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TIPS ON NURSING IN PUBLIC
(more mothers'
tips on breastfeeding in public on this page)
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Breastfeeding modestly
does not mean that you should nurse your child hidden away in
only your home or in smelly restrooms!
Here are some tips on how
you can nurse discreetly in public places:
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1.
Don’t be shy or ashamed. You are giving the best to your baby
– doing the most natural thing, whether in a public place or not
- breastfeeding. With the right way, you only expose your breast for
a few seconds. Discreet breastfeeding becomes easier with practice –
practice makes perfect. So, practice at home until you are comfortable
and have the confidence to nurse in public places.
2. Do nurse before you leave home or while you are still in the car.
Or you can nurse when you are having your meal so that you can get more
done during your outing or shopping trip.
3. Try to feed your child before he/she gets too hungry. A crying child
tends to draw more attention. Take this opportunity to relax and have
a drink to replenish your energy to make more milk.
4. Find a comfortable place to sit. If in a crowded place, find a private
corner. If given a choice, I would feed in a quiet corner where my child
would not be distracted by his/her surrounding. This results in a quicker
feed.
5. Lift your blouse (if buttons, unbuttons from the bottom up) and latch
your child on. Look up from your child when he/she has started to nurse.
Have your meal or chat with your companion or watch passers-by. Don’t
feel awkward, as this would draw more attention. A lot of people might
not even notice that you are breastfeeding.
6. Do wear a nursing bra that can be easily and quickly unfastened with
one hand while you hold your baby with the other.
7. Wearing the right clothing helps. Generally, a 2-piece outfit or
larger clothing pulled up from bottom for easy access. There are also
nursing wears with slits over the breasts to provide easy and discrete
access.
8. Discreet nursing can also be achieved by nursing your child in a
sling. Using one will also allow you to feed your child while doing
your other errands at the same time.
9. If anyone stares at you, just look back at them and they would usually
turn away!
10. You might not feel very comfortable the first few times but be assured
that discreet nursing becomes easier with practice. Learning to feed
your baby in public places enables you to meet his/her needs instantly.
It might help you feel more comfortable nursing publicly if you participate
in a nursing mothers’ outing.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends
that babies be exclusively breastfed for the first 6 months of their
lives, and continuing up to 2 years of age or beyond with complementary
food.
Please see at http://www.who.int/child-adolescent-health/NUTRITION/infant_exclusive.htm
This article is courtesy of Anna,
a breastfeeding mother and also a breastfeeding counsellor from Singapore.
(more mothers' tips on breastfeeding
in public on this page)
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