Save 15% When You Pre-Book Your Bra Fitting Appointment With BoobieMilk

It's baby season, and that means it's time for the Austumn Baby Show at Glow, Bluewater

Baby and Toddler Show

Glow, Bluewater Shopping Centre (next to cinema)

Greenhithe

DA9 9ST

Friday October 10th, 10:00 - 4:00

Saturday October 11th, 10:00 - 5:00

Sunday October 12th 10:00-5:00

My Mum and I have been attending the Bluewater Baby Show since it started and this will be our 5th time there.  We love to go because we get to meet all of you guys and we have a lot of fun.  The Bluewater Baby Show is a favourite of ours because it has a great line-up of products adn the setting is more intimate than the London shows so we really do get to know you as you make your way around the show and come to have a bra fitting.

Bravado BodySilk Seamless Nursing Bra in Jungle Purple

Bluewater is really easy to get to - Its right off the M25 below the Dartford Tunnel.  Go East on the A2 and it's right there.  Parking is completely free and plentiful.  I usually park behind M&S near the cinema.

Getting around the show - Manduca usually do a carrier loaning programme.  You give them your buggy and they give you a carrier.  It's a great way to try out a soft structured carrier and you can walk around the show without running over anyones ankles (although the carrier is not my friend when I'm fitting bras LOL).  The show is big enough to carry lots of the items you want to see but small enough so that you won't get lost and will always be in sight of the toilets and coffee cart (I also have a chair in my fitting room so just ask if you need a sit down).

We all know each other - Spending so much time with each other every year means that a lot of the stall holders know each other and we are a really friendly bunch sharing blu-tak and scissors etc.  Being local my Mum and I have the chance of getting to know lots of local Mums and Mums to be and because my Mum loves to talk to everyone you'll know my family inside out by the end of the show too.  We absolutely love meeting you all at the show.  Meeting new people, catching up with old friends pregnant with their next baby and hearing how you are getting on.

 Find BoobieMilk at L16 halfway down the far right aisle

We will be bringing a lot of fabulous stock to the show this year and you'll be seeing some trusted products we've stocked for years.  As always I'll be taking bookings before the show starts in return for a lovely 15% discount and we will be running a lovely competition throughout the show for some lovely breastfeeding goodies.  I also have a number of free tickets for the show and will be issuing them on a first come, first served basis for those pre-booking appointments.

Hotmilk Mystery Full Cup Nursing Bra - £30

We will have bras fitting from 32B-42H with bands 34/36 up to a J cup.  Prices will start at just £10 each.  I also have some gorgeous nursing/teething/babywearing necklaces winging their way to me from Coastal Path Creations, so do stop by stand L16 to have a look at all the pretties.

 Coastal Path Creations Teething and Nursing Necklace £7

We look forward to seeing you at the show next week.  Do pop by and say Hi to me and my Mum, we'll be at L16 all weekend.  Turn right as you enter the door and half way down the far right aisle you'll find BoobieMilk.

Email me to pre-book your appointment at karen.mccully@gmail.com

Keep Britain Breastfeeding Winners 2014!!

The winner of this years Keep Britain Breastfeeding Internet Scavenger Hunt and the person who will be receiving a tonne of prizes (listed here) is -

Vivienne Carey

Here are the winners of additional competitions that ran throughout the event hosted by some of our lovely participating bloggers - 

