Isn’t it funny how the word “Boobs” can capture attention like very few other words can? I dare ya to try to work it into everyday conversation. I promise people will start listening a little closer to what you have to say. Conservatives – it is not a sin to call someone a boob. Liberals – this dare isn’t about revealing anything. Mom – please keep your shirt on…literally & figuratively 🙂
Anyhoo(ters)…heehee…I have had a nursing drape on my wish list for quite some time. Yes, I am going to attempt to breastfeed Will. Attempt. And yes, I have heard the stories about bleeding nips and cracked areolas. And I just lost pretty much every male reader 🙂
The drape I have on the wish list is a nautical-inspired one.
It’s from Hooter Hiders which is part of a company called Bebe au Lait. Both Bebe au Lait & Hooter Hiders make nursing covers which feature 100% cotton, a terrycloth pocket, and machine washable fabrics. Many of the Hooter Hiders have a ruffle design around the neck line and the bottom or a pocket that has a ruffle (for those ladies who still want to feel a little less bovine and a little more feminine).
Also – they feature a huge variety of different fabrics so you can pick a pattern that suits your style. They run from $35 – $38.
But then today Kate (hi girl!) was sweet enough to send me an email telling me all about Peanut Shell & Udder Covers. Both are makers of nursing drapes…so of course, I had to check them out.
Peanut Shell makes some really nice drapes with features such as a pocket for your nursing pads and a quick release neck strap for those kids that like to eat & run. They are 100% cotton, machine washable, and cost about $36 a piece. Of course – they have fewer fabric choices but they offer slings and baby wraps in coordinating fabrics so you can be matchy-matchy if you find a fabric you love.
Lastly, we have Udder Covers. Udder Covers has nursing drapes for only $32…which is the lowest price of the bunch…but alas, no pockets on these…so if that little pouch is important to you, then you might need to spring for a slightly more pricy version…or wear pants with pockets.
They also have only six fabrics – but I feel like all six are decent designs. These two are my favorites:
Plus – right now they have a promotional going on. Udder Covers is offering nursing gift sets for only $5!
You get a drape, a breastfeeding bracelet, and some breast pads (Gift set are normally priced at $45+) for only FIVE SMACKERS…plus shipping and handling.
Just enter VALENTINE at checkout to see the price reduction. I think that the total cost with shipping comes out to be about $15…for those of you looking to get a great baby shower gift for cheap. This promotion ends on March 1st so if you want one, you better get on it. Oh and yes, you can purchase more than one…but you have to open a new order each time…
And if $15 is still a wee bit much for a breastfeeding drape, long ago, I found this site with instructions on how to make your own. Although, I wonder if the cost of the supplies would be about the same especially with pricey fabrics…and you obviously would need a sewing machine. You guys were so kind to remind me of it when we talked about crafting headache pillows…so thanks! Also, I am sure that there are TONS of companies out there that make fine drapes for the boobies. Do you know of any others? Put em right there in the comments. Or maybe you were an avid draper when you were breastfeeding? What were your favorites? Any favorite features? Any boys out there just wanna say they like boobs?
Also – not-a-one of these companies have given me a darn-tootin-thing to promote their products…I just happen to appreciate it when nursing moms cover up…and when readers like Kate send me news of great sales and promotions!
I don’t think I could bring myself to buy anything called “udder covers…”
Wow! Thanks for the heads up!
I just ordered one for myself (Porter pattern) and one for my sister-in-law (Maria pattern). The patterns are great! The total actually only ended up being $9.95 each – the Valentine promotion code brought the price down to $0, so I just paid shipping. AMAZING deal! Katie, I love that you’re always lookin’ out for the cheapskates like me 🙂 Thanks!
Well I’m not a mom yet, but I do have boobs, so I’ll chime in. I noticed this on your wish list a while back. I was recently talking to a friend who just had a baby and we got to talking about nursing. She said she is used to just whipping out her boob to feed the baby. I asked if she had heard or tried the drapes and apparently her baby doesn’t like to have his face covered up AT ALL. She tried and tried to use them but eventually she just had to throw modesty out the window. Here’s to hoping baby Will is as modest as his mommy. 🙂
If you sign up at babysteals.com, they also have great deals on the drapes and other items. I got two hooter hiders (for a couple of my pregnant girlfriends) last year for $40 including shipping, which was pretty much two-for-one. Although, that $15 deal is quite amazing!
I used a nursing cover and would highly recommend one. It made nursing so much easier when we were out and about!
I have a Bebe Au Lait and I love it. Eva does really well with being under the cover and the Bebe has a kind of… well plastic boning, I guess, that makes it so you can see the baby and they can see you.
