Three confidence tips for breastfeeding in public
Want to breastfeed your baby when you’re out, but feel nervous? Read three confidence tips for breastfeeding in public.
While it is illegal to ask a breastfeeding woman to leave a public place, and the Start4Life poll shows 72% of people support public breastfeeding, 6 out of 10 mothers who breastfeed take steps to hide it in public and 34% feel embarrassed or uncomfortable.
To help mothers feel more comfortable breastfeeding when out with their baby, Mel Marsden, co-founder of Lounge shares her advice for feeling more confident when breastfeeding in public.
1) Knowledge is power
Unfortunately, not everyone reacts positively to those who breastfeed in public spaces, but they should not be mistreated by doing so. Knowing your rights should help you to feel more confident in nursing as well as to challenge any comments should someone ask you to leave the premises.
As advised by the NHS, you are legally allowed to breastfeed your baby in public, whether it’s a cafe, shop, library, or on public transport. If you need further support is needed, you can contact the Equality and Advisory and Support Service for help.
2) Comfort = confidence
Yours and your baby’s comfort levels should come before that of those around you. Important questions to ask yourself include am I at ease feeding here? as well as is my child at ease feeding here? Remember, the more you do it, the more comfortable and confident you’ll become.
Comfort can also be influenced by what you’re wearing, nursing bras are a given, as well as loose fitting clothing, such as tops and blouses. That’s not all, having the right things that your baby needs will help you both, too. Take a muslin cloth for example, it can help you to feel more discreet if that’s your preference, but it also helps with keeping yourself and your baby dry.
3) The sooner you start the better
Whilst breastfeeding your child in public is completely natural, that doesn’t mean you can’t or won’t be nervous, especially when first starting out. A great way to move past these feelings is to get out and about as soon as you feel ready.
The sooner you start, the sooner you’ll be able to get into a rhythm that suits both yours and your baby’s needs, making you less likely to worry about what other people might be thinking. Concentrate on what you’re doing and what your baby is doing and try to stay within that zone, and the rest will fall into place the more you do it.
Lounge provide space for mums to breastfeed
Mel Marsden, Lounge co-founder says that while they would absolutely love for every breastfeeding mum to feel confident and empowered enough to feed publicly, they understand that it’s not always an easy step to take. That’s why they provide breastfeeding shoppers with a space that both they and their baby can feel comfortable in within all Lounge stores (Manchester, Bristol, Cardiff, and Leeds).
