Mums who are shy or feel uneasy about breastfeeding in public are often presented with one solution: use a breastfeeding cover. Coming in various styles from bibs and wraps to large triangular swaths of cloth, nursing covers aren’t as ideal as their marketing teams present them.
Nursing Covers Are Hot
By “hot,” we don’t mean attractive. Try using one of those things on even a warm early spring day, and both you and baby will find yourselves drenched in sweat within mere minutes.
Nursing Covers Aren’t Easy to Use
Contrary to what some may make you believe, nursing covers aren’t always so simple. They can easily become twisted or pulled loose by yourself or the wandering hands of your little one.
Nursing Covers Make Feeding Difficult
Unless experienced, trying to get baby to latch while wearing a cover can be a challenging task. Mama bear has to be able to see what she’s doing to feed her little one, and nursing covers make this impossible.
Good News: There Are Alternatives to Breastfeeding Covers
If you’re a mum whose nursing cover works well for you, kudos to you. But we know for a fact that many mums are struggling with these covers, which is why we’re going to offer a few alternatives so that you and baby can enjoy nursing where ever you may find yourself.
- Use Your Baby’s Carrier
If you have a carrier or a sling for your infant, there’s a good chance it can double up as a “discreet” breastfeeding device. Feeding a newborn may be difficult, but at around one-month-old, your baby is probably able to be fed privately by you simply readjusting the fabric to nurse, and you won’t need to cover your baby’s head.
- Layer Your Tops
Another option is to layer your clothing, such as having a tank top with an easy to pull down neck beneath your long sleeve shirt or sweater. This way, your stomach and back remain concealed while the top layer of clothing hides the upper part of your chest.
- Wear a Cardigan or a Jacket
A cardigan, jacket, or coat will go a long way in allowing you to feed in public without the fear of stares from strangers. Simply pull it around tightly in front of your body, and it will hide your little nursing one during feeds.
- Choose an Easy Access Nursing Undergarments
Nursing or breastfeeding bras make life a lot easier for the breastfeeding mama and her babe. Our Bamboo Nursing Bras, for example, can be unlatched with one hand with the cup easily folding down, so your baby has fast access to your breast. If you’re wearing a dress for fun or to a holiday event, our breastfeeding slips (coming in black and natural) are the perfect way to feed discreetly when at a family or office event.
- Invest in Breastfeeding Clothes
Peachymama specializes in designing, crafting, and providing breastfeeding mamas with on-trend nursing attire that is as beautiful as it is easy to feed the little ones. Each of our pieces features a stretchy under layer which allows mums to feed their babies in private without exposing their stomach or their bust.
We’re always adding new selections to our Peachymama breastfeeding clothing collection, so be sure to check back often. Our Summer 2019 Collection is now on full display and features some of our favorite pieces, including our Breastfeeding Tank Dresses and our Bamboo Breastfeeding Boxy Tees.
Further Reading:
https://internationalbreastfeedingjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13006-019-0216-y
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4298082/