My Kind of Breastfeeding Cover
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Wednesday, December 21, 2005
It's no secret that The Lactivist is all about having a sense of humor about things like breastfeeding in public, that's why I love it when I run across another company that shares that sense of humor. Today I stumbled across Bebe au Lait, a site that sells the aptly named Hooter Hiders breastfeeding cover.I had to laugh at the product name as Hooter Hiders sounds like the type of thing I would have called a nursing cover, but once I spent a little time on the site I was impressed with how practical they were. While many moms feel perfectly comfortable breastfeeding their children in public, some moms, especially first-timers, often have a hard time getting used to the idea of nursing their child with other people around. For new moms still getting the hang of things, or experienced moms that are simply more comfortable with a cover, Hooter Hiders looks to offer the perfect solution.
The patterns are hip and stylish and the covers fold down to a nice, compact package that slips into a diaper bag or purse. The site also claims that the fabric is extremely light weight, which means babies that throw off heavy blankets or towels will likely be fine with their mommies using Hooter Hiders to nurse them. The nicest feature that I saw was the fact that Hooter Hiders are designed with a rigid neckline that allows moms to see their babies while they are nursing, a feature that most breastfeeding covers are lacking. This is a great selling point in my book because many moms have a hard enough time getting their babies to latch when they can see them, let alone when they're hidden under a blanket or shirt.
Hooter Hiders breastfeeding covers are either 100% cotton or a Cotton/Poly blend, are hand-made in the USA and are machine washable. They also start at just $26 with a volume discount if you can talk your friends into getting one as well.
Pair one with a "fresh milk served here" shirt and you're all set to go!
Labels: Product Reviews
I saw those when I was pregnant and there were many times in the first couple months when I wish I had one. Now I don't care so much but my husband still wants to throw a blanket over me when we are in public. I had to nurse in one of those photo booth things in the mall the other night b/c he was uncomfortable since there were so many people around. Silly boy.
I'd never seen them until I stumbled across the page, I do really like them and I can see how a lot of moms would be more comfortable nursing in public with one.
I never did get the whole "throw a blanket" over or go hide in a photo booth thing though...doesn't your hubby realize that a mom sitting in the photo booth for twenty minutes is probably more noticable than just sitting on a bench and nursing quietly? ;)
Maybe I need to make a "My Wife isn't playing peek-a-boob, she's just trying to feed our child" shirt?
;)
personally i hate these things! covering up just sends the message that breastfeeding in public is unacceptable and should be done surreptitiously. for women to feel supported in breastfeeding thier babies/toddlers in public they need to see they are not alone - not see women hiding.
Yes but the thing to remember is that many women are uncomfortable nursing in public without something like this. Not because they are embarassed or because they think it's wrong, but simply because they feel more comfortable knowing that there's no chance anything will slip out.
I think that promoting breastfeeding in public is far more likely to happen with baby steps of women doing it as they feel comfortable than by trying to tell a woman that unless they breastfeed in public the exact same way that they do at home, there is something wrong with them.
The Lactivist is about promoting a woman's right to breastfeed when, where and how she wants to. If that means that some women want to breastfeed using a cover, then I think this is a great one for them to pick. :)
It's also nice to block out distractions for the baby. They seem to concentrate more when they don't look around.
I just don't like everyone in the world seeing my hooters! It isn't easy to hide DD's so I loved this. I am not ashamed of breastfeeding it is just that I am not one to feel comfortable wipping them out for all to see. They are great for wearing over the snugli to keep the sun off baby too. I have also used it as a light blanket on summer nights when out past my daughters bed time or to cover the carseat to protect it from the sun. There are many uses for it. I just like it more than a blanket as it has the boning in it to keep a peek hole so you can still see baby.
I simply loved using the cover. However, my daughter sort of became addicted to having her face under a 'cover'. Probably because she was breast fed with the cover over her for about a year (we went out a lot).It was actually quite hilarious as she would pick anything from a napkin, blanket, even tissue to cover her face and try walking around the house.I think she found the darkness quite appealing.
