Bigger busted mama nursing in public..

[Blessed1]

Okay, I am big busted ( 42 DD) and I have trouble breastfeeding in public. How do you girls do it (particularly bigger busted girls)?? Because I am bigger, I feel more self conscious about it. When I am out and about, I only nurse in the car but even that is a little challenging. I can't just unlatch my nursing bra and be done. I feel like I have to unlatch my bra and then pull out my boob (literally pull out or plop out..lol) and then help my baby girl latch. She latches easily once I position it in around her mouth but wow, it's a process. I sometimes envy those girls who just unhook and BAM! it's in the perfect position...

I feel I won't ever be able to be discreet about nursing in public and I want to nurse in public so badly because it would just be so convenient.
I do have a nursing cover but that is just one more extra piece of material to fumble around with.

Any suggestions??????

I also want to learn to nurse in my ERGO but I don't know if it is possible because of my bigger chest. :/

[suddenlyamama]

Hi there!
My DD is 3 months old. At first I dealt with this too (And guess what? I am a 42dd as well) Here is something to think about...why not nurse uncovered?
I rarely cover, and most of the time lo's head is covering most of my rather large breast.
I find when I act more relaxed I have less trouble getting things situated (i.e. the plop of boob out of the snap, into the mouth, to a comfortable position)
Maybe you could practice gaining confidence in a setting like a la leche league meeting or at a park with another bf'ing mama.

I had a lot of anxiety about this in the beginning and then I met some supportive friends who bf and now we all breastfeed uncovered in sheer nursing bliss

Anyways, hope this helps. Maybe you could get on over to the lactivist thread to fire you up and make you feel juiced to feed your baby girl whenever, wherever!

Hugs from one big booby California mama to another....good luck!

[chipper26]

I did use a cover a lot when dd was little. B/c f m size, it was much more comfortable for me to do that but one I got much better at it and dd got bigger, I could do it rather discretely without much cover.

[katelove]

I'm about a 32F. My baby's head nowhere near covers most of my breast! I unclip my bra and pull it down before I lift my shirt up (unclip by putting my hand through the neck of my shirt, pull bra down by putting my hand up under the hem). I always lift my shirt up from the bottom. If I unbutton or pull down the neck I feel too exposed.

Once she's attached I can then pull the hem of my shirt down until I'm fully covered.

Maybe practice at home, in front of a mirror. I think sometimes we get a skewed perception of what others can see because we're looking down and can see *everything* but probably other can't see as much as we think.

[KempsMama]

I'm larger than most, a G when nursing, and I nurse in public with a cover most of the time. In homes, I don't use a cover when I'm around people I'm comfortable with. I wear nursing tanks, and I think that makes it so much easier and more comfortable, because I'm not worried about looking half naked! I can manage to show very little by using a burp cloth for cover while latching on, then using my shirt to cover what his head doesn't.

It's a process-I'm much more comfortable doing it with my second child than I was the first time around.

[tibeca]

i just wanted to pop in here with a few other things to consider. I am a J cup, so even my poor toddler's head isn't big enough to cover all of me, at least from what I can see from above, but that doesn't mean I am "exposed" when I nurse.

I feel like the real trick for me is to wear the right clothes for me. That doesn't necessarily mean special nursing wear, just that the clothes I wear work for nursing. I like wearing tanks that keep my belly covered under my shirt, so that I can pull my shirt up a pretty good way, before I begin nursing, or even unhooking my bra. Also, I too reach through the neck of my shirt to expose my breast while it is still in my shirt. That leaves 1 less thing to do while getting baby situated.

Then to nurse, I pull baby in close to where she should be with my breast covered. Then use other hand to lift shirt, support breast and latch baby. It sounds complicated, but it takes less than a second since my breast is already free from my bra, and baby's body covers me as we get latched.

Nursing in public takes time and practice practice practice. Same for nursing in slings (of any style). In the beginning, I used all of my day time nursings to "practice" nursing in public. That meant I wore the "right" clothes and also taught my baby that nursing time, meant get down to business. No leaving mama exposed. I am WAY more lax now (and expecting my second) so it does get easier.

