Modest public breastfeeding + big bbs

[The[cookie]Doctor]

J cups here babe and I did it no worries. I could only football hold which generally meant the whole boob coming out of the top. I think the cleverest I got was the one time I was in a room full of other breastfeeding mothers

If you need to football hold, the strength in your arm does get better, and you will come to find more supported positions to help. Such as using your nappy bag or other as an arm rest. It is hard but you will get there.

I also always took a muslin wrap with me. Light enough to drape over babies head and big enough to cover the big boobs and if baby decided to tug doesn't cause too much of a problem. The best way I found, I always wore a singlet underneath,, ripped my shirt of for the feed. I would slide the singlet strap down of the side due to feed from, unclip the bra, then trap muslin under bra strap and spread across your chest. Then if you are paranoid about showing too much while baby attaches, a mmuslin is big enough to cover your head!!!

Hope i explained this alright.

What I would have given for A cups and the cradle hold!

[Sterla]

What I would have given for A cups and the cradle hold!

Me too! Big boobs are overrated!

[Smoke Jaguar]

Big boobs here, and double layers can get really hot, especially for sling wearing! I questioned my own ideas about modesty and whose sensibilities I was considering. They weren't my own so I decided that I didn't care how much boob 'showed', as long as DS was getting it - especially as I couldn't exactly have a conversation with him about how my boobs are big and some people don't like it...hearing the conversation play out like that in my head convinced me that it wasn't my problem and what people say about me behind my back is none of my business It's much easier to pull down, and I pull up a top if it's really cold!
Plus, I didn't want to be going in for the idea that public breastfeeding is all right if you have small boobs and you don't show much, and not ok if you have big boobs - a non-sensical message to support. So I don't. Covering myself up sent ME the wrong message about an action that is ultimately nurturing and natural and most inoffensive.
Don't get me wrong, I didn't just get preggers, decide to breastfeed and go out in public with no issues...I'm a product of our society! I thought I wouldn't want to feed in public until the first time I was in public and DS wanted to feed. It took som adjusting before I asked myself and answered the questions.
And, finally, my big, cumbersome, in the way, pendulous boobs FINALLY had a purpose, other than to be dolled up as nicely as possible to keep them aesthetically digestible and looking as small as possible (with minimiser bras!)...!!
Probably doesn't help you much right now, and is food for thought.

[Arcadia]

Covering myself up sent ME the wrong message about an action that is ultimately nurturing and natural and most inoffensive.
Don't get me wrong, I didn't just get preggers, decide to breastfeed and go out in public with no issues...I'm a product of our society!

:yeahthat:

An E cup here, and it took me a good 6 weeks to bf in public with confidence. I have THE WORST stretch marks in the world on my bbs as they jumped 4 cup sizes during pg. I was too embarassed to show DH at first let alone the world!

Its funny though because as I worked up the courage to feed in public, I have actually started feeling better about my bbs and I realised the biggest obstacle was not other people's opinion, but my own.

I say go for the shawl/blanket/sling option if you want, but know that we support public breastfeeding, and would love to see you and your big bbs out in public some time soon.

[MantaRay]

I don't have large bbs, but I do have to say that I got a lot more comfortable with feeding in public the more I did it. I can definitely understand wanting to be discreet, especially when you are still getting used to it all. And it's even harder when you feel pressure from your own partner or family.

I do think it's a shame though that we feel the need to cover up or go to a parents' room because the more we do that, the more opportunities we are missing for showing breastfeeding to be natural - which it is. Some children never see a baby breastfeeding and it's such a shame. I have to admit that by the time I was feeding DS2, I just fed wherever I was - I only used the parents' room if I had to go to the loo or change a nappy as well. I have fed on the floor of Coles, Woolies, Big W, Target etc - and I have to say that feeding on the floor of a white goods store ended up being the only way to get served! But as I say, it took some time to get to that level of comfort. And my favourite breastfeeding experience was in a local village in Vanuatu where the local women lifted my top up to see better. That might sound off-putting to you now, but I was so used to feeding by then and TBH I found it really refreshing that there was no need to "hide" and that my breastfeeding was seen as the natural act that it was.

Probably none of this helps you very much, except to let you know that what you are feeling is really normal. In fact I used to dread feeding outside the home at that stage so I think you are doing an amazing job. The other thing you can do is look for breastfeeding clothing. There are some really, really good clothes out there now designed for breastfeeding women so maybe that would be of some help to you. Anyway, keep up the great work hun, and know that it will get easier - both as baby gets better at feeding and as you get more used to it.

[BekZ]

I have small boobs and I find bfing in public a challenge. Both my girls loved to come on and off the boob constantly so my nipples always got exposed.

[Heaven]

Great thread. I haven't BF in public yet, I have big boobs too. I don't know how to get her on without flashing to the world but one's she's on you can't see much.

[sazzafrazz]

I hated getting my boobs out even at home to start with!!!! We had visitors EVERY day for the first 2.5weeks and DD had major bf issues (didnt actually bf properly till 11days) so I was flashing like nobodys business for a while there!

I have Ecups and am quite big so my issues were body as well as boob related. I also could only do football hold for the first few months. I found that harder as you need two hands so how do you hold your clothes modestly at the same time. I found putting a folded up cloth nappy or chunky flannel under my boob helped hold it in the right spot so that I had a hand free for arranging clothing/muslins etc.

Wearing 2layers was not an option for me as it was high summer and I am a hot person anyhow. Also I always found baby rooms WAY too hot!!! I also found using a muslin more bother than its worth most of the time as it made it so hard to get a fussy hungry newborn on properly with not being able to see. I did buy a couple of bf tops and found them great. I used to "save" wearing them for public outings as they really expose very little when baby is on.

My experience is that it will be MUCH easier when bub is a little older. You wont have to get boobie out and exposed before using both hands to manouver a floppy, angry, attention grabbing by screaming baby onto it. When DD got to around 3months I could manage cradle hold which makes things easier to cover up plus she pretty much put herself on by that age. Their head covers much more by then too.

Sorry I couldnt offer many suggestions but I hope my experiences helped. I fed DD pretty much anywhere too, on the floor in the pub pool room one time!!! (It was quiet at that time of day)