I want to encourage you on the nursing thing, too. I had heard horror stories about all the same things, but in the 6 months I’ve been doing it, I have had NO problems with, um, the cracking and the bleeding.
I’m happy to hear that you are going to try breastfeeding. I’m not a mom but I work in prenatal health and know that this is one of the best things you can do for your baby. I recently sewed a nursing cover for my sister-in-law and it turned out great- I’m new to sewing and thought it was an easy project to make 🙂 Total cost was about $10.
PS I love your blog and hope these last few weeks before Will is born are restful!
I have the blue/pink/yellow crazy polka dot hooter hider and LOVE it. I’m not sure about how a “quick release” neck strap would function since my munchkin rips at the thing when she’s pissed off about something. Just what you need when people are already looking to see what all the fuss is about and then you give them a show on top of it.
Just a word of advice; if you’re serious about breastfeeding go to a breastfeeding class or meeting before Will is born. I really wish I had because my munchkin learned the wrong way to feed (chewing, pulling, etc…yeah, I went there) so now I’m faced with lots of pain and trying to correct problems. La Leche League has free meeting and you can get used to other women whippin’ em’ out so you won’t feel odd when you have to.
I’m using my HH for baby #2 and LOVE it! Plus…about the um, battle wounds that can come from loaning your boobs to your babe…been there…oh, have I EVER! And lansinoh is not worth a dime…you may as well be putting chaptick on em…PLUS, some women can have a reaction to it…do wool sweaters make you itch? If then stay far away…there is a point to my rant: I tried EVERYTHING and was ready to give up until a friend recommended Dr. Jack Newmans nipple ointment…it’s medicated (as in it numbs your nip as it heals!!!) and amazing!!! Your OB would have to get the compound faxed to his/her office and then sent to a pharmacy…possibly pricey depending on insurance but in the event, I so hope not!!!, you have problems this stuff will fix you right up!!! I wish I had known about it w/baby #1! And hope this is helpful!!
Hey Katie!
I’m pretty sure that if you’re really good with a sewing machine you get some fabric and make a nursing drape all by yourself! It doesn’t seem too complicated to make one, and that way you could customize it any way you wanted.
I just started an etsy shop making these and other baby related items. Just 1 cover listed so far, but more to come. Come visit!
http://www.etsy.com/shop/modernbabythreads
I agree with Valerie. Although I wasn’t successful with the breast feeding with my son, I know that I tried my hardest and had the proper instruction because I went to a class. I also had a lot of help from the lactation consultant at the hospital. You should have more chances of being successful with your “attempt” to nurse if you have proper instruction. And yes, husbands should go too. It’s important that they are there to “support” you and know the right way to help you. Good luck!
And these covers are the cutest thing and what a clever idea! I’m tempted to buy one for my next child or to save as a gift but I think I’d have more fun making one myself. Good lookin out though!
Udder Covers should send you something! I just ordered from them because of your blog and I’m not having a baby. I’m going to tuck it away for a shower gift…that I’ll use someday!
Hey Katie!
I’m not a mom, not pregnant and don’t plan to be anytime soon. BUT my BFF is a new mommy (with a rockin’ blog. Seriously, check her out: http://www.omyfamilyblog.com) and she loved her nursing covers. I think she had a peanut shell and a hooter hider. Eventually she stopped using them because it was just another thing to deal with, but she’s still super modest about feeding the munchkin.
Seriously, though, check out her blog. Cutest baby evah!
I am laughing over the made up hair and make up on the two models for the Udder items. If you have showered in two days and are wearing clean underwear and had a decent meal yourself, you are doing great. All your baby will want is you, and you will do great with it.
Every consider a ring sling? The main function is the hold your baby, but if you get a tail long enough, it acts as a cover. They are attractive and functional. Plus, you can use many of them to carry your baby into toddlerhood.
Ok, no babies for me for a bit…I just came to say, when I saw the title of this post in Reader, I giggled like a twelve year old boy! Haha
I covered up my son exactly once – at two weeks old – and he sweat! Newborns don’t sweat! So we went au natural for the next 18 months. Although we only nursed in public until he was about a year old.
If you’re doing it right there isn’t anything to see. And I have some enormous bazingas. I’ve asked my extended family several times if they had ever seen me feed my soon and they all responded that they hadn’t – even though I nursed in front of them all the time. Again, if you’re doing it right there isn’t anything to see – it just looks like you’re holding your child. To learn how to do it right I HIGHLY suggest taking a class before Will is born. Also, ask to see a lactation consultant while still in the hospital. It is the most natural thing in the world to breastfeed your child, but it isn’t anywhere near the easiest.
