keep your stomach covered.
The other thing to remember is that nursing is natural, it is what breasts were made for, and there is nothing wrong with nursing your child. Don’t let fear of people’s reactions keep you from getting out with your child. For me it was crucial for my sanity to get out at least every other day for a couple of hours. I hated feeling like I lived in milk stained pajamas and never left the house, but also got nothing accomplished at home. Getting out really helped me stay balanced.
blogger / pomelo / 5400 posts
I nursed in the car a lot, especially as Baby Y got older and squirmier — at a certain point, they start to fling nursing covers up/off/around and it’s more trouble than it’s worth.
pea / 19 posts
learn to nurse with the baby in a carrier. a life saver when you are walking everywhere with a toddler! just use a nursing cover for privacy.
kiwi / 691 posts
I recommend Nordstrom if you are looking for a good spot at the mall. Most have a separate “mother’s room” with comfortable chairs for nursing and a (cleaner than average) changing table.
blogger / pomegranate / 3201 posts
@mrstilly: I meant to write about tanks! I always wear my super stretchy maternity tank with regular nursing bra under my shirt because I can easily pull it down on top and keep my tummy covered. I love nursing takes for sleep and at home, but I’m not comfortable wearing them out (not enough support).
blogger / pomegranate / 3201 posts
@pointybird: yes!! Nordstrom is my favorite place to shop with the baby. Sometimes I’ll just go there to get out of the house and walk around without actually buying anything because their bathrooms are so great.
blogger / pomegranate / 3201 posts
@Mrs. Yoyo: baby TTT is starting to do that…
admin / watermelon / 14210 posts
i was so nervous in the beginning but now i can do it anywhere any time. and since i’m never at the mall and don’t have a car, i have to do it in public with tons of people around me usually (at the playground or park). amazingly it doesn’t bother me at all and i used to be so shy. i guess with everything, you just need to practice,
guest
I just whip a boob out and feed my 2 month old whenever/wherever. If I have a scarf/blanket/whatever, I’ll use it to cover any non-essential skin, but honestly, if anyone is surprised or scandalized that a newborn needs to nurse then let them learn by seeing us! There’s nothing embarrassing or uncomfortable about it to me, and the more of us who breastfeed out in the open, the more normal it’ll feel to everyone!
pea / 21 posts
I know a lot of moms don’t feel comfortable without a cover, but I think it’s important to know that you don’t have to use one if you don’t want to. Like MamaKaty, I just feed my baby when I need to. When I was a new mom to my first, I was so worried about the covering part, and it was so hard! My baby needed to nurse and I was taking too long, making us both sad. Once it dawned on me that it wasn’t essential, I felt free and nursing in public is sooo much easier. I don’t mind being a public example of breastfeeding. I think it’s a good thing.
blogger / pomegranate / 3201 posts
@sushimama: @mamakaty: I agree with you ladies that we shouldn’t feel ashamed of BFing out in the open, but I’m not comfortable doing it without a cover… Yet. Maybe one day I’ll get there, but for now I’m happy trying to cover up. I definitely don’t stress if he flails his arms and it comes off, though. I feel like if someone is really watching that closely, they should be embarrassed, not me.
guest
I second Nordstorm for breastfeeding your baby. They have a nice comfortable rooms. My husband also likes it because as he waits he can easily use the WiFi provided by Nordstorm.
guest
One thing that helped me to nurse in public was to know my rights! In Ontario, breastfeeding in public is a human right, and so I carry a little card with some information about the province and its protections for nursing mothers. Granted, no one has ever said boo to me when I breastfeed, but it’s still nice to know the law is on my side.
cantaloupe / 6146 posts
Yeah, I love the ladies’ lounge.
Also, in museums, I can usually find a bench in a darker part of the museum, and use my cover. Most people (except the other nursing moms and formerly nursing moms) have no clue what’s happening.