I'm breastfeeding my daughter and I'm wondering whether or not I should get a nursing cover for when we go outside. I've been practicing trying to be as discreet as possible with a sling, is that enough? I never see any breastfeeding going on in public here in HK... where do all the mothers and babies go to breastfeed?
Nursing cover
- Thread starter catan
- Start date
2010-NewDad
Registered User
There are breastfeeding rooms/nappy changing stations some of the big shopping malls like IFC and Elements. I think the choice of a cover is a personal one - it draws attention to the fact you are breastfeeding, but does cover everything up. We tried a few options and my wife eventually chose one that doesn't cover the baby's head/face - it has a kind of rigid hoop at the top to hold the fabric away.
Having said that, more than half the time she breastfeeds without it - using a baby carrier and some nursing tops that allow you to expose your nipple without uncovering the whole breast. The baby's face covers it all up... yesterday she started breastfeeding on the bench in the MTR station... then stood up and got on the next train and continued to BF all the way home. With a bit of practice and the right clothes she has had no issues at all BF'ing while out and about in Hong Kong.
Hope this helps!
Having said that, more than half the time she breastfeeds without it - using a baby carrier and some nursing tops that allow you to expose your nipple without uncovering the whole breast. The baby's face covers it all up... yesterday she started breastfeeding on the bench in the MTR station... then stood up and got on the next train and continued to BF all the way home. With a bit of practice and the right clothes she has had no issues at all BF'ing while out and about in Hong Kong.
Hope this helps!
2010-NewDad
Registered User
Yep, I just Googled it and it is similar to those. As i said, she doesn't always use it but it folds up small in the bag and she has got it out sometimes.
http://shop.bebeaulait.com/Shop_3/originals/parfait
http://shop.bebeaulait.com/Shop_3/originals/parfait
i agree with 2010newdad - it's a very personal choice. with both my girls, i used the cover until both bub & i were good at & confident with feeding (i.e. latching quickly, no slipping off etc). now i rarely use it - only if i'm wearing a top that doesn't lend itself well to feeding discreetly. i also found that more often than not, it got in the way, but mine doesn't have very strong wire at the top, so it flopped a little. the bebe au laits look a little sturdier than the one i've got.
the only comment i've ever had from anyone while feeding was positive - from a local man! he was happy to see someone breastfeeding & told me about how his wife breastfed for x amount of months.
the only comment i've ever had from anyone while feeding was positive - from a local man! he was happy to see someone breastfeeding & told me about how his wife breastfed for x amount of months.
They are ok when baby is small, but eventually baby won't like it and will want to look around. Also it can get hot. I find it challenging for myself to do it public as I'm a bit bigger so need one hand to support the breast and then the other to hold baby. You can often find a little corner in Starbucks too to do it discreetly. But yeah, the big shopping places have nursing rooms now-Times Square, IFC, Elements, Ocean Terminal, Pacific Place. Mothercare also has a room in Princes Building.
Thanks for replying 2010-NewDad! It's nice to hear about your wife breastfeeding at the MTR station. That is the kind of scenario I'm thinking about. The nursing cover seems more suitable for when sitting down to nurse, but I don't think it'd be necessary if I were nursing baby in a breastfeeding room. I might look into nursing tops..
I did not know about nursing rooms, or at least never noticed the signs for them!
Are you able to see and adjust baby and breast easily with a nursing cover?
Are you able to see and adjust baby and breast easily with a nursing cover?
This looks more comfortable than the nursing covers I've seen for sale at LLL... does it get hot in the summer?
nicolejoy
Registered User
I used the bebe au lait and thought it was fantastic. Personally, I preferred using a cover, even as my daughter got older. I found that yes she started to not like it around 6 or so months old - but by that stage, I was able to time her feeds much better so I didn't need to feed her out of the house as much. I was able to give her solids to tide her over until we got home. Personally, I found going into the baby rooms annoying. So many times they are full and you have to wait - just because someone wants to take 30-45 minutes to feed their baby a bottle in there!?!?! I know heaps of people just feed without a cover - and I would if I HAD to, but personally I just feel more comfortable with a cover on. 
The bebe au lait was great.
The bebe au lait was great.I did the nursing top & baby sling for a while, then to nursing top & strategically placed scarf when my baby was too big to lay flat in the sling. I like the scarves with button sold at giordano because you can button it up into a poncho which hold nicely in place. I've read somewhere a woman puts a lightweight skirt from Thailand over her head as a cover. It's thin & lets air through. it's easy to pack, won't fall off, and usually really colorful.
