Breastfeeding in public! Very worried about how to manage it

[Beatlesfan]

has anyone any advice for me?

I had my baby Imogen 9 days ago. I am breastfeeding and she is feeding between 1-3 hours on average. I haven't been out of the house since having her, mainly becasue I had a C section and am recovering (got no reason to go out and walking/moving can be painful) and it's too cold!!

Well I need to let you know that I am large busted - I wear a 34L nursing bra and that is too small now that my milk has come in + breast pads! My boobs hang quite low obviously as they are heavy and I need to use a pillow to put Imogen on so she doesn't rest on my tummy, which is still sore. I use both hands when feeding - one to support Imogen's head and 1 to support my breast as it flops down on her !!! I hold it so she can still breath!!
Then there's the whole puting breasts back in and maybe having to change breast pads....

WHAT DO OTHER WOMEN DO? How do you all manage??

Anyways I have had visitors and when they have been round and I've needed to feed I have sat in an upright chair at the other end of sitting room and my partner who has been here all the time chatted to them. Or I've gone upstairs in the bedroom. Becasue I really do have to just lift t-shirt, wop out my breast (full view) to get it in position and then holdit I reveal wuite a lot of breast flesh.

Now I am panicking about what to do when I go out, which I am going to have to do at some point. Either visiting other people (altho my partner will be with me as I can't drive for 6 weeks) or out shopping! How can I breast feed subtley with the way I am having to breast feed now? some suggestions made to me already...

go sit in a public loo and breast feed - what to do with the buggy/shopping - will my partner have to wait outside or look at mags in SMITHS until I text to say I am ready to go again!!

Buy a poncho to wear Not sure about this - what abouteye contact? Won't baby get hot? I can't see if baby is comfortable...

Don't go out until I am feeling more comfortable with it and know what I am going to do... I can see this working as I will be more relaxed.. but how long will it be before I feel OK about it all? Can;t stay in forever.

EXPRESS milk and give in bottle - yes, can see this and I can express... only wories are - sometime expressing can produce more milk - so likely to leak more and get engorgment... also the whole will she still want breast if she takes a bottle? Some experts recommend not expressing into bottle for 6 weeks so baby gets breast feeding well established.

So confused.

Also what do women wear for breast feeding out - i live in baggy t-shirts and joggers but I know if I go out I wil need to be warmer than that. Do women just strip a bit and then lift top up? What about your bellies on show? Or does baby cover it up? I wear great big belly warmer knickers at mo - I don't think I can cope with showing them off to public!! I don;t want to buy new clothes (expense and so difficult to get size to cater for boobs) and it means going out!!! In public!!!

And of course the pillow thing - I can;t carry that round town to prop on my lap for feeding...can I ???

Does anyone have any tips for me?

Thanks
BF x

 

[weenik]

I really worried about this too, but once you start doing it in public you don't really think about it. I prefer to wear tops that I lift up, but I know others prefer the button down style that you pop your boob out of.....you'd need to try both and decide what you like best. My boobs aren't quite as big - I went from a B cup to F so they're a lot bigger than normal.

I don't really breastfeed in public as such, because the places I go (usually shops ) have designated areas and the ones in the places I go to are very nice and clean so I just feed in there, and the only other people coming in and out are other mums. As for friends and family, I do just get my boobs out and feed him - I don't really care who sees me. I haven't always been this brave about showing off my body but I just think of it as being normal now, and so does everyone else around me. I had a c-section too (after pre-eclampsia) and at first I fed Dylan in the rugby ball position so he wasn't lying on my scar.

Good luck with the breast feeding - I find it very rewarding but also very hard work at times xx

 

[KJ]

you can buy special breastfeeding ponchos. I got one from ebay. They have a decrete loop at the top so you can still maintain eye contact with your baby and are made of lightweight material.

K.x

 

[maybebaby]

I haven't got boobs as big as yours, but they're DDs and I did have to support them when breastfeeding in the early days. I used to keep my coat on and drape a light cloth (usually a muslin) over the exposed part of my breast. I only ever lift my top even now, I can't just whack it out.

If you're out shopping there are some shops (mothercare/boots/Debenhams/John Lewis that I know of) that have baby feeding rooms, so buggy & OH can come in with you.

If you're not comfortable you could try expressing but it's not usually recommended until baby is a few weeks old so that breastfeeding is established and your body and baby don't get confused.

I found that once I was out and about and DS needed feeding that was the most important thing in the world - my modesty came second! You can usually find a corner in a restaurant, or if you're at a friends house just ask if you can use a bedroom.

Above all, don't worry too much about it, ignore any looks/comments you get from idiots. You'll find your own way.

Well done for breastfeeding, it's the most amazing thing in the world! Good luck.

 

[MissThing]

As maybebaby said, in large shops like mothercare/john lewis etc. it shouldnt be a problem. I also have a very large boobs 38GG, so feeding on public is a bit of a problem, cos I have to support my boob as well as Daniels head. First of all, I decided for myself, that I dont really care what people think-i am feeding my baby. Second-I got this sling www.babaslings.com and it sort of covers the essential areas while im breastfeeding, allowing in the same time to support my breasts and see baby Oh, and it is better to find nice big seats, like sometimes there are in coffee shops, becourse it is like 100 times easier then just on the chair.

 

[nikkimitch]

lots of places have comfy rooms now which makes life easier but to be honest it was more important to me that my baby was fed and content when out - after a while I stopped worrying about what people thought and have bf in all sorts of places including church without any problem - good luck and well done for breastfeeding definitely not the easy option

 

[trixipaws]

L cups! omygosh! i suppose it must be a whole different ball game with breasts that size- mine were DD- maybe E cups at biggest (only for few days when milk came in)

so altho i can tell u i wear v-neck loose tops or strappy tops for nursing (whether out or at home) it must be different if ur larger busted.

i would say tho, dont go out until ur comfortable with it. it took me a few weeks to get the hang of BF.

good luck

 

[leckershell]

This thread may help? It's one I made when I started thinking about breastfeeding in public and was worried about it. I got loads of replies.

http://www.pregnancyforum.co.uk/forum/v ... hp?t=49603

I don't have anywhere near L cups, I'm a D at the mo, was a A/B before but I have a couple of nursing tops from H&M that cloud9 told me about. I can't find a picture online but they're basically designed just so the nipple comes out of a little slit in the top so your boob is still covered up. I don't know what cup sizes fit into a size Large top, but that may be worth a try. I have fed in Birmingham New Street station, at home with friends/my mum/nat's mum round, at mums and baby group, in doctors surgery and in baby changing rooms.

Hope you find a way. I don't know how big your pillow is but I use one like this at home sometimes...

and it comes with a little carry bag. I used to take it to work with me to put on my chair when I was pregnant. If I needed to take it out with me to feed then I'd have no trouble cos it's really light and I can just sling it on my back. I don't use a cushion if I'm out but if I did I'd take my squishee.

Good luck x

 

[Beatlesfan]

Thanks for your advice Ladies. Appreciate your comments and experiences you've shared.

I have ordered the following after researching ponchos on your advice.

http://www.maternityandnursing.co.uk/di ... =1&catid=1

http://www.maternityandnursing.co.uk/di ... tid=1&id=4

I also have a squishee so will try that at home (I usually use a bed pillow) ready for practice out and about.

I will let you know how I get on!!!

BF x