Hello, everyone and welcome back. In this video, Lucas and I would like to share with you our best tips for breastfeeding in public. Breastfeeding when public can be a very hot topic, with the media frequently reporting mainly stories and which breastfeeding mothers have been discriminated against. With all this news presented to us, it can be quite daunting for a new mother to make the leap to feed her baby in public. You can imagine that as a mom of four breastfed babies, I have ended up breastfeeding in all sorts of places. Unfortunately, I have very rarely been the subject of negative stairs or remarks.

Whether you choose to cover up or not when breastfeeding in public is entirely your decision. The main thing is that you and your baby feel comfortable. It is therefore helpful to know your rights. It is completely legal for you to breastfeed your child in any public place. And it doesn't matter How old's your child is, it is illegal for any member of the public or business owner to discriminate against you or to ask you to leave their premises if you're breastfeeding. In the Republic of Ireland, the precise law which protects breastfeeding mothers from discrimination and harassment is the 2000 equal status act.

Protection is provided on the agenda and family grounds and the intoxication liquor act 2003. I feel reassured by knowing that the law protects me So if anyone did ever approach me, I can say that I have the law on my side. Please never feed your baby in the toilets. It's not hygienic. No one would expect anyone else to have their lunch in the toilet. So you shouldn't have to do it with your baby either.

Now, let's talk about clothing. First of all, there is nothing to be ashamed of. Unfortunately, society has managed to sexualize breasts, but they are really intended for feeding our babies. This is how our species has survived. So it's completely up to you how much you show when you're breastfeeding in public. If you feel nervous, you can dress in a way which gives you a baby easy access to the breast was also providing you with the coverage you want.

Eating out and about and in public, you might want to treat yourself to special nursing tops. And it's nice to, especially when you're postpartum to treat yourself to some new clothes. But if you don't want to pull out an awful lot of money, you can just also wear a normal top and this is what I usually do. So I just wear my normal and underneath and then when I'm out in public, I just put up my top and then I clicked the best down under my breath. And I just I feed him like that. And if I want you to have a little bit of cover up There's really not very much that you can see when you're feeding like that.

Because you're wearing your normal top, which gives you good coverage up here. I've tried different options feeding out and about and this is what I usually do now, I've tried in the past also a nursing cover I invested in a nursing cover, but I was less confident and just wanted a little bit more privacy. So this is what a nursing cover. So that's especially nursing covered, this is how a nursing cover would look like. Up here at the top, you have a you have a hard plastic band, and then you have a buckle here. So what you do is it isn't Literally, it looks almost like an apron.

And you can put the band around your neck like that. And you can adjust the length and with the buckle here and what you would do is you would just you would just show the nursing cover over you on to your baby. And then this hard plastic band allows you to still look at your baby, be able to look at your baby and communicate with him. And also, if you needs to reattach him if he comes off and you have, you know, no one can see what you're doing. And he can still breathe so the air is going in through here a sweat This can also be helpful if your baby becomes very easily distracted and you want them to nurse properly. Also, if they are tired and you know lots of noises going on around you lots of people around you or you're in a cafe, then this might be helpful as well because it just dims the light a little bit for him as well.

And it might help him go to sleep, and also taking a proper feed and detach less and be less distracted from. The disadvantage of this I find is once they get a little bit older, they're around let's say, four or five months older, they usually don't like anything covering their head or even being covered completely and they just move their arms and try to move The nursing cover would just throw it off and cake so then you wouldn't really get a good feed out of him either. So alternatively to the nursing cover, what you can do is you can just take a sick town even before you start off, you just kind of lump it under your bra strap here. So it's a cure, calm move. And then again, you can use this as a cover up. So you just bring it over your baby or you prefer not to fix it, you can just throw it over your shoulder and and do it that way.

And every now and then peak on there and check what's going on to do it more often and you become more confident. You might just want to only feed him like that. Again, as you've seen at the beginning, you don't really see very much scan at all. And most people don't even notice that you're feeding your baby, because it looks like you're just sitting there holding cradling your baby. Most people go out their own business and they wouldn't even know your baby's actually nursing. It is also possible to nurse your baby in a sling or baby carrier, which will hardly give away that you're breastfeeding at all.

For cooler days, it can also be handy to wear a big warm scarf. This allows you to feed outdoors for example in the park and shoot your baby for wind and wave and you won't have to give up wearing dresses and leggings for the entire breastfeeding time either. As you can see, I'm just wearing leggings and along slow it off and I'm just pulling up the top and my best underneath Hey next piece yourself in slowly. In the early days when breastfeeding is still a new on your first venture out with your baby, it can help having your partner or another supportive person or friend. I you're breastfeeding buddy with you. I certainly always felt less vulnerable having my husband with us.

Going to a breastfeeding support group or a mother and baby group is ideal to get you used to breastfeeding around others and increase your confidence. It is good to start out somewhere where you won't feel out of place. Other mothers can also give you recommendations on where their breastfeeding friends places in your area. If you can try to plan ahead. I know this can be a little bit challenging especially in the early days. When it seems like it takes forever to leave the house.

You are most likely feeding on demand and following your baby's hunger cues. But I like to offer Lucas a dream feed right before I go out. A dream feed is a feed that you offer whilst your baby's dozing are not fully awake yet. You can stimulate their nose and properly with your nipple and invite them to take in the nipper and take the breast for feed. So yes, I prefer to feed Lucas just before I go out, even if it's just like a little snack feed. Then I can go straight to running my errands, doing the groceries or the school runs, and then scheduling a coffee break.

I sit in a cafe or in my car Have a coffee, and a snack was Lucas's feeding so I can refuel as well. feeding your baby right before you go out can also be helpful before longer car journeys so that you won't have to stop for feeding break immediately after leaving. Always make sure your baby has been winded though. And why is breastfeeding is very convenient and accessible on the goal. Always sterile and at the right temperature. It is advisable to carry handhelds with you so that you can clean your hands when you don't have access to running water such as in the park.

Finally, if it does happen, how, how should you deal with stairs? This is quite a difficult one and easier said than done. But you should be proud of what you're doing. You're doing an amazing job. stares ever bother me, I usually just look at my baby, which relaxes me and reminds me what I'm doing it for. Looking at your phone or a magazine, when you are on your own might also make you feel less exposed.

The odd time I have stared back, which usually makes them turn away. However, this could be more provocative and cause more harm than good. So it's better to just flush them a friendly smile off. Yes, look, I'm feeding my baby. And most people understand that this is exactly what you want to get on with. One time, I was on the plane with my first son, and the plane was full of business people, mainly men, but I managed to feed my son right next to a gentleman in a strong suit.

Everyone understood that it was probably better for me to feed my baby than have a screaming baby on the flight. So yes, breastfeeding in public can be a challenge and quite nerve wracking in the early days. But once you get used to it, it gives you great freedom to go anywhere with your baby until and you don't need to worry about bringing feeding equipment and all the paraphernalia you have a You are everything your baby needs. By viewing the material of this online course, you're agreeing to accept all parts of the terms and conditions and medical disclaimer. In brief. This online course is not intended to be a substitute for the professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment provided by your own medical provider.

The information provided is for educational and informational purposes only, and not to be regarded as individual medical advice. The information has not been evaluated by any governing or professional body. Please refer to the full terms and conditions for more details.