Infant feeding... on the go!

One of the benefits of breastfeeding is that it is portable and easy to do when you're away from home. If you're having a second, third, fourth, etc., baby, you may be away from home a lot. Not everyone is comfortable breastfeeding away from their safe space of their home, though, and that's OK. If bottle feeding while away from home is best for you, that is fine. Remember that to keep your body comfortable and your milk supply where you want it to be, you may need to do some pumping while you're away from home. That is much easier than it used to be with wearable pumps, but it may still feel clunky or vulnerable.

If you want to get more comfortable breastfeeding away from home, this info is for you!

Tip #1

Leave the Boppy behind! Concentrate on getting you and your baby comfortable in breastfeeding positions that do not need a Boppy or My Breast Friend. You don't have to forgo the pillow all the time, but knowing how to get comfortable without it can be huge for your comfort level out of the house. It's also OK for different feeding positions to work for various locations.

A person snuggling with an emotional support pillow on a bed

Tip #2

Watch yourself breastfeeding in a mirror. If you look down while you're feeding your baby, you see a lot of skin. Someone looking at you while feeding your baby will not see that much skin. So, please take a couple of feeding sessions in front of a mirror and see what other people will see when they look at you. I doubt that you will feel as awkward about feeding in public once you do that.

A person looking at themself in the mirror while holding a sweater up in front of their body

Tip #3

Chest or breast accessibility. Plan your outfits around whether you can get access to your nipple without completely disrobing or showing more skin than you're comfortable with. I always wore nursing tank tops under my shirt so that my shirt could come up, and my tank would still cover my belly. Many companies also make clothing specifically for breastfeeding, but they tend to be pricey. Button-up shirts work well for breastfeeding, but dresses are often much harder.

Me, circa 2010, wearing a V-neck dress and breastfeeding my 5-month-old baby.

Tip #4

Babywearing!! If you've ever seen me for a consultation, you'll know that I often joke that my second kid would not have survived if I hadn't worn him all the time. While that is a joke, it's mostly true. Remember, this was in the olden days before the Doona stroller/car seat was a thing. Breastfeeding in a baby carrier has a learning curve, but it is helpful if you can get good at it! YouTube has some great tutorials on breastfeeding in different types of carriers. Here is one that I think is a particularly good one for a soft-structured carrier

I hope these tips will help you feel more comfortable breastfeeding away from home! If you have other suggestions, please share them in the comments!