Help me NIP!

[mrsdocmartin]

I've posted this question before, but never here and am looking for some tips! I am not comfortable flashing my nipples in public. I am a major lactivist at heart, and maybe the answer is to just get over it! But, I have an overactive letdown, and my milk tends to majorly spray! Luckily, DS has gotten used to this, and even likes it. He gets mad if he has to work hard for the milk! The only issue is, he does like to latch on and then pull off to catch his breath. At home we nurse lying down with a towel under us and it's fine. NIP is a different story. I have used a blanket to avoid flashing, but of course that is awkward. We also both always end up soaked and frustrated. I'm sick of hiding to feed my baby. Do I just suck it up and flash, or what?

[TattoMomK]

I would just suck it up and flash. Sometimes I just turn my back to the general public to latch, then turn right back around and go about my business. I have an idea for your sprinklers though -- take a cloth diaper and fold it three times, tuck it under your boob and let it catch your milk. :

[mrsdocmartin]

Great tip. Yeah, I think I will just end up having to flash. The good thing is, with ith OALD, he is really, really efficient, and it isn't like I have to nurse for a long time.

[breachaplin]

i had the same milk spray problem with ds. here is what i did to nip. i wear one of dh's big white undershirts so that i can pull my shirt up and nurse out of the armhole in the undershirt and still have my belly covered. when i got ready to nip i will get my bra undone and pull the undershirt aside first, then get sd realy close and pull up my shirt as he is latching and no boob shows at all
the poping on and off is a bit tricky, i always have nursing pads in my bra so as soon as i feel him let go i pull my shirt back down and cover the leaky nipple with the nursing pad. maybe if you tuck the nursing pad up in your shirt right where it bunches above dc's nose you can catch leaks and flashed boobage fast
ds is 15 months and my milk supply has evened out so i dont spray much anymore now i find i dont care who i flash when nip.

[sarahtdubb]

Try nursing in front of a mirror--I think it'll help you realize that you probably feel like you're flashing more than you are! It's amazing how little people pay attention. I have an active let-down too, which often ends up with my son getting sprayed in the face. I usually have a cloth with me to spray into for a few seconds...

...but the other day I was at the zoo and I didn't have my cloth. My milk started spraying my poor little boy in the face, and I wasn't sure what to do. So I just pointed my breast to the side and squeezed a big spray of milk onto the ground for several seconds. I was actually in a conversation with 4 other people and I swear--no one noticed!!!

[xixstar]

Also, perhaps some encouragement is that even if you feel you're flashing the world, there is a good chance the world won't notice.

Just today I was sitting across from a mom feeding her one-year old and I noticed a couple times that "Hello World" look when the LO was turning away, looking all over at what was happening in the middle of eating. I didn't notice any nipple flashing whatsoever! Instead, noticed the cute "whats going on?" face before she went back to nursing. I don't know if the breast or nipple was ever all that visible, if I just didn't notice it, of if mom's shirt automatically slipped down enough.

[puddle]

Is there a LLL meeting in your area? Going to those really helped me get more comfortable. You're surrounded by other nursing mamas who won't freak out if they do get flashed, so it's a non-threatening environment for you to learn how to do it.

[cheery]

don't underestimate the power of nursing t shirts to ease the whole NIP experience.

not that i think there is any need to worry about flashing. most ppl just see a baby cuddling up with mama and think nothing of any excess moisture here and there.

[mrsdocmartin]

Thanks for the encouragement! Unfortunately, the LLL meetings are on one of the two days I work. I will try nursing in front of a mirror though.

[amandaleigh37]

You will probably be suprised at how FEW people even notice. Keep a burp cloth handy to toss over your nipple when he pops off, and hold him close to you to cover whatever's exposed. Otherwise, don't worry about it!
Think of it in terms of space.... we are talking what, 1-2 square INCHES of nipple are.... a person walking by you has how much space to look at? If they are focusing on what you're doing, they might catch a peek - but most people are too involved in other things to pay much attention to a mama & baby on a bench...
If they do stare, just flash them a confident smile and they will probably smile back & walk away.
It does get easier the more you do it though, so GOOD LUCK!

[velcromom]

It's more attitude than method.

try www.007b.com and my site linked below too!

[Meiri]

As my normal style of dress is loose t-shirts, though this would work with any loose enough shirt or blouse, I used to pull my shirt OUT from my body, rather than UP. I'd've reached up under it to pull down my bra first of course, then, holding DD close enough that she could move in, I'd move my shirt outward, thus shielding any details from anyone taller than say...3'. Looking down at us sitting wherever, all anyone would've seen was shirt, then shirt draped at her face.

[nikihodges]

my son also pops off alot..i keep my thumb that is supporting my breats hooked under my shirt so i can just pull my shirt down a little