Nursing Covers: The Best Way to Breastfeed Discreetly in Public
A Definitive Guide to buying Nursing Covers so that you can breastfeed your little one confidently and comfortably in public.
Nursing Cover is one of the underrated but essential nursing accessories for breastfeeding mothers.
Also sometimes called breastfeeding cover, a nursing cover not only protects your privacy but also prevents your little one from getting distracted by passersby when you’re breastfeeding in public.
If you're planning to breastfeed, nursing covers are a must-have for you, especially when you are out and about. So, based on my knowledge and experience, here I’m sharing everything you might want to know more about nursing covers.
Despite the fact that Breastfeeding is one of the greatest things a mother can do for her infant, most of the women still feel a bit apprehensive about feeding their little ones in public. To deal with such situations, you as a nursing mother can take advantage of Nursing Cover, which are specifically designed to make breastfeeding in public more comfortable and private. This quick guide is written with the intention of providing you all the information related to nursing covers in one place, including what nursing covers are, why you should use them, and much more.
So, let's get started!
In This Article:
What is the Nursing Cover?
A Nursing Cover, also known as a breastfeeding cover, is essentially a piece of fabric that nursing mothers use to cover up their breasts when breastfeeding in public. Eliminating the fear of being exposed, it provides mums the most comfortable way to breastfeed their infants in public.
Nursing covers are a must-have for any breastfeeding mother to maintain privacy and comfort outside the home. They give you extra freedom and confidence so that you could comfortably breastfeed your baby in public. In other words, a nursing cover allows you to breastfeed anytime, anywhere.
Why Might You Want a Nursing Cover?
A Nursing cover offers a myriad of benefits, especially when you're out in public. Here are a few reasons why nursing covers are great for nursing mums:
#Provides Comfort and Privacy:
When it comes to breastfeeding, about 60% of mothers feel shy. Even, thinking of what people would think, they sometimes ignore the baby's demand for breast milk in public places. In such a situation, a nursing cover makes you feel comfortable to feed your baby along with protecting your privacy.
#You can Breastfeed at Your Convenience:
Suppose if your baby is crying for milk in a public place and you don’t have a nursing cover to cover up your breasts, then what will you do? Obviously, you’ll either try to find a suitable place to breastfeed or wait for the right time to feed your baby. But if you have a nursing cover, you’re able to breastfeed your baby whenever and wherever he/she wants.
It’s always a good idea to have a few nursing covers, even if you aren't sure you'll use one.
#Prevents Your Baby from Getting Distracted in Public:
When you breastfeed your baby in public, chances are he/she will get distracted and consequently stop nursing. To minimize the chances of such distractions, nursing covers are made. Under a nursing cover, your baby is unable to see anything outside. Hence, he/she is able to nurse without any distractions.
#Helps You Avoid the Hassle of Pumping:
Taking advantage of nursing covers, you can avoid the hassles of pumping sufficient milk before going out. Since a nursing cover allows you to breastfeed your baby anytime and anywhere, you don’t need to carry the extra weight of filled milk bottles while you're on the go.
Allowing you to breastfeed whenever and wherever your baby wants to, a breastfeeding cover helps you avoid carrying bottles of milk when going out.
#Prevents Breast Infections:
Maybe you don't know it yet, but if you don’t empty your breast properly, you may experience different types of breast infections that can cause some serious health complications to both you and your infant. A nursing cover helps you properly empty your natural milk supply, no matter where you are at the time of lactation.
Different Types of Nursing Covers
Since there are many different types of nursing covers available in the market today, it becomes quite crucial to find out what type of cover is perfect for you and your baby. To help you, below are some most common types of nursing covers with their pros and cons. Choose the one that you feel will work best for you:
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The nursing apron:
Designed the same way as a kitchen apron, a nursing apron comes with a loop that goes over the mother's head. Having a loosely fitting lower part, it is open on the back and sides.
- Pros: Extremely lightweight. Even you can use it with one hand. Longer in the front side as compared to other types of nursing covers. This style is great because you can easily monitor your little one and ensure proper air circulation.
- Cons: Being open on the back and sides, it doesn’t fully cover you. You’ll need to wear a nursing bra to stay covered.
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The nursing poncho:
Unlike an Apron, Nursing Poncho fully covers the front, sides, and back of nursing mothers. It goes on directly over the mom’s head and falls down to her hips.
- Pros: Provides you the full coverage front and back, along with functionality and style. You can also use it as a blanket, stroller cover, and more.
- Cons: Because Ponchos are made of high-quality ultra-soft fabrics, they are a bit more expensive than other types of covers.