I’ve always loved the Amy Butler fabrics that this Esty store uses:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/lilacslollipops
I’ve never ordered from them, but their responses are very positive.
One of my friends makes these – she pickes out the cutest fabrics and even puts in that peek-a-boo feature so you can look at your little one while feeding. They work quite well!
Thanks Katie. I just bought my first nipple pad.
You can do it! I have breastfed for seven months exclusively and we are still going strong. We had some VERY difficult times, but it’s worth it! (It definitely didn’t seem like it at the time).
It took my a long time to be confident enough to nurse in public. But one day, I realized, that’s what BOOBS are made for. So why should I freak out about it? People need to get over it! (Sorry, not to sound abrasive. I don’t want to offend anyone!)
Good luck! = )
I don’t have kids yet but I love anything called “hooter hiders.” What a great idea, for all of these covers – I wish I had invented them and I would be a rich lady right now!
What, pray tell, is a breastfeedingbracelet though?
I don’t have kids yet but I love anything called “hooter hiders.” What a great idea, for all of these covers – I wish I had invented them and I would be a rich lady right now!
What, pray tell, is a breastfeeding bracelet though?
Ooooh nice! Good luck with BF in the future! I need to get myself some of these. Maybe if I have cool covers it will be even MORE motivation to succeed this time around 😉
These are super useful, especially in very public places. I am currently nursing baby #2 and nursed baby #1 for 2 years (although during year 2 it was fairly minimal and almost always at home). While I am really used to nursing in all sorts of places now, it was a little nerve-wracking when I first started, especially in the early days when both my son and I were figuring things out. I definitely encourage you to persevere even if you run into some bumps along the way. Almost all the moms I know have faced some obstacles, both big and small. But it has been so worth it, especially if you are staying home and have the time and space to bond with your baby in this way.
Lisa –
I don’t exactly know for sure…I think it is so that you can remember to switch boobies. Like you wanna have the baby start on one boob one feeding and then switch to the next after a bit of time. And then for the next feeding you start on the opposite side so that both boobs are draining. I THINK.
I could be totally wrong. Help anyone?
XO – KB
Ahh! Thanks for the tip on the udder covers. I just bought one! Woohoo!!
I just bought one for an upcoming shower – can’t beat $14.95 (and how lucky was Erin who got it for $10?!?). I forwarded this onto my mommy friends in case they want/need one. I truly appreciate when my friends use these around me since as much as I love them, I don’t need to see their boobs.
Love it! I just bought one for me and one for my fellow-pregger sister-in-law. Thanks for the great deal!!!
Katie – so glad you are going to give nursing a try! I found it very difficult with my first, but kept at it and ended up nursing for a year. My second was a breeze and I also nursed her for a year. Once you get over the difficulty of learning how to do it correctly (lactation consultants are wonderful – have them on speed dial!) then it is the best bonding experience ever. We are done having children and I am actually sad I will get to have that “nursing relationship” again.
If you have not purchased any nipple cream yet, try this one: http://www.amazon.com/Motherlove-1002-Nipple-Cream-oz/dp/B000E3C07O/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=hpc&qid=1265840503&sr=8-1
I bought it directly from my hospital and LOVED it! It is very soothing, prevented chapped nipples and is all natural so you do not have to wash it off before nursing. Best of luck to you!!!!!!
I got an Udder Cover in that purple print you pictured for free, just paid shipping and handling because of a coupon code from whattoexpect.com (I think). It’s cute, but I haven’t used it yet so I can’t comment on function (my baby is still in the oven).
After reading Erin’s comment I too ordered an UC for $9.95 with the VALENTINE promotion code. What a great deal! Thanks you two!
I can’t lie to you, I never ever used a fancy store bought cover when I nursed my guy. I just kept an extra blanket, a soft, thinner one, like the Dwell burp cloths from Target, and tossed that over his shoulder and my boobie. The huge ones like you show here seemed kind of silly to me. And trust me, I am very modest. I rarely wear even shorts or skirts, let alone let a boob hang out in public! It might save you some money to get some cute flannel blankets instead of this monster contraption. I believe in every baby product having multiple uses, too, and blankets fit the bill!
I’ve also heard you can enter the code “babykiss” at uddercovers.com and get it for free plus shipping, which I think is $9. Haven’t tried it though.
Hi Katie! Thanks for sharing – who knew we had so many choices? I do have a question for you. How did you decided what to register for? This process has me so overwhelmed that I don’t know where to start. Did you read reviews, go straight to the store, take reccommendations, etc?! Any thoughts would be appreciated!