Belle Du Brighton - Theraline Plushy Moon nursing pillow - Gina Morgan-Lopez

Family Fever - Theraline Wynnie nursing Pillow - Gemma Clark

My Little L Blog - Baby Beads UK nursing necklace - Vicky-Louise Robinson

We're Going on An Adventure - Feed Me Mummy nursing vest - Carly Markham

We're Going On An Adventure - BreastVest nursing vest - Pia Stephens

My Thoughts on Things - Pinter & Martin Set of Books - Annelieses Myers

Keep Up With Jones Family - Theraline Plushy Moon Pillow - Natalie Crossan

Keep Up With Jones Family - Thrupenny Bits nursing cover - Afia Yeboah

Mummy Memories - BoobieMilk £10 gift voucher - Shoshanah Cohen

Preschool Mum - BreastVest nursing vest - Mo Ade

Preschoolmum - Emma-Jane nursing top- Gemma Clark

Slugs & Snail - BreastVest nursing vest- Vivienne Carey

Slugs & Snail - Emma-Jane nursing top- Kelly Jo Walters

Diddle Diddle Dumpling - BoobieMilk £10 gift voucher- Sarah Rider

Sorry About The Mess - Freeva Cloth Nappy - Rebecca Mpb Phillips

Mummy 2 Boyz - BreastVest nursing vest- Sarah May

Mummy Memories - BoobieMilk £10 gift voucher- Robyn Logan

Family Fever - BreastVest nursing vest- Stephanie Cheung-Tsang, 

Congratulations everyone, and please watch out for an email from the bloggers, me (karen.mccully@gmail.com) or the company involved.

Keep Britain Breastfeeding Day 7 Round-Up

Here are all the amazing posts from day 7 of the Keep Britain Breastfeeding Internet Scavenger Hunt 2014.  The theme today was breastfeeding myths.

BLOG POSTS

Exposing Breastfeeding Myths - Family Fever + win a Theraline Wynnie Nursing Pillow

I Made A Baby Breastfeeding! - Mummies Waiting

Benefits of Breastfeeding - Hex Mum

Mytha About Breastfeeding That Almost Had Me Going - Attachment Feminism

Extended Breastfeeding:  Am I Damaging My Child? - Visit From The Stork

Breastfeeding Misinformation and Popular Breastfeeding Myths - Sorry About The Mess

My Thoughts on Things - Low Supply

Book Review: How You Were Born & You, Me & the Breast - My Thoughts on Things + win copies of the books from Pinter & Martin

Busting Myths About Breastfeeding - A Baby On Board

Ongoing Additional Competitions - until at least 29/06/14

My Decision to Breastfeed - PreSchoolMum + a BreastVest nursing vest competition!

The Benefits of Breastfeeding - Slugs and Snail + an Emma-Jane nursing T-shirt competition

Top Breastfeeding Tips - Mummy Memories + Win £10 to spend at Boobiemilk

What You Don't Need For Brestfeeding - Diddle Diddle Dumpling + Win £10 to spend at Boobiemilk

Top 10 Breastfeeding Tips - Belle Du Brighton + Win a Plushy Moon Nursing Pillow from Theraline

The Importance of Breastfeeding Support - Keep Up With The Jones Family + Win a Theraline Plushy Moon Nursing Pillow

Why I Decided To Breastfeed - My Little L + a BabyBeads Competition

Win an ARDO Breastfeeding set including pump and accessories - Mummy is A Gadget Geek

Breastfeeding Beyond A Year: (Or My Breasts, My Baby, My Business) - Keep Up With The Jones Family + a Thrupenny Bits Nursing Cover competition

Breastfeeding and Birth Books For Children - Review and Giveaway - Circus Queen + Pinter & Martin competition

Why I Decided To Breastfeed - My Little L + win a Nursing Necklace from Baby Beads

Exposing Breastfeeding Myths - Family Fever + win a Theraline Wynnie Nursing Pillow

Book Review: How You Were Born & You, Me & the Breast - My Thoughts on Things + win copies of the books from Pinter & Martin


COUPON CODES

Baby Beads UK -  KBB2014 for 15% off. No minimum order, free uk delivery

Pinter & Martin - Save 25% using code KBBF25

Close Parent - Save 20% on their new washable breastpads and 15% on Caboo + organic carriers.

Cantaloop - Save 20% on the Cantaloop Seamless Nursing Bra using this link

Visit From The Stork - 10% off using code KBBF2014

Milk & Mummy - 10% off until June 26th

Blazing Needles - 20% off using code KBBF2014

Feed Me Mummy - 20% off using code KBB2014

Blissful Things - 10% off using code KBBF2014 (free delivery if you spend over £50)

BreastVest - Save 20% on their nursing vests by using code KBBF20

ARDO Breastpumps - Save £25 on the Calypso single pump using code CALYPSO100 (I also see on the website they have nipple cream on special offer too)

Monkey Mama Necklaces - 10% off with code KBBF2014

Freeva - 14% off using code KBBF14

The Mother Magazine - 20% off subscriptions using code keepbritainbreastfeeding

BoobieMilk - FLASH Sale with 25% off using code KBBF on June 25th and 26th 8pm-10pm

Guest Post: Susan from SBM Artwork shares her breastfeeding