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The nursing shawl (with side buttons):
Similar to a Poncho, Shawl is usually much shorter and falls just below the tummy button. Loosely worn by a nursing mother over the shoulders or head, it doesn’t have any armholes. However, there are side buttons given to let you easily access your breasts.
- Pros: Easier to hold and more lightweight than other types of covers. Multipurpose- can be worn as a scarf, poncho.
- Cons: This option looks just like a “normal shawl” in which you can fully cover the baby within the folds of the fabric.
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The nursing Sling or scarf:
Sling hangs over one shoulder of the nursing mother and crosses her body to the opposite hip and around her back. Thus, the baby rests in the sash on the mother’s tummy.
- Pros: Doesn’t fully cover the baby and, therefore, good for hot climates. Great for carrying newborns.
- Cons: Need to wear a nursing bra or feeding top while using it.
As you can see, each type of nursing cover has its own advantages and disadvantages. So, the type of nursing cover you should use totally depends on what level of comfort you need and how much coverage you want in public.
What to Look for in a Nursing Cover?
A good nursing cover is key to secure, comfortable, and successful breastfeeding in public. Below are some tips to help you choose the right nursing cover:
#Breathable and Soft Fabric:
This is the first and foremost thing you should keep in mind while purchasing a nursing cover. Your baby has a very soft and delicate skin, which is nearly five times thinner than your skin. If the nursing cover you’ve chosen to buy is not breathable and soft, your baby may feel uncomfortable as well as overheated during lactation. So, always go for a nursing cover made of high-quality, lightweight, and soft fabric.
If you're expecting a baby in the spring or summer or you live where the climate is warm, consider buying a breathable nursing cover made with thin fabric.
#Adequate Coverage:
Will the nursing cover you’re going to buy provide you the proper coverage for your breasts? Is it able to cover your front, back, and sides? Will it also cover the top and sides of your breasts? Ask yourself such questions before making any nursing cover purchase decision. Make sure the nursing cover will provide you sufficient body coverage, especially if you want to stay comfortable in public.
#Flexibility:
The next important thing to consider is the Flexibility of the nursing cover. Is it easy to take on and off? Does it allow you to make proper eye contact with your baby? Does it have an adjustable neck strap? Is it easy to fold? All these things should come to your mind while buying a nursing cover for a better, safer, and faster breastfeeding experience.
#Multi-functionality:
A good nursing cover is not limited to just cover up your breasts in public. Rather, you can use it in many different forms like a scarf, blanket, car seat or stroller canopy, baby carrier sunshade, etc. So it would be much better if you buy a nursing cover that can be used for more than one purpose.
#Machine Washable:
When you're going to purchase a nursing cover, don't forget to check wash care symbols available on it. This will help you easily understand how the nursing cover will best be cleaned. We suggest you buy machine washable nursing covers because they will not only save your precious time but also will reduce a lot of your washing efforts.
#Fashionable yet Affordable:
As most of the mums today are fashion-conscious, they prefer to buy fashionable nursing covers that could be used well with their daily outfit. In the search for a beautiful and fashionable nursing cover, they sometimes forget about the most important buying factor i.e., affordability. Since fashionable doesn't necessarily mean expensive, always try to buy a nursing cover that is affordable, along with being fashionable.
Tips for Breastfeeding in Public
Breastfeed your little one with confidence wherever you go with these simple tips:
- Practice at home in front of a mirror.
- Wear clothes you feel comfortable in.
- Use a breastfeeding cover.
- Pick a comfortable place where you can sit comfortably and are less visible to the general public.
- When you're going out, make sure your diaper bag is well-packed with a breastfeeding cover included.
- When using a nursing cover, make sure the neck opening is at your preferred size to ease breastfeeding.
- Watch your baby's cues for hunger.
- Keep track of your baby's feeding schedule so you can breastfeed them just before they get too hungry.
- Wear an easy-access nursing bra underneath a nursing top to ease breastfeeding.
- Wear a two-piece outfit as it facilitates easy access to your breasts.
- Use slings or wraps to easily breastfeed your little one.
- Practice your response to negative Comments.
Conclusion:
Given its unique benefits, a new mom should always use a nursing cover to breastfeed her little one confidently in public. Providing the requisite confidence and freedom, nursing covers prove to be a huge lifesaver for new moms when breastfeeding in public. In a nutshell, every breastfeeding mom must invest in a couple of nursing covers to ensure successful breastfeeding in public.
Hopefully you'll find this article helpful and informative. Explore a unique range of the nursing apron at WobblyWalk.com and make breastfeeding in public a discreet, convenient and comfortable experience.
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