Muchas gracias for posting this!
I just scored a fabulous purple “gift set” for a friend who’s due next month. Nothing better than finding an online sale instead of searching the aisles at Target for something she will probably get 5 of!
I have never commented here before, but I always check your blog, which I found through Young House Love. Anyhow, my close friend started a company called, Pink Lemonade, which sells baby accessories. They also sell nursing covers for $32 with a pocket. I think you have already found a deal, but I have got to help my friend out and spread the word about her company…http://www.pinklemonadeproducts.com/index.html
Thanks!
kate youre right about the bracelet, although I never needed one cause one boob always felt “fuller”. Although looking at your wrist is probably less obvious than feeling your boob…
I highly recommend LLL as well. I had great difficulty getting started, but thankfully a LLL leader took time out to come visit and help and it was priceless! I also know more than one friend who were unfortunatly taught wrong by the hospital lactation consultant (although I am sure there are many more who wouldnt at all!) so make easier to ask for help by going before you have the baby!!
Don’t you love all our advise!!
Thank you soo much for posting thi! I also went and ordered an udder cover (also in the porter pattern) and was shocked that the total came to $0 plus s&h!! This is awesome! I have a 14 month old son that I nursed and used a blanket but it was always falling down and hard to use so when I found out I was pregnant again I knew I had to get one of these things 🙂 Thanks again!
I don’t need one (my boys have been off the teet for about 15 years now), but they are cute, and I love the idea of covering up when breastfeeding. I’ll probably make someone mad, but I prefer not to see a boob out in public when I’m eating, traveling, in church, etc.
They do look really simple to make, but make sure you notice that it’s not just a blanket with a neck strap. It has a curved piece of something (plastic?) that’s stiff, so you can easily look down at baby. Not that I know from experience, but my sister does. And she also knows about mastitis, which is something you should Google if you’re in the mood to make yourself vomit.
as a mom to 4 with #5 on the way, i have to admit that i really liked this post. until you said this, “I just happen to appreciate it when nursing moms cover up”
nursing is not a shameful thing. there is no reason to cover up. in my opinion, hooter hiders are just one more “fashionable” thing to buy before baby arrives. i’ve nursed in public more times that i can count and have NEVER once “covered up” (which is not to say that my boobs were flappin’ in the wind) and have never had a single person say a thing to me. I’m sure that MOST didn’t even realize I was nursing.
Hey Katie! You could probably make some of these items yourself! Those two favorite prints you mentioned (under udder covers)…Joann’s Fabrics sells the blue flowery print! And they sell it in purple as well! I purchased a few yards in purple for some drapes I made.
I second Valerie’s suggestion for the breastfeeding class. When I was pregnant it was the BEST class that we took (and do mean WE – hubby needs to be there too! He will play a role in bf success). And take full advantage of the lactation support offered by your hospital or doctor’s office.
And I heard the horror stories too – but I have to tell you breastfeeding was oh so easy for me. No pain, no bleeding. I nursed my son for 18 months and ended up donating 400 ounces of milk to the local milk bank.
Hopefully you will have an easy time too!!
Ah, the new world of our bodies being about function rather than the sole purposes of attracting our mates. 🙂
One of our hospitals in town has a Baby and Mother center with the most amazing saint of a lactation specialist. I don’t plan to take a class, but have been reading up on breastfeeding a lot. I went into this shop for some nursing bras and check out their selection. The saint lactation specialist spent so much time with Shawn and I, and somehow even made my husband feel unawkward with pictures of exposed breasts and latched baby on the wall. She slapped a Brest Friend pillow on me, and let me hold a special breastfeeding teaching doll, gave me a squishy breast and showed me three ways to hold the baby, the three points of the baby’s face that should be touching the breast, how I should hold my breast to get the baby to latch on properly, how much aereola should should at the top, and then used other great illustrations like a rubber sandwich to show show which way I should squeeze my breast for the baby to get the most food. She also pulled out rubber grapes to show how it looks and feels within my breast when it produces milk. Oh my goodness, I feel so equipped after that experience.
She said that bleeding and cracked nipples means that the baby isn’t latched on properly. The top of the nipple should be positioned to touch the roof of the babies mouth, with the lower part of the aereola completely covered. They had a great selection of pump items, too. I actually bought a used pump, but will replace all of the plastic parts since she said breastmilk is like blood, and who knows what things people could have in their breastmilk, like blood, that could get transferred.
So yeah, that pretty much shows what new world of mommydom I am steeped in that I would so explicitly share about breasts on a stranger’s blog. But hope it helps. And hope you can find as great of a lactation specialist. I am so excited to be able to bond w/ my baby in this way, and partake of God’s amazing ability He gives us to nourish our children.
