Breastfeeding makes traveling much simpler (for more on why, click here), but it can take some time to build your confidence before you are ready to breastfeed in public and outside the comfort of your own home. (Good news is you quickly find out that no one bats an eye!)
You learn a lot as a first time mom, and get tons of “advice” along the way. One topic people (especially moms for some reason) love to give their two cents on is breastfeeding. It seems that everyone has an opinion on it, and want to share with you whether you want to or not!
Breastfeeding at dinner in Rome.
My tips to getting comfortable with breastfeeding in public:
Rip off the bandaid and go do it! The first time breastfeeding in public can feel a little (or a lot!) uncomfortable and awkward. The best thing you can do is to go out and make some test runs before the first real time you will need to do so in public. Go on your own with your baby and practice in a park, at the mall, in a coffee shop, or simulate any environment that just thinking of breastfeeding there gives you anxiety. We all know the more relaxed (and practiced!) you are, the more relaxed your baby will be, and the easier it will be to breastfeed! Don’t make it any harder for the two of you than it already is!
Try different covers to see what makes you feel comfortable! Another good thing to do is practice with different types of covers (or not with one) so you can see what works best for you guys. You could also use a blanket, the double shirt method (I could never master this, but have friends who did), or the free-boobin method (I was never able to figure out this one without completely exposing myself). Finding what works for you and practicing it makes life easier, no matter if you are traveling or chilling at the park.
Practice different positions to find what’s easiest for both of you! There are a couple different holds or positions for breastfeeding and you may prefer one over another when you are home vs. out and about. Practice them all on the go and find what works.
Get out of your own head! I think it’s easy for us to get wrapped up in our own minds wondering all of these “what-if” scenarios of society not accepting breastfeeding. Most of the time people are too wrapped up in their own lives that they don’t even notice or care what you may or may not be doing. I breastfed Claire for over a year in all types of cities and environments and never once had someone throw me any shade… but again I wasn’t expecting anyone to, either. It’s kind of like taking care of a crying baby on a plane (or a screaming toddler in the middle of the aisles of Target), get in your zone and block everyone else out so you can do what you need to do in the situation calmly- and in this instance, it’s feeding your baby!
Do I look like a hot mess breastfeeding at our dinner in Venice? It’s because I totally was. It was a million degrees with no air flow in the restaurant and Claire just was NOT comfortable. Probably not our most relaxing dining experience, but we made it!
Don’t let the initial barrier of breastfeeding in public sway you away from deciding if breastfeeding is right for you!
Want to read more on Breastfeeding?
Why I think you should consider breastfeeding if you already know you want to travel with your baby (amongst other reasons), check that out here.
If you are looking for support and encouragement, check out, Help!! Breastfeeding help and encouragement for when you don’t think you can keep going.