Not a big deal to me, but a HUGE one for my husband. I'm more embarrassed about my stomach poking out beneath my shirt. I understand the need for modesty is more for others in my case than it is for me. I have found that covering my kid's heads is more cumbersome than just pulling my shirt around my thumb and holding it close to their lips. They have begun to pull the cover off of us making us more of a spectacle. If I can, I just nurse in the car, hubby is not embarrassed and baby and I are more comfortable anyway compared to sitting on those hard benches at the mall or pinned in a booth at a restaurant.
Well said Jennifer! I completely agree. They are not very well known in the UK yet and I actually bought mine from a group of Mums who make them out there. I LOVED mine so much and found it gave me so much more confidence I now sell them here in the UK, to help other Mums like me and support my fellow WAHMs.
It is not about covering the baby up, it is all about covering your boobs up (if you wish too) and still being able to see baby. A nursing cover gives you the best of both worlds and you are being discrete, but still raising the profile of breastfeeding in an understated way.
I'm all for anything that makes women more inclined to breastfeed in public. It's better for a shy mom to nurse as soon as baby's ready than to delay while looking for someplace private and risk damaging the breastfeeding relationship. Bravo to the moms who are comfortable nursing anywhere without special accessories, but the reality is many women don't feel comfortable with it yet, and changing a person's feelings just by telling them to rarely works. It may not be the ideal where all mothers proudly NIP and all passers-by are unfased, but it's a step in the right direction.
I'm not sure how I feel about this product:
http://nursingcovers.com/catalog.php?category=45
On the one hand, it provides boob coverage without hiding baby. On the other hand, it's a giant, ridiculous bonnet.
I used a breast feeding cover called a Breastfeeding Butterfly, it was great and I couldn't have managed without it. I was nervous of breast feeding in front of family and friends,and couldn't even think about feeding in public. This gave me the confidence to do it.
To the person who thinks these are sending the wrong message, it is all down to choice, you are given the choice to wear clothes you don't have to but you choose to, the same with a breast feeding cover, i think you haven't thought about why women are afraid to feed in public, its not the always the breast feeding, its the fact that once you've lifted up your top to get your breast out , you have exposed all that baby weight you can't wait to get rid of. These will only encourage women to breast feed in public and will help them to feed for longer. The benefits of breast feeding for mother and baby are huge so anything that helps us is a good thing.
To the person who thinks these are sending the wrong message, it is all down to choice, you are given the choice to wear clothes you don't have to but you choose to, the same with a breast feeding cover, i think you haven't thought about why women are afraid to feed in public, its not the always the breast feeding, its the fact that once you've lifted up your top to get your breast out , you have exposed all that baby weight you can't wait to get rid of. These will only encourage women to breast feed in public and will help them to feed for longer. The benefits of breast feeding for mother and baby are huge so anything that helps us is a good thing.
I think breastfeeding covers are great. I use one called a Breastfeeding Butterfly it is great, and doesn't look like i have left an apron on. I still have full eye contact with my baby too. I was terrified of feeding in public but this gave me the confidence to do it.
To the person who thinks these are sending the wrong message, it is all down to choice, you are given the choice to wear clothes you don't have to but you choose to, the same with a breast feeding cover, i think you haven't thought about why women are afraid to feed in public, its not the always the breast feeding, its the fact that once you've lifted up your top to get your breast out , you have exposed all that baby weight you can't wait to get rid of. These will only encourage women to breast feed in public and will help them to feed for longer. The benefits of breast feeding for mother and baby are huge so anything that helps us is a good thing.
Some moms prefer privacy they are not hiding...and babies love to be covered, snuggled, and breastfeed without distractions. Covered or uncovered...do it....be proud...and make no apologies!
You can make your own with a free pattern listed by the maker of a popular brand at http://freenursingcoverpattern.blogspot.com
Very easy and well done directions with photos.
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