23 years ago (it can’t be THAt long ago) I said the same “I Might breastfeed.” At that time only long-haired hippy-wanna-be’s breastfed because it was so inappropriate to do in public, every one had “bad experiences” with breast-feeding, poor milk supply, etc. Nevertheless, I decided – my mom was recovering from breast cancer, and I didn’t want to be the one to repeat her horror.
So I tried – no cutie hootie covers, no glamourous cover to hide the tits, etc. I struggled – sure – everyone who tries this has bouts of trouble – cracks, splits, blisters, etc… but I decided “I” was running this “race” and I did: 11 months with my 1st child, 17 with my second, and 27 with my 3rd… It totals over 4 years of breastfeeding.
My stance? Do whatever you have to do, buy whatever you think will help (breast pumps, tity slips, hell – hootie and the blowfish CDs) and figure that the first 3 months are going to be like the first 3 months of pregnancy – Really tough but worth the wait!
Now that I’m “older” (heaven forbid!) and “wiser” (not really!) my biggest wish is that we had all these cutie-pattootie baby things that you “younger” folks now have.
I dont like the fact that all the moms using the covers dont look like MOMS> Perfect hair and sitting in skinny jeans…yeah right! Good luck with the breastfeeding. Buy lanolin cream and use it each time before and after feeds and taadaa no cracked nipples
I used my hooter hider a lot. Be forewarned, though, there comes a point when the baby likes to play peek-a-boo and will not nurse under a cover. So it worked great for us for the first couple of months, then it was just better to go in a different room.
yep, you’re right about the bracelet, Katie. For example, you start feeding with your left breast, they finish on that side, then you switch to the right. You put the bracelet on your right wrist to remind you to start on the right side the next time. Because first the foremilk comes out, then the hindmilk, which is full of creamy fatty goodness. The foremilk is more watery and less calorie-dense. And they need all of it.
Katie:
You’re correct about the nursing bracelet. Ridiculous that I know this. No baby for us yet, but I seem to exclusively befriend baby-making machines! Almost everyone I know with a uterus is either preggers or has a baby under 1 yr…apparently hanging out with me drastically improves your fertility.
I LOVE my Bebe au Lait nursing cover! The fabric is lightweight (baby and I get too sweaty under a blanket), it definitely keeps baby totally covered up and things discreet- I can’t recommend them enough! Watch out for the Udder Covers though- in the past they have had problems with fradulent charges on credit cards (I suspect thats how they keep their product pricing so low).
I second the Dr. Jack Newmans nipple ointment, but FYI- it has to come from a compounding pharmacy and you’ll need an order for it. I’m a Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner student, L&D/Postpartum nurse of five years and 3 time nursing momma, so let me know if you ever have any questions!
Good luck- with BF. Knowledge is power, and a lactation consultant may just be your new breast (ha ha) friend when Will arrives. You can do it! 🙂
If you plan to use a ring sling (like a ZoloWear) you can use the tail end of it as a nursing cover while the sling holds your nursing baby… I found that was my favorite cover and baby holder in one… I dig a product that multitasks! I nursed in that bad boy while shopping for a new oven at sears (and I was timid about nursing at first, too). The thing I missed the most when I was a new mom was being able to use my hands, so I highly recommend a ring sling… they are super easy to use and last a long time (I nursed my son in mine for 8 months, and still carry him in it now that we are no longer nursing). It seemed too pricy initially, but it was worth every penny, and might have come out to be the best price per use item we bought!
I would also be remiss to read this and not tell you about Milk Diapers nursing pads. They are the softest and most invisible nursing pads I found… another kind I tried made giant circles that were visible through my clothes.
I just reviewed all my baby gear faves on my blog in 3 installments: before delivering and at the hospital, the gear, breastfeeding gear and tips.
Alissa,
Wow! 5 kids – hopefully one day I will be that blessed!
And yes…I do appreciate it when nursing moms cover up…whether that be with a ‘technique’ that allows for boob-coverage or a drape or a blanket or a McDonald’s napkin that keeps the mystery alive. I don’t think nursing is a shameful thing…but in my personal opinion, I do think that there are reasons to keep ‘the girls’ outta sight but that’s just my viewpoint and you are definitely entitled to your own 🙂
XO – the prude KB
Lots of luck with the breastfeeding! It was tough for me at first, but after my Will and I got the hang of it, it was easy sailing. The most important thing I did was ask for the lactation consultant to come help me in the hospital. I asked that she help me at every feeding until we got the hang of it. I had the cracked and bleeding nipples (I can’t believe I just said that publicly), but the LC was able to help me work through it. It wasn’t so bad and was worth jumping over all of the hurdles. There is nothing like looking down at your little one and being able to think “I am the only person in the whole wide world who can provide THIS for my baby!” Plus, newborns are hilarious when they get a tummy full of mommy milk, they look like they are drunk. I would be glad to share a picture with you, but I’m not posting it for the world to see in your comments. If it is important to you, surround yourself with moms who have been there, done that. My internet mom friends were a huge support system for me!
