For so many moms breastfeeding is new territory. It’s not something we’re exposed to before it’s our turn. We spend so much time preparing for the birth of our baby and the life of our child and we just expect that we’ll breastfeed, since that’s natural and will just happen, right? For some women it is a totally easy, comfortable place to be. Have a baby, put baby to the breast, and life goes on. For some there are major challenges they face, and an International Board Certified Lactation Consutlant (IBCLC) can help with that. For others there are minor challenges that we have to figure out how to navigate.
Right now we see all sorts of backlash against moms who nursing in public (often referred to as NIP). Let’s be real, mom can not spend months inside the house just to make sure she doesn’t inadvertently offend some stranger, right? A baby has to eat, and a mom has to feed the baby. Many moms turn to nursing covers to help them feel more comfortable.
It’s no secret if you know me, I’m not a fan of traditional nursing covers, and I do not think moms need to cover to feed their baby, however, I do think moms need to be comfortable to feed their babies. I’ve heard it said time and time again, ‘I don’t care of someone sneaks a peek of a little breast while I’m feeding my baby, but my STOMACH, ugh.’ And I am nodding my head in agreement. My post baby belly is not something I am comfortable with or want to be showing to strangers.
In comes the Undercover Mama. WHY have I not talked about these before? One of my FAVORITE things. It hooks right on to your nursing bra, so when you unhook the cup and fold it down, the Undercover Mama comes too. Genius. They’re also longer than a standard t-shirt so they can help you get back into the pre-baby wardrobe sooner.
I own the Undercover Mama in three colors. Yes three. Basic black & white, well, because they’re functional and go with everything. And the hot pink because it’s fun!
Thanks to Undercover Mama you can own a black or white Undercover Mama for free! To enter, leave a comment with your top nursing in public tip. Winner must live in the US or Canada.
Don’t want to wait or want a different color? Our Undercover Mama’s are 10% off, this week only! If we’re out of your size, and you want to order one, let me know!
Make sure to keep up to date with all of the Undercover Mama news with their Facebook Page and Twitter Account. I’ll choose a winner on 8/05/12.
A big thanks to Undercover Mama for sending me an Undercover Mama to review and supplying the prize for our winner.
One of the challenges I have faced when NIP is to find a place to sit. Recently I was out shopping at Target with my baby girl. I was strolling along, enjoying my self when I realized it was time to feed my sweet girl. We were in the back of the store and she was not happy. So I quickly looked for a random chair or bench to sit on. Not one anywhere. I kept moving and saw the dressing room. Bingo! When I asked the employee at the counter if I could nurse my baby in an open dressing room, she kindly responded “Of course!” ” Use any open one.” I was able to sit comfortably and nurse my baby girl, then finish my shopping! Thank you Target! I now remember this when I’m out in clothing or department stores:)
Oh man, this is SUCH a problem-solver! I often struggled with what to wear… The bras are the most supportive, but lack belly coverage, nursing tanks lack padding and it’s cumbersome to wear them over bras (unhooking 2 things), belly bands would ride up, the padded polyester tanks didn’t wash well and were HOT to wear in summer. This is genius! I will definitely remember for the next baby! Best tip I guess is to definitely forego the traditional nursing covers! Babies hate ‘em, and you can’t easily see what’s going on. I loosely covered with Aden + Anais muslin wraps when out and about… Easy and lightweight!
I LOVE me some Undercover Mamas! I discovered them when my first-born was about 6 or 9 months. I have several and wear them frequently. Daily actually when my current nursling was a bit younger. Now that he’s 18 months old we don’t do a whole lot of NIP (he’s much too busy) but I still wear the tanks just in case, especially if we’re going to be on extended outings. My best NIP advice is two-fold: 1) nurse in front of a mirror at home to assure yourself that there really is NOTHING showing. I mean seriously, I would worry because with my view from above, I can see some of my flesh and my baby’s latch, but when looking in a mirror (the view onlookers have) I realized that there was nothing to see and nothing showing (not even back or belly when wearing the Undercover Mama). So I completely ditched the idea of covering up. It was more trouble than it was worth and seemed unnecessary after seeing that there was really nothing to cover up anyway. 2) If you’re nervous about NIP, go out with a friend who is also nursing. There is a sense of security in numbers and there is a true confidence present when sitting beside someone who is doing the same thing you’re doing and who you know is not judging you because of it. Try it , it works! Promise! And what a testimony to other people around to see two or more moms nursing at the same time in the same place. Awesome!
Plan ahead. Know where you are going to be when you anticipate nursing. And take a deep breath – don’t stress out. Not good for you or baby.
I was so used to wearing sleep bras around the house, I used to fumble with my bra straps when I was trying to feed the baby out of the house. Practicing at home was helpful to finding the best bra to wear out and being able to feed the baby quickly before she got upset about waiting. Minimizing little frustrations like that made a big difference!
I usually just wear an Old Navy tank top, one size up, under my regular shirt. I love this idea though!
If you plan ahead you can sort of prepare your mind and also your wardrobe so YOU are comfortable. Makes it less stressful for you!