[ADVICE] - Breastfeeding in public

Ive breastfed in public 3 times. All of these were a major fail and left both me and DD very stressed. See, the thing is, I cant seem to do the cradle hold. I have big boobs and have only ever done football hold at home with the occasional cradle hold to drain a certain spot, but even with that, I use pillows. Im soo un-co when Im out and have to leave where ever I am to come home to feed her properly as she is upset. I just cant seem to get her to stay latched on (probably posistioning playing its part in that) and I feel like I need 5 extra hands to make it work. Also my arms and back get intensly sore (which makes me tense.. which makes my letdown slow).

Would a LC help my un-coness and show me how to feed using the cradle hold or am I just bound to stay home until shes bigger and going longer between feeds?

It's early days, hun. ;) I'd say you need just a little longer to find your rhythm before you can easily just pop her on and finish your food without noticing!

By all means, ask your LC, but I'd think that with such a small baby still she might have to grow into this being easier for both of you.

It will get heaps easier when her neck and body are stronger so you don't have to hold her there. Also from about ten weeks or so both of mine have been able to attach themselves so these less fussing about getting them to open their mouth etc.

Hang in there. You will feel more and more confident with each feed.

To help with cradle hold, if you're feeding from the left breast say, use the right hand behind hubs head to help attach, while left hand holds clothes and nipple etc, then once she's attached, bring the left arm around to support hubs body, while right hand gives extra breast support if needed.

I find my boobs have shrunk from about four months too so that helps. Hang in there!

Do you a pillow that you can take out with you?

Maybe try at a mate's house where you can still do the pillow thing and feed football hold just to try boost your confidence.

I don't think i had even really left the house at 5 weeks, so don't think that you are the only one. Over time, i could feed anywhere. Mum and baby get better at feeding over time.

You can football hold in public - you just need a park bench or a bench seat at a cafe or Macca's. I used to cross my legs and use my thigh as a "pillow" and lean forward to get my nipple to bub's mouth - broke all the "rules" but worked for me. And if all else failed I fed lying down on a towel, though that wasnt exactly discreet (though more discreet than hungry screaming baby). In the first few weeks I would express and take a bottle if we had to go out - I was more comfy with that than bf-ing, and bub was on a mix of ebm and suck feeds anyway because he was little and sleepy.

It will get much easier when she's a bit less floppy - in a few more weeks.

I did end up going to a lactation day stay when DS was about 4 months old to try and learn a more effective cradle hold, but we never really used it.

I had the same problem in the early days, BF outside of the home made me feel unco!! But I ended up putting one of our soft throw cushions in DSs pram and then put that on my lap and it worked a treat!! I used to have to hoist up my leg (crossed over the other leg) so I could position DS in the right spot to attach - I probably looked like a complete weirdo but it worked :)

It will get easier the bigger she gets. Soon you won't have to support her so much and she will also be able to attach herself. Keep practicing the cradle hold at home until you're comfortable :)

A friend of min could only football hold her DS so she just took a pillow with her where ever she went, worked fine for her. I am the opposite also have big boobs but found football hold umcomfortable

Good luck it does take time and practice to get it all sorted when out.

:hug: I havr the same issues. it gets easier as bub gets biggrer and strongere and can readily hold their own head to the breast but it is hard.
i was out for dinner the other night and sat on floor to feed. cross legged gives good-ish support for football hold, legbent up in front good fior cradle.
fwiw i hardly ever cradle fed ds and this time round boobs are bigger & i have 'mastered' it (as much as i can :lol:), if you can take time to practice etc it does get easier!

Thanks girls :hug:

We had to go out today and it was a big trip, 1.5 hours from home so I had to feed her while we were out as I didnt have any EBM in the fridge to take. I took my pillow with me. I drove to a park and sat in the car (its a start right?) and calmly and successfully breastfed DD :) I did the football hold on one boob and the cradle on the other. I found doing the cradle last that she wasnt as hungry and therefor calmer so it worked much better even if I still am abit unco. I dont know when I will be confident enough to get out of the car (dont worry, it wasnt hot here today and windows were down) but I already feel more confident and "normal" in public.

Great going MM!!!!!! You're one over me, I could never manage to feed in the car (much to my DH's disgust) so always exposed heaps of boob.


I would strongly suggest going to local ABA meetings - there's always counsellors there who can help and there's heaps of booby juice flowing so I found it removed a lot of that self-consciousness.