I’m really not a bf pusher, but it was a wonderful experience. Lots of luck!
Oh, and, you are right. You are “supposed” to start on the opposite side every time, but it really wasn’t that critical for me. I had a pretty good idea which side I nursed on the time before. In the newborn stage, you nurse so frequently, it is pretty fresh on your mind and the world doesn’t crash down if you repeat sides every now and then. You don’t want to always start on the same side or you will get lopsided “girls” (which takes away the advantage of having a little extra padding). I had a bracelet to begin with and found that it was actually harder for me to remember to switch my bracelet than to just go with my memory. It is tough to decide what side to start on when your memory says one thing and your bracelet says another.
I’m with you on wanting to cover up in public! I never had a snazzy nursing cover, a receiving blanket worked fine for me. I wasn’t nursing away from my home until we were pros and I didn’t need to look.
I owe a thank you for the tip to both Kate and Katie…I just bought myself a Jones!
I was planning on making one…but I am also planning on making a millions other things before the baby is born (May 20th) so for under $15 this is perfect!
I got a hooter hider @ a shower for my little guy. It reminded me of a giant bib. So I would say “you hungry? well I’m going to eat you now.” and shove him under. but I would also “MOOO” when I was hooked up to my pump. that’s just the type of gal I am
I have the Hooter Hider. I haven’t used it yet, I have 10 days to go. My best friend has one and swears by it. She’s the one who bought one for me. I love how beautiful and useful they are. They must have been created by a woman 😉
Take care,
Lisa
Katie,
I am a first time commenter! Yay! I am beyond thrilled you shared your good find with us. As an expecting, first time mommy myself, I have found that preparing for a baby can be expensive and stressful. Great deals like this make it so much easier!
you know what you gotta do….you need to firm up your nips before Will comes. I would pinch and pull and squeeze mine in the shower to get them firm. Like hard enough so its uncomfortable. Once my kids came I never had a problem with cracks or blood. And it ony took a few days for my boobies to get used to it. I credit it to my pinching techniques!! ha.
I don’t think you need a pocket on your hiders, I actually don’t even think you need to buy a hooter hider. I used a blanket. It was just as easy, and I just threw it over my shoulder.
Yay for trying to breastfeed Katie! Everyone asked me if I would, and I would say yes, I plan to try. Noah had a bad case of jaundice when he was born, so for 10 days he was under the baby “tanning bed” lights at home and the dr. wanted me to feed him formula to help break the bili-rubin down. (knowing what I know now I would still keep BF if this happened again but I thought my pediatrician walked on water so I did what he suggested.) Anyways, something kicked in in my heart and I was determined not to let that stop me from breastfeeding. I still have the notes that I wrote down every day (you know, with how many oz. he drank, what his poo looked like, doodles of weirdness at 2 am feedings, etc.) and every feeding I would sit down like the milk cow I was and pump for my lil’ man while he had formula from a bottle. So every single day when I would call in to the dr. with Noah’s bili levels, I would ask, sometimes beg, can I BF now? They finally said yes and it was smooth sailing from there ~ I have to say it was the most natural thing I’ve ever done.
As far as hooter hiders, I think they’re adorable! I too appreciate a modest momma, feeding in public is absolutely fine, but I am just more comfortable with a cover-up, especially a cute one 😉 I just saw one today at Target actually, it didn’t have the boning up top but it was so cute and only $15! When we make Noah a big brother, these hooters are definitely hookin’ up with one of those! 🙂 Good luck girl, I love candid posts like these and reminiscing about those precious first few weeks of life. 🙂
I’ve been making something similar as a baby shower gift for friends. However I simply make a poncho using a knit cotton (so it won’t wrinkle and breaths) and embellishing it with lace/buttons etc. to fit the mom. It costs little to make and the best perk I find is that it ensures NO accidental peakage – as kids are grabby. Plus if you can cut a circle you can make the poncho. 🙂
I agree with Michelle. I have nursed in public till my baby was 1 year old. I am very anxious not to show anything private to complete strangers, but the fact is nursing can be done descretely. I would place my baby’s head in front of a boob, then lift my shirt and bra UP, and the baby would suckle. Nothing was visible to even those who were looking straight at me, because baby’s head covered the boob, and the shirt covered the rest of my decoltee. There might be a bit of bare skin around the waist, but if not wanted, that can be solved too by wearing a cardigan or a stretchy cotton belly belt under your shirt. Like michelle said, it looks just like you’re just holding your baby in your arms. In my opinion, that “udder covering” apron just calls for more attention than doing it the way I described, and that is another thing to remember to bring out with you (ugh!). If you need a cover, I think a sling with a metal ring is a great deal, as it’s multipurpose – it covers and it holds your baby! Also, congratulations for wanting to nurse your Will! It’s not only the best food for him, it’s also so practical (it’s always with you, always warm and fresh and sterile, no dirty bottles to be washed, no leftovers, it’s cheap etc.)