I was just given a nursing cover as a gift by a very thoughtful local lady, however I am unlikely to use it as it looks like a gigantic bib/apron to me and I know it would draw even more stares than I already get! I am onto bub #2 now so am confident with BF, however I could see it being useful if I was not confident or found it difficult to latch.
I also have some stretch nursing tops from H&M but I don't find them to be particularly discreet. I have found the best combination for me has been a stretchy spaghetti-strap tank top underneath a loose blouse/shirt. I pull the top of the tank top & bra down first, then lift the bottom of the shirt and quickly latch baby, using the excess fabric of the shirt to cover the exposed breast. Often my husband doesn't even notice that baby is feeding. It looks as though I'm just cradling baby to the casual observer.
I know many malls have nursing rooms but I don't use them because they usually require a trek to find them and often when you get there, you are greeted by a line of mothers armed with baby bottles. Why you need a feeding room to bottle feed is beyond me! Anyway, when a baby wants to be fed you don't get 15-30 mins to wait for a feeding room to free up so it's a good idea to figure out ahead of time anywhere that you can sit down.
I also have some stretch nursing tops from H&M but I don't find them to be particularly discreet. I have found the best combination for me has been a stretchy spaghetti-strap tank top underneath a loose blouse/shirt. I pull the top of the tank top & bra down first, then lift the bottom of the shirt and quickly latch baby, using the excess fabric of the shirt to cover the exposed breast. Often my husband doesn't even notice that baby is feeding. It looks as though I'm just cradling baby to the casual observer.
I know many malls have nursing rooms but I don't use them because they usually require a trek to find them and often when you get there, you are greeted by a line of mothers armed with baby bottles. Why you need a feeding room to bottle feed is beyond me! Anyway, when a baby wants to be fed you don't get 15-30 mins to wait for a feeding room to free up so it's a good idea to figure out ahead of time anywhere that you can sit down.
erina320
Registered User
Catan- it's a little hot when outside, but the good thing is you're not under it for long. I had the bib style cover and couldn't stand it as it kept falling off. I love the L'ovedbaby cover and would even consider wearing it after we're done nursing. ;-)
I generally use a Bebe Au Lait cover when I'm out. It is a horrible color (looks like a big ole' circus tent) but it's the only one that Bumps to Babes carried when I went and bought mine so I just bought it anyway. My daughter, at barely 4 months is very distracted by it--she tries to play with it and knock it off. I think it's annoying and it can be stifling hot if you have to use it outside. But, I'm not confident enough to risk exposing my entire breast in public. Like another poster, I often have to support one breast with my hand so it doesn't work too well to be juggling all of that without a cover over me. My daughter is always trying to look around and get a view of everything when we're out--she doesn't focus very well for outside feeds unless she's completely famished. So, she often pulls away from the breast and being a "endowed" girl, I just think I'm not really ready to share that view with the whole world. I never am at any of those fancy shopping malls so I don't get the luxury of using breastfeeding rooms. I've breastfed on a crowded MTR train, on the bus coming down from the Peak in the middle of the night (that was frightening) and so many Cha Tsan Ting's I've lost count. My husband is especially uncomfortable with me trying to breastfeed without a cover. I only breastfeed without the cover when I'm among close friends in a semi-private place or at home. It's hard to find clothing my size here in HK so I haven't even tried to buy nursing-specific clothing.
Right now I wear a tank that I can pull down and a loose shirt over it, but it seems to expose too much skin still according to my sisters. Personally it doesn't bother me because when baby is nursing there isn't anything to see. I like to be able to see baby when nursing, and when I tried covering up with a shawl, I kept moving it to check on her. So if I did get a cover it would be for the comfort of others rather than myself. Also, I think when I'm out I'll mostly be in restaurants or on a bus/mtr or on the street, and a cover wouldn't quite work for those situations?
i'm using a bebebela nursing cover that i got from citysuper, seems similar to the baby au lait one that some mentioned above, with a loop where you can hoop around the neck, a band at the top of the cover where you can peek at baby and so it won't stick to his face. very light weight and i've got a black & white pattern that goes well with any clothing and just look like a flowery top!
definitely a good to have especially for long haul flight! we've travelled with baby at 5 months, 6 months & 8 months, where i can use it to nurse him to sleep!
definitely a good to have especially for long haul flight! we've travelled with baby at 5 months, 6 months & 8 months, where i can use it to nurse him to sleep!