[CherryBomb]

Originally Posted by chipper26

I did use a cover a lot when dd was little. B/c f m size, it was much more comfortable for me to do that but one I got much better at it and dd got bigger, I could do it rather discretely without much cover.

This has been my experience, too (I'm also a 42DD). Usually what I do is use use a blanket to cover while I get the baby latched, and then take it off and pull my shirt down around my breast. I find it gets a lot easier once they're older and can latch themselves.

[pumpkin]

I'm an I right now and it is challenging. We also have to use a nipple shield so it takes
Extra time to latch. The right clothing is really helpful. I have a few nursing shirts that pull up. I also sometimes wear a camisole that I'm an pull down and a regular shirt I can pull up. Once she is latched I reposition my shirt to cover myself better.

The most important thing is that it gets easier as they get older. The head may still not cover the breast, but positioning is simpler and that makes that awkward start and finish phases easier.
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[Adaline'sMama]

I just wanted to pop in and add that it does get eaiser when the baby can find the nipple on his/her own. At about 5.5 months DD was able to find the nipple on me (Im an F) and latching became SO much eaiser. Personally, Ive found that the "pop it out the top" techinque works best for us, because the bra supports the underneath of my breast and it positions the nipple better.

[SubliminalDarkness]

I wore nursing tanks under t-shirts. Reached my hand under my shirt to unlatch the tank, set the boob free under there, got DS2 into position, then lifted my shirt just enough to get him latched. Then I pulled the shirt back down to cover everything.

[Super~Single~Mama]

Just wanted to say that if I saw you NIPing I woudl probably smile and be really happy that I saw someone nursing their baby!

NIP was hard for me (I'm small chested, but my boobs were WAY bigger than normal until my baby turned 1 - so it was hard to get used to), but then I just stopped caring if people saw my boobs - and it got lots easier!

[liberal_chick]

Originally Posted by SubliminalDarkness

I wore nursing tanks under t-shirts. Reached my hand under my shirt to unlatch the tank, set the boob free under there, got DS2 into position, then lifted my shirt just enough to get him latched. Then I pulled the shirt back down to cover everything.

This is what I do. Right now I tend to toss a blanket over us b/c ds3 is still so tiny and floppy, but I foresee us being able to ditch it within the next few weeks.

[Blessed1]

Originally Posted by suddenlyamama

Hi there!
My DD is 3 months old. At first I dealt with this too (And guess what? I am a 42dd as well) Here is something to think about...why not nurse uncovered?
I rarely cover, and most of the time lo's head is covering most of my rather large breast.
I find when I act more relaxed I have less trouble getting things situated (i.e. the plop of boob out of the snap, into the mouth, to a comfortable position)
Maybe you could practice gaining confidence in a setting like a la leche league meeting or at a park with another bf'ing mama.

I had a lot of anxiety about this in the beginning and then I met some supportive friends who bf and now we all breastfeed uncovered in sheer nursing bliss

Anyways, hope this helps. Maybe you could get on over to the lactivist thread to fire you up and make you feel juiced to feed your baby girl whenever, wherever!

Hugs from one big booby California mama to another....good luck!

THANK YOU!!!! You just gave me a confidence boast!!!

My baby's head nowhere near covers most of my breast!

LOL! But as someone else mentioned, maybe from my point of view I look way more exposed than I feel.

Then to nurse, I pull baby in close to where she should be with my breast covered. Then use other hand to lift shirt, support breast and latch baby. It sounds complicated, but it takes less than a second since my breast is already free from my bra, and baby's body covers me as we get latched.

Great advice...not sure why I didn't think to do this?! lol

The head may still not cover the breast, but positioning is simpler and that makes that awkward start and finish phases easier.

I just wanted to pop in and add that it does get eaiser when the baby can find the nipple on his/her own. At about 5.5 months DD was able to find the nipple on me (Im an F) and latching became SO much eaiser.

