Most mothers know that breastfeeding is the most natural and healthy option for their baby. The problem is that nowadays mothers need to work, shop, take their other children places, and do a thousand other things; it’s hard to always be in a private area when your baby is hungry. Social norms make many women feel wrong feeding their children in public areas, but don’t let this stop you. There are several steps you can take to be discrete about feeding your child. You should also not let people stop you from doing what’s best for your children.

You have every right to breast feed in public. In fact, many areas have laws protecting breastfeeding mothers. However, you should take steps to respect the wishes of others and be discrete. Since many places haven’t yet set aside areas for private breast feeding, you may have to be creative.

Here are some tips for discrete feeding:

• Wear clothing designed for breast feeding.
  While they make special clothing just for this purpose, or you can improvise or modify clothes yourself.
• If possible, find a secluded area.
  If you can find a spare chair, that’s great. A spare dressing room or hidden corner is even better. If you are in a restaurant, you can ask to be seated in a confined area or simply be seated near a wall and face your back to the crowd. If you can’t find anywhere else, you can always head to your car if you have one.
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  While many women use a baby blanket, you can be even more discrete by wearing a jacket or large shawl to cover your baby. Practice. While it may seem silly, the best way to learn to breastfeed your child in public is to practice in front of a mirror while feeding at home. Try different positions and different coverings. This will help you know which positions are the best for feeding without showing too much.

• Ask for somewhere private.
  If you need to breastfeed at work, it’s not unreasonable to ask for somewhere to do it. Many employers would rather you feed in a break room or secluded area rather than in the middle of the office. You can also look into laws in your area related to workplace breastfeeding.

While it’s normal to want to be respectful of other people, you do have
rights. There are certain things you should never do.

• Never feed your baby in a restroom stall.
  Outer sitting areas in restrooms are fine. They are generally more comfortable for you and your baby; however, the actual restroom is not. Bathrooms are dirty and usually have an unpleasant smell. Adults don’t have to eat in restroom stalls, neither should your child.
• Don’t let people intimidate you.
  No matter how discrete you are, it’s inevitable that someone will still be offended that you choose to breastfeed. Inform people politely that you have a legal right to feed your baby in public. If you feel inclined, you can also add some of the damaging effects bottle feeding has on children. If you feel uncomfortable saying things to strangers, there are breastfeeding rights groups that can provide you with cards to hand out to people who object.

Breastfeeding may be difficult, especially when you need to be in public, but keep in mind that it’s the best option for having a happy, healthy baby. And if it feels right for you and your baby then trust your instincts.

Along with the benefits of breastfeeding such as exceptional nutrition for your baby and a close knit bond between mother and child, the mothers can often experience some sort of breast pain.  It is important to know what methods are a combination of effective, natural, and won’t harm baby or mom.

Cracked or Dry Nipples and/or Areola: Cracked nipples can occur a number of ways.  The most common is if the baby is not latched on correctly.  Make sure your baby’s mouth is taking in the entire areola.  If not, you will soon experience cracking of your nipples.  Another way cracked or dry nipples can occur is by naturally just being used more than normal.  Your body is still getting used to breastfeeding several times a day and the result can dry out the skin.

The most common way to help correct this is after each feeding, squeezing a small amount of milk onto your areolas and nipples.  Allow to dry naturally, soaking in the breastmilk.  If you continue to have cry and cracked nipples, especially ones that really hurt, proceed to using lanolin.

If you are vegan, lanolin is not the product for you since it is extracted from wool.  However, it is an all natural product.  If you purchase the Lansinoh brand of lanolin, you’ll find it is the purest form out there, without any additives.  Take the lanolin and generously apply to your nipples and areola.  You might want to cover your breasts with a light breast pad to keep your clothing from getting sticky.  The good part is that lanolin is safe for baby (and for you), just be sure you’re not super gooey before feedings.  But a thin layer is appropriate to remain on.

Your body will soak in the lanolin and within a day’s time you should start to see a major difference.

Hard or Tender Breasts: If you go too long without feeding, your breasts can become very hard.  They are filled with milk and can feel like rocks living inside.  It can be quite painful to some, especially to the touch.  What you’ll want to do is carve out a little ‘me’ time to take care of the soreness.  If you have warm heating pads, such as a DIY rice sock or gel pack, warm up and then place on each breast, paying special attention to the sorest parts of your breasts.  You can even use a warm compress such as a washcloth soaked in warm water.  Other ways are to take a warm bath or lightly massage the hard areas with olive oil.  Depending on the severity of the problem, the above method can start to take effect within hours or even days.

Itchiness: If you sense this is normal itchiness due to irritation, there are some natural steps you can take on your own.  If you’re worried it could be thrush or a bacterial infection, you should talk with your doctor on what she or he believes you should do to help cure it.

However, many moms often experience itchiness of the nipples early on.  The skin can become irritated from constant use or from exposure to certain fabrics.  First of all, you’ll want to start using a bra that is made from organic cotton.  You can even look for a specially-made nursing bra that removes the cups for easy feedings.  This should make a major impact on the itchiness.

During shower time you’ll want to avoid using any sort of soap on the breasts.  Just use warm water and be careful to be tender when washing.  This will help remove any bacteria and cleanse the area naturally, without irritants.

Product Name: Isis Breast Pump
Submitted by: Lindsay; Averill Park, NY
Rating: 8
Where to buy: Amazon.com

Description: This manual pump is comfortable and easy to use; it is not noisy or expensive. A silicone diaphragm creates a vacuum for reliable suction. The pump is compatible with all Avent bottle systems, making it easy to express milk directly into a bottle.

Review If you want a quiet pump, this is the pump for you. It’s not noisy or expensive and is reasonably comfortable. Easy to assemble and clean and very quick.

The Philips Avent Isis On The Go Set Includes one Avent Isis Manual Breast Pump, two 4-oz AVENT Natural Feeding Bottles, two 9-oz storage containers, eight Ultra Comfort Disposable Breast Pads, one insulated micro fiber tote and two cool packs for breast milk storage

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