Breast Feeding in Public

If discretion is an issue for you or him, i wore some wonderful breastfeeding tops from the Mothers Direct shop (the ABA shop) in Malvern. They also have a website. There are a few other online shops you can get some really stylish feeding tops from plus basic feeing tops from Kmart & Target. You can get some great breastfeeding dresses now too. Just google it - there's heaps of choice! These clothes have all sorts of secret access to enable you to feed.

I could breastfeed in confidence knowing my (saggy) belly and back were covered up (great for when it's chilly out) and if someone was looking at me feed my baby, it looked like i was giving her a cuddle as there was no 'breast' on display.

My DF was a but funny at first, but I did it anyway and he got used to it.
DS hated having his head covered. He would pull off and scream. So covering up wasnt an option.

The way I see it, I don't sit and eat dinner with a blanket over my head - why should my baby?

I'm still breastfeeding my 19 month old and now ds helps himself and gets pretty vocal if he doesn't get boobie when he wants it so there's no hiding these babies! (.)(.) AND he will often want both of them out at the same time! lol I don't have a problem with it at all. Funny enough before I met dh I was a big topless sun baker all summer long down at the beach and when we met dh didn't approve of it, yet when it came to breastfeeding dh was all for me breastfeeding whenever and wherever ds wanted/needed milk. The most important thing to us is our child and whatever anyone else has a problem with is just that... Their problem! I hope your dh feels more comfortable with it once bub is here. As others have suggested a wrap or something may do the trick and allow your dh to relax.

Thanks for all the suggestions.

I asked him again about it last night, i think his main issue is my breast being exposed, which i think is fair enough because i am not generally the bare all type of girl.

Might look into the tops. Sure i will get the hang of it. Like you all said it will just take some getting used to it for him, and me no doubt :)

He is quite supportive with breast feeding, and wants me to do it for as long as possible. Just found it a surprise hearing a guys perspective! Boobs dont really bother me lol!

Little O - I tried to be discreet when we went out eg. Using a muslin wrap over my shoulder/babies head. As I got more confident I would just whip it out of my breast feeding top. To be honest, the muslin wrap was more for me as I fumbled around with the clasp on my bf bra etc. My friends sister in law used to whip it out of her non breast feeding top and have it out in full view for quite a while. I don't think anyone knew where to look, especially her brother. I also felt more comfortable finding a quiet and comfortable space to do it. DS was quite heavy, so it was important to have a comfy spot.

Good to hear you're feeling better about it. Breastfeeding singlets are the bomb - I lived in them for DD's first month, which was December, so all very easy access! But for colder months, a button down blouse and a BFing singlet underneath is a great combo.

In an interesting side note, I couldn't care less about getting my boobs out. But I hate getting my flabby tummy out. So when DD goes for milk, she always tries to pull my top down, rather than up, because 90% of the time, that's how she's been fed. It's also how she tries to feed her toys :lol:

And you do get the hang of it. I was at a birthday party on Saturday, feeding because it was all a bit too much for our little poppet, and we'd been sitting a while. Someone came over, looking a bit concerned that I was sitting all by myself, and it wasn't untilt hey were righ next to me that they said "Oh you're FEEDING...."

I am a little bit conscious of other people when I feed; I just don't want to give them anything to whinge or moan about. So I try to make it quick, quiet, discreet and fuss free as much as possible.

Like Audax, i can feed me daughter and people don't always know that we are feeding. it just looks like i am giving her a cuddle. However, my son is a noisy feeder and so even if people can't see what is happening, the slurp, slurp, squeak gives it away. So even if you want to be 'discreet' sometimes baby won't be.

I wear breastfeeding singlets most of the time with a jacket or t shirt over the top. It's just how i feel most comfy.

You will find that breastfeeding your baby wherever will actually be a whole lot less noticeable than trying a placate a hungry screaming baby by other means. And it will allow you to get out and about with baby, which is also really important for the mental health of both of you.

My DH was more concerned about me feeding around his dad and brother than strangers which I thought was odd. My family is quite open with bodies and nudity but his family is a bit more conservative. He ended up getting over it very fast, I think actually seeing a baby breast feed he realised that there wasnt a lot on display. I work on the belief that breastfeeding is natural and my baby and I have a right to feed where ever its needed so if people are uncomfertable then they can go else where while I feed, I dont think we should be physically or socially isolated while feeding in my opinion. In saying that I understand some mums prefer privacy when feeding, especially in the early days and that is their right too.

Personally I dont make any efforts to be discreet but at the same time I dont make a display of feeding either but I think feeding in public helps normalise breast feeding, Im lucky in my family bf was the norm and I saw all my aunts bf younger cousins but I dont believe the general population see bf mums and bubs often although maybe its becoming more common?

I dont worry about my boobs being on display as Im not exposing myself for any other purpose except feeding my baby

like Audux Im more concerned about exposing my tummy as Im self concious about it, plus its cold i winter! So I often still wear my pregnancy belly band then any top can be lifted up without exposing my belly and back

Good luck and I wouldnt worry about it until bubs is here, your DH may well change his mind when he sees his beautiful baby at your breast. Best of luck with your breast feeding journey

DH always tells me how proud he is of DS and I when we breastfeed out and about. I don't try to be especially discreet but I doubt anyone has seen more than a 1 second glimpse of boob skin as I latch DS on. DH believes it helps to normalise breastfeeding, and is proud of me for going against the grain and not giving a rats about what people think. He also doesn't own my body, or my breasts. If people want to perve (sure, there are probably a handful pervy people out there but I'm not in control of that and they're hardly hurting me by looking) then whatever...there really ain't much to see.

We offered DS a sippy cup the other day which he's learning to use. We went on a long drive so I put a little EBM in the cup for him so we wouldn't have to stop to feed. When we got to our destination, DH asked if we could leave the cup in the car because he reckons there's enough bottle fed babies and people benefit from seeing babies being breastfed.

I think he might get more used to the idea when you are out in public with a crying baby. Really feeding in public can take some time to get used to if it's not something that you've been around much. At first I felt that I should be using a feeding room all the time. My DH was unsure about it all at first too. But then reality hit and getting to a feeding room wasn't always easy. By the time I was feeding baby number 2 I rarely bothered with the feeding room. DS2 would always want a feed when I was right in the middle of a shop so I'd sit down on the floor wherever I was and feed him. So quick and easy and much easier than trying to work out what to do with items that I hadn't paid for yet, and get a screaming baby and a toddler to a feeding room. I think DH realised very early on too that feeding is just natural and what's not natural is expecting a mum not to feed a hungry baby.

And you know, each one of us that exercises our right, and our baby's right, to feed in public, is helping the next mum that comes along and her partner to realise that this is really normal and ok.

Your breasts, your body, you decide what happens to them and who sees them.