Breastfeeding in public

Advice on making breastfeeding in public more comfortable with information on feeding rights and facilities.

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Not everyone has the confidence to breastfeed in public, but once you and your baby have got used to breastfeeding it is fairly easy to feed discreetly so that no one need know what you are doing.

In the early days you might find you need to use pillows to position your baby while he or she is feeding to be reassured that they are positioned correctly. Both of these things would make feeding without being noticed impossible.

Within a few weeks you will probably find that if you hold your baby comfortably in more or less the right place they will do the rest for themselves. By this time you will know by feel if your baby is fixed at the breast correctly.

If possible choose a feeding bra that you can open and close with one hand and wear a loose fitting top that you can lift up. If you do not feel happy to breast feed your baby in a public place do not worry. Many public buildings now provide breastfeeding facilities. Do not be embarrassed to ask. Once you know where they are you can plan where to feed your baby before you go out.

Another option is to give a bottle of expressed milk, or formula, in place of a breastfeed. Whenever possible it is best to give your baby just breast milk during the first six months. Expressed milk, or formula, would need to be kept chilled and then warmed before it is given. Most cafes and restaurants are happy to provide the facilities for you to do this while you are out.