Deciding to breastfeed your child is a wonderful gift. After all, you’re providing your baby with the nourishment he needs right from birth. And unlike formulas, breast milk is specifically designed to provide the nutrients your baby needs. It’s a custom formula, if you will.
Even so, some new mothers might feel self-conscious about the prospect of breastfeeding in public. But what can you do? If you’re out and about and baby needs to eat, it’s either throw modesty aside or use a breastfeeding cover up.
What Are Breastfeeding Covers?
Breastfeeding covers are essentially fabric aprons that cover your breasts as you nurse. These covers give you some privacy, even when out in public, but don’t make it so you have to leave social situations. You can continue to be a part of the group and carry on a conversation and breastfeed at the same time without feeling awkward. The cover drapes over your neck like an apron and hangs down the front of your body. It usually has a flared shape to offer privacy even from the sides and is large enough to cover your breasts and your baby.
Buying Covers
You’ll likely want to examine several different kinds of covers before you choose one. It should be comfortable to wear and not interfere with the nursing process. It should also be easy to remove, as you don’t want to disturb baby if he’s fallen asleep while nursing.
Once these qualities are accounted for, you can start looking at aesthetics. Choose any color or pattern that suits your personal tastes. There are tons of fun prints and designs out there for baby nursing covers. You don’t have to go frumpy. Have fun with it!
If you are just starting to breastfeed, covers might not be the best thing for you. At least not right away. For the most part, you’ll be at home anyway, so you won’t need to worry about privacy as much. In any case, when you’re learning how to nurse, you need to be able to see the breast fully, and to guide baby to the nipple to ensure he latches on correctly. A failure to learn these things from the outset could cause you pain, prevent baby from getting proper nutrition, and could lead to cracked nipples.
Once you’re an old pro at breastfeeding, then whip out the covers. Just toss one in your bag before you head out the door and pull it out whenever baby gets hungry. It should become fairly simple to use after a while and will make you feel like you can be more actively involved in your community and in the world at large when you don’t have to excuse yourself every couple of hours to feed baby for extended periods of time.
With a nursing cover, you can be a breastfeeding mom and stay engaged with your family and friends. And with a variety of design options to choose from, there’s no reason not to express your individuality as well.