I totally bought it! My friend used one of these when she was nursing her littel guy and said it was a must. I think its going to be be so fun saying “hun, can you grab me my udder cover please” infront of our friends and family! If you can’t joke about things like that…..even my husband had a good laugh at this one! Thanks a ton for the heads up on this amazing deal!
Just wanna add that I left your blog up…got distracted…and my husband sat down and said “boobs..?” and then “udder covers!” and then “HOOTER HIDERS!” It was funny. We are expecting our 4th and I have yet to use any sort of cover but yall are all praising them so much..maybe #4 will get a Hooter Hider. Hee heee…
YOU CAN BREASTFEED. My tips are, first, don’t supplement with formula – you only produce what you use, so supplementing makes your supply go down. And second, if you get sore or bleeding nipples, consult your lactation department at your hospital, or local LaLeche League. I was bleeding and crying, but was able to rent a pump and after pumping for 4 days and wearing gentle nursing pads, my nipples were healed and I was up and running. Been fine ever since. Pumping hurts lots less than nursing when you are sore. =)
hahahaa thanks for the early morning giggle. Good luck with the breastfeeding, I plan to do that too. Someday, when i get prego and have a kid and all. hahaha
Katie! Congrats on wanting to breastfeed…it is the most difficult and rewarding thing I think I have ever done. I wrote a little blog post about it…if you are bored/curious/ready to be freaked out:
http://growingsnyders.blogspot.com/2009/08/pardon-pun.html
I use a Hooter Hider that my friend gave me all the time. I will tell you I have never used the pocket…it seems to me like pretty much any giant piece of fabric with a strap to go over your head will work. Breast pads get tucked into the bra strap of the opposite “boob”…and lately, my 7 month old likes to steal them from there for a plaything while nursing.
Yes, I am still nursing at 7 months…major accomplishment for me…but I love it now!!! GOOD LUCK and find a good lactation consultant!!!
Katie,
I always thought I’d end up with a nursing cover of some sort, but then never did. I’d say wait until you BF for a bit at home to decide on getting one. For quite awhile I needed to see what I was doing to get my son to latch and when I’d try to cover up a bit with a receiving blanket, he’d just get distracted. For #2 I may try something like this for public nursing: http://www.milkstars.com/ since exposing my sides is what I enjoyed least about nursing in public. Pricey, yes, but doubles as functional clothing post-partum and not just some sheet I’ll never use again. My son and I made it through 13 months and I commend you for your decision to try nursing. It was a wonderful experience, but challenging at first because being a first-time parent can just be overwhelming. Also, I highly recommend soothies gel pads if your nipples get sore in the beginning.
Hey, Katie,
I’m a lurker friend of Sherry’s and I just today sent her a text message HIGHLY recommending the book Ina May’s Guide to Breastfeeding. I have read nearly every childbirth and breastfeeding book available, and this book is quickly becoming my go-to suggestion for new mamas and mamas-to-be. For the record, I nursed my first for 28 months, my second is still nursing at 25 months, and I’m also exclusively nursing brand-new twin girls.
Hi Katie…
I found it difficult to cover up while breastfeeding – just something else to fumble with when you first start out. It was actually quite easy to be discrete in public without a cover. In fact, most people didn’t know that I was nursing… but they may have figured it out if I was draped in cloth.
Another option is something like a Moby Wrap. I used one with my 2nd kiddo… I was able to carry him around in it – and when he was itty bitty – he was able to nurse behind the scenes while I was out and about – hands free!
Best of luck to you!