I am SO GRATEFUL to hear this!!!!!!

Thank you girls!!!!!! I do just need to stop caring! What awesome support! I suddenly have more confidence! You are all awesome!!!

[cdahlgrd]

I don't use a nursing bra. I wear a lane bryant bra with a stretchy band and I just lift it up and down. I takes some practice, but I find it easier than a nursing bra. I also like wearing a loose shirt and a cardigan sweater. That way most of my belly and sides are covered.

I don't use a cover, I don't have enough hands. I just do the best I can to keep the baby close and my shirt down.

I can't nurse in a sling, etc. cause my boobs are just way too low.

In a few weeks, your babe will be able to self latch, and that will make a HUGE difference as others have said. Just keep practicing at home and in your car until you are comfortable with what is working for you!

[Blessed1]

Originally Posted by cdahlgrd

I don't use a nursing bra. I wear a lane bryant bra with a stretchy band and I just lift it up and down. I takes some practice, but I find it easier than a nursing bra. I also like wearing a loose shirt and a cardigan sweater. That way most of my belly and sides are covered.

I don't use a cover, I don't have enough hands. I just do the best I can to keep the baby close and my shirt down.

I can't nurse in a sling, etc. cause my boobs are just way too low.

In a few weeks, your babe will be able to self latch, and that will make a HUGE difference as others have said. Just keep practicing at home and in your car until you are comfortable with what is working for you!

I might look into the stretchy type bra at Lane Bryant (that's where I buy most of my normal bras anyway). I love nursing at home because it is so easy..I just lift up my nursing tank (little to no support and so comfy) and go at it. But it doesn't provide enough support to go out and about so I am almost forced to wear a supported type nursing bra. Although I wish I could just wear something comfy (maybe I will.. for short, 'who cares who sees me' type trips..lol).
I think I am going to have the same problem nursing in the ERGO..my boobs just might hang too low.. :/

I am going to go to the park with my LO (when the weather gets better) and practice nursing out and about. It should help me gain some confidence.

[Shanesmom]

Well.....as a 34 B (on a good day) I'm hardly qualified to answer but as a fellow BF in public, I say whip it out girl!!!

The less embaresed you are, the less embaressed other people will be also. I've been guilty of whipping it out in front of complete strangers; heck, even in front of my dad! I just don't care!!!

Good luck sister!

[Blessed1]

Originally Posted by Shanesmom

Well.....as a 34 B (on a good day) I'm hardly qualified to answer but as a fellow BF in public, I say whip it out girl!!!

The less embaresed you are, the less embaressed other people will be also. I've been guilty of whipping it out in front of complete strangers; heck, even in front of my dad! I just don't care!!!

Good luck sister!

*hug* Thank you!!!

[fruitfulmomma]

I am um, well I have no clue how big they are, at least an H. I don't do nursing bras, I use the stretchy kinds that are not cupped so I just pull the fabric down before I get the baby going and then I just lift up my shirt just enough for baby to get latched and then hold on to the bottom of my shirt for quick cover if baby moves.

I don't do covers anymore, it seems they always made things worse/harder to me because they babies will fight them and then we really draw attention to ourselves.

[vegankelly]

I usually wear a tank top/nursing tank and, if it is cool, another shirt on top. (I am way more self-conscious about exposing my mamma belly than my mamma boobies, so the tank really helps.)
I reach under the top shirt (from the bottom or from the neck--depends on the shirt) and unbuckle the nursing tank or nursing bra. Then, with a regular tank, I pull the bra down and pop the boob over top of the tank top. With a nursing tank, I just pull the flap down. Then I pull up my shirt and get The Babe on. If the shirt is stretchy or low cut (or if I am wearing a dress) I reach through the neck, unbuckle, pull one side down, and get her latched.
Learning my legal right to NIP helped me feel comfortable. So did having a few canned responses at the ready.
Just doing it even when I wasn't comfortable helped me eventually be comfortable everywhere.

[annettemarie]

Moving out to the main forum.