Breastfeeding in Public: Covered or uncovered? - Page 2 « Back to Group Discussions

[FaithF]

I tend to be a very modest person. I don't show any cleavage with clothes I wear. So I do prefer to cover up in public. I use this: http://www.cutiepoopsandbottoms.com/i_156/Bebe-au-Lait-Organic-Nursing-Cover.htm (baby shower gift!).

I can't discreetly latch her on. It's impossible. I nursed DD1 for 2.5 years but I dunno, my boobs are weird and tend to suffocate my children if left unattended. Lol. But if I'm with just women, I don't cover up. If men are around I do use my cover. 

[Jaimee]

Faith, that's the cover I have, too.  I really think it's a great idea, but dd would just bat at it and not latch on.  

[seraf]

I cut holes in some thrift store tanks and wear them under my bra.  Strange but true.

[Abraisme]

I have a cover like this too, but it just gets to be so much hassle when my baby wants to nurse every 45 minutes.  I have mastered nursing in my Beco, which I can do pretty discreetly AND I don't have to stop what I'm doing.  Today I was nursing while shopping.  I love that I can keep going now.  :)
 

Originally Posted by Jaimee 

Faith, that's the cover I have, too.  I really think it's a great idea, but dd would just bat at it and not latch on.  

[LunaLady]

Today I nursed while walking around Ikea with DH!. Very liberating 

[KaliShanti]

I cover unless in the company of all women in a casual setting. I use a Bebe au Lait cover or a cover a friend made. :) I did nurse uncovered in the wic office today because I left my cover in the car.

[KayPea]

I can't cover - I need to see what I'm doing to latch the baby, and if I'm out in public I need both hands, and even a Bebe au Lait cover gets in the way. With DD, I could never use a cover, she'd just kick it and grab it. And my boobs are so big that even though I try to be discreet, I am definitely giving everyone a flash of mammary every time. I do the tank/tshirt combo too, for warmth and belly hiding. And with pull-downs and big boobs there is just WAY too much boob showing, and I'm not really all that modest. 

I have two Bravado nursing tanks, one for wearing, one for washing. They are spendy, but so worth it for me. I also wear a nursing bra under them for extra support, but I think they'd be pretty supportive for people with small to moderate-sized breasts. They do create uniboob, but that's just something I choose to live with for now. They are nice and long.

[IwannaBanRN]

Originally Posted by seraf 

I cut holes in some thrift store tanks and wear them under my bra.  Strange but true.

This is an amazing idea!

[IwannaBanRN]

Originally Posted by KayPea 

I can't cover - I need to see what I'm doing to latch the baby, and if I'm out in public I need both hands, and even a Bebe au Lait cover gets in the way. With DD, I could never use a cover, she'd just kick it and grab it. And my boobs are so big that even though I try to be discreet, I am definitely giving everyone a flash of mammary every time. I do the tank/tshirt combo too, for warmth and belly hiding. And with pull-downs and big boobs there is just WAY too much boob showing, and I'm not really all that modest. 

I have two Bravado nursing tanks, one for wearing, one for washing. They are spendy, but so worth it for me. I also wear a nursing bra under them for extra support, but I think they'd be pretty supportive for people with small to moderate-sized breasts. They do create uniboob, but that's just something I choose to live with for now. They are nice and long.

I need to see what I'm doing too. My poor DD, she'd get so mad when I couldn't latch her right away and that totally defeated the purpose of the cover because how frickin discreet is a cover when you're struggling with latching your baby to your boob for 5 minutes?

I love Bravado bras. Haven't used their shirts. The bras are the one thing I kinda splurged on so I'd have good nursing bras.
 

[seraf]

Originally Posted by LunaLady 

Today I nursed while walking around Ikea with DH!. Very liberating 

When I'm out I am always walking while nursing. I think a cover in that situation is more obvious than a baby nursing in a sling. Like,"Hi,I'm just walking around with a blanket over half my body." Tho I have had people walk up and look into the sling and I've had to tell them he is eating so they don't get an eyeful but most role that into looking at the baby don't mind a little boob. 
 

[IwannaBanRN]

Originally Posted by seraf 

When I'm out I am always walking while nursing. I think a cover in that situation is more obvious than a baby nursing in a sling. Like,"Hi,I'm just walking around with a blanket over half my body." Tho I have had people walk up and look into the sling and I've had to tell them he is eating so they don't get an eyeful but most role that into looking at the baby don't mind a little boob. 
 

Hey! They are in your personal space after they approach you! It's their problem if they catch some boob. lol A friend of mine tried to stop a female stranger from looking into her sling because she was nursing and when the woman pulled it back she backed off and had the most disgusted look on her face like she'd seen something disformed and gross. Felt bad for her. (my friend, not the woman)
 

[CDsMom1031]

If I'm somewhere doing something, grocery shopping, etc., I'll have a pumped bottle that I can give him to tie him over until I can settle down somewhere. I'm not good at multitasking when nursing is involved. LOL I try it at home but I suck at it. He always falls off so I have to stop and get him relatched... It's just... Blah.

If I'm at a restaurant or something, I'll just nurse him but I'll cover. I've got a huge shaw/blanket thing that I use to cover up. I don't like showing myself off, that's the only reason I cover, really. I could care less what people think.

I also feed him in my car a lot when I'm out.

At home, I usually take everything on top off to nurse, LOL.

Edited by CDsMom1031 - 12/30/11 at 2:38pm

[jbk21]

Tank top/shirt combo here as well.  Sometimes I drape a burping cloth over if I am around someone that *I* don't want to see anything (like my stepdad, FIL, etc.)  I guess I would say I cover myself but I don't use a cover.  I am very modest but I hate blankets/nursing shawls.  So I try to be as discreet as possible without using a true cover.  

[MrsKatie]

I'm in awe of you ladies who can nurse while shopping/walking around!  That's amazing.  I have yet to even try that, but I'd love to...

I don't ever cover.  I got a nursing cover as a gift and it was just so cumbersome and awkward and both KJ and I hated it and it made me feel more self-conscious than if I were to just nurse uncovered.  As if I were apologizing for feeding my baby.  I feel like all the ladies/men around me that make up "the public" were breastfed as babies themselves (if they're lucky!) and that's why they're alive today, so why should I cover up?  Does that make sense?  So I just whip out my boob.  I'll probably try the tank top under a shirt thing, too, but so far I've still been wearing maternity jeans and they cover my belly already and keep me warm and mostly covered.

[IwannaBanRN]

Originally Posted by MrsKatie 

I'm in awe of you ladies who can nurse while shopping/walking around!  That's amazing.  I have yet to even try that, but I'd love to...

I don't ever cover.  I got a nursing cover as a gift and it was just so cumbersome and awkward and both KJ and I hated it and it made me feel more self-conscious than if I were to just nurse uncovered.  As if I were apologizing for feeding my baby.  I feel like all the ladies/men around me that make up "the public" were breastfed as babies themselves (if they're lucky!) and that's why they're alive today, so why should I cover up?  Does that make sense?  So I just whip out my boob.  I'll probably try the tank top under a shirt thing, too, but so far I've still been wearing maternity jeans and they cover my belly already and keep me warm and mostly covered.

I was thinking about wearing my full panel maternity jeans so I didn't have to wear a tank underneath. I think I'll try that.
 

[SoCaliMommy]

 I voted uncovered. I've finally started to feel comfortable nursing uncovered. I wear Basics By Bravado nursing tanks they are sold at Target.

The other night i went out to dinner with  my aunt to Sizzler and we got put in a booth in the back but the place was packed. I had a loose fitting t-shirt on over and nursed Harlan the whole time we ate dinner and you couldn't see a thing.

[jhsmama11]

I do both. Mostly uncovered as I find I'm not that modest. I cover around my FIL and at Christmas where there were a bunch of inlaws I don't know well. Recently, I was at a friend's house talking with she and her 20-something daughter. Jack needed to nurse so I let them know and said that I'm not modest but indicated that I would cover if it made them uncomfortable. They said they it didn't bother them and the daughter said she'd never seen anyone breastfeed and was interested to see how it worked. I thought that was a neat opportunity to do a bit of education.