I know what Hooter Hiders are! A new mama friend of mine recommended them, so I got on their email list several months ago. In December they offered a buy-one-get-one-free sale with free shipping, so I bought 2 for the price of 1! One I’m keeping for future use (pattern: Aero) and the other one I gifted to my pregnant sister-in-law at her baby shower last month (pattern: Hot Dots). I’m impressed with mine and am so glad I bought it at a great price! Hopefully they’ll have another sale, so you can get a great deal too!
I don’t quite understand why you hide from everybody when you have to feed your baby, it’s completly natural and afterall, the only thing they are gonna see it’s just a small portion of boob, not the niple of something too obvious.
Shelby, MILKSTARS shirts are exactly the thing I had in my mind while I was nursing, that I wanted to make for myself! As I am expecting my second baby sometime this May, I’ll definitely try to make it myself (I guess I can simply do it by just cutting some old shirts extra wide around arms and boobs, and wear them underneath top shirts). That would solve the problem of unpleasant breeze around my waist side. Thank you Shelby for the link!
Thanks so much for this post! I just ordered two of these as gifts for friends who are having babies and planning to nurse!
Is it crazy of me that I wanted to buy one of the promotional packages and I’m not even pregnant and most likely won’t be for a couple years? That IS a great deal though….
That is a pretty good deal. I bf my first with whatever blanket I had around. Now I want to make one like I saw on Make It and Love It, looks so simple! No sewing required.
http://makeitandloveit.blogspot.com/2009/02/nursing-cover-clips.html
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?ref=vl_other_2&listing_id=40396063
You need to get this for your nursery! It is fitting. If not, I would use the quote somewhere. It fits your concept!
Speaking of boobs…I was at Target the other day looking for a valentine for my valentine and was intrigued by how the front of a card that had 2 bumblebees saying “boo!” on it could be valentiney. I opened it up and it said, “I got you a Valentine’s Day card with boo-bees on it!” Right away I called my husband and told him that he could NOT buy me that card as I was sure, if he saw it, he would feel compelled to buy it. We’ll see tonight if he listened to me. Happy Valentine’s Day!
I have a Hooter hider from my first born (pregnant with my second). It was ok but mostly my daughter did NOT like to be covered up. She was far too interested in everything around her. I have several friends now who breastfeed without a cover and you would never know. You can be discrete so it is not always necessary to cover up.
I have a Peanut Shell. I love it, though it took my son a while to get use to eating with the fabric over his head. He kept flailing around and ripping the cover to the side!
I breastfed my babies and just used a receiving blanket over him. I loved breastfeeding b/c you never had to wash any bottes (I’m lazy) and you never had to remember to bring anything anywhere for the baby to eat (super lazy and forgetful)
Anyways, the first week is tough- you’re tired, your nipples are sore b/c they’ve never had to do this before, you’re not sure he’s eating enough b/c he’s never done this before either…
but just when you’re about to give up- both you and he get the hang of it.
I loved to use Aden + Anais blankets. My baby was born in April so by the time I was breastfeeding in public it was warm out. I liked that the blankets were light and airy, but just thick enough to cover me up. Plus the baby gets sweaty under there. I borrowed a cover to use on an airplane and it was so hot for both of us. Good luck with the breastfeeding!
I love that when I receive the comment feed for this post, the title says, “Nina said on Boobs”… too funny.
Love how far things have come since I had my first child 24 years ago! Who woulda thunk “Udder Covers”?? Hilarious…and useful! I remember trying to balance a baby without detaching from my boob with one arm while trying to stay covered by a small receiving blanket with the other. Sheesh…
Breastfeeding was tough but with the help of a lactation specialist, Kathleen Huggins (she’s since published a book!) we got the hang of it. I felt so protective of my daughter and once Kathleen got her to open her mouth (which a baby does automatically when they are hungry and anything touches near their mouth – aka. rooting) Kathleen literally shoved her open mouth onto my boob, trying to get my nipple as far back in her mouth as possible. I freaked out, thinking I was going to suffocate her. But with reassurance, all was well. Getting that nipple in deep was the key.
Oh…and beware of any ointment containing lanolin if wool makes you itchy. I used it and my nipples burned like red hot pokers! Not fun!
Looking back on breastfeeding each of my five children, those are some of the most tender, special moments ever.
All the best.
So, how do you like your Udder Cover? I had a Hooter Hider with my first, but gave it to my sister who used it for her son and then gave it away. (Dang sister!) Now I’m pregnant with my second and don’t want to spend a lot of money. What is your (or anyone else that has one) review of the Udder Cover? Yay or nay?
I love it. I actually bought a second one to keep in the car. Now I don’t need them…but next time I need them, I will probably get a third…that way I’ll have one in every possible spot – nursery, couch & car 🙂
xo – kb
Thank you so much! I ordered mine today!