Nursing tips for different seasons?

[AdinaL]

This is for a friend who is a new mom.  She asked me for tips to nursing in different weather.  I realized that I just sort of toughed it out, but didn't have any great ideas.

So, I guess, clothing recommendations? Baby covering ideas? Weather proofing if you are outside? Rain? Heat? Cold?

What are your best "make nursing easy on you and your baby no matter the weather" tips?

[katelove]

The weather doesn't change much where we are, it's either quite nice or stupidly hot. When it's stupidly hot I like feeding in bed while side-lying so we don't have to have full body contact. I also try to avoid skin-to-skin when it's really hot. We're both more comfortable with one layer of fabric between us to absorb the sweat.

[skycheattraffic]

My go to nursing outfit is a comfy sportsbra, a low cut cami and whatever shirt I'm gonna wear. When it's time to nurse, I lift my top up, pull cami down and I'm mostly still covered. When it's cold, I add a zippered or button down hoodie/sweater and I'm comfy but easy to access. In the summer, I often just lose the cami layer and go with lower cut v neck tops so I can access the breast over the neckline. If it's nice enough to be outside in a light jacket/sweater then I'll nurse wherever. If I need my thigh length winter coat, gloves and a toque then poor baby will simply have to wait until we get inside lol. In the summer I just make sure to find shade. If we're in a strip mall or otherwise stuck in a parking lot, the trunk of my matrix makes a perfect bench to nurse on . I don't use nursing covers since DD HATES being covered. The biggest help to NIP was when she could sit up nursing so I didn't have to find a way to support my arms for cross cradle or cradle hold. Your friend will find tricks that work for her in time. I always bring a small extra blanket in case it's chilly and it can be a nice layer to keep warm if a sudden chill hits.

[MichelleZB]

Ok: so I live in Northern Ontario and it can get really very cold. I find in the winter, I gravitate towards actual nursing shirts that pull down from the top or side. That way, my torso stays covered from the cold while I'm nursing. I'm happy to just pull up a t-shirt during the summer, but when it's 40 below outside, you want the sweater to stay on except for just that little nipple area.

[phathui5]

When it's cold, I wear a tank top or cami that I can pull down under my shirt so that I can nurse and still be mostly dressed.

[pickle18]

I agree with everyone else - typically, I wear lower cut, v-neck or  "stretchy" neck tops, so that I can easily pull a boob out of the top.  In the summer, that looks like tank tops.  In chillier months, it can be a v-neck long sleeve shirt with a cardigan sweater on top.  If it's really cold, I can even just unzip a coat a little ways, keep my layers on, and still whip out a boob. If you have a scarf on - even easier - you can use it to cover your babe and your boob!

Layers come in handy in a variety of ways - wearing a light blouse, button up sweaters or open front jackets on top lets me pull one side over to be a quick curtain around DS, if I ever want to cover up (though by 2 years of nursing, those incidents are few and far between! ) or block DS from wind, chill, shade him from sun, etc. This is probably easier with a child who can sit up, so I have that extra hand free, but it's super convenient.  Much better than digging out and fumbling with a cover, and easier to put down/pull up.

Basically, I don't often wear crew-neck tops very often.  Almost all my shirts/dresses are v-neck, wrap-style, scoop neck, or simply have enough stretch in the fabric to pull the collar down.  I don't wear many sweaters or sweatshirts UNLESS they are v-neck or button/zip down the front for easy access.  But that's just me - I'm more of an "over" than "under" gal (especially when I was self-conscious of my post-partum belly showing).

[AdinaL]

These are great! I realized that I wore a lot of tanks under other things when it was cold. And then just the tanks when it was warm. LOL