Feeding your baby should come before anything else… granted if you’re in a burning building or a sinking ship, then sure bub’s boob or bottle take a back seat to safety. But in almost all other situations women should feel confident, safe and supported to feed their child however, whenever and wherever they want.

While I acknowledge some women prefer not to feed in public as a personal choice, for those who would like to (or need to), here are some helpful tips…

Wear clothes that make it easy to expose whatever amount of breast you’re comfortable with. Button up shirts are great for access but if you’re not comfortable with that much exposure you can try a loose fitting t-shirt over a feeding singlet.

Don’t wait until bub is starving, feeding a screaming baby can be a lot more stressful in public.  Look for early hunger cues and make a plan so you can enjoy a nice calm feed somewhere comfortable and convenient.

You don’t need to give a full feed – while not ideal to do this every feed, if you’re somewhere convenient to feed, giving a short feed in public can give you that extra hour you need  to finish whatever you’re doing out and about.

If you want to cover (and of course you don’t have to) a baby wrap tied round your neck like a bib is all you need (don’t fill your overflowing baby bag with a fancy feeding cover!)

Ignore the looks! Can you imagine if someone told that naysayer they couldn’t have their oat cap or b&e roll whenever they pleased. If you feel confident and comfortable and your baby is fed, then that’s all that matters! And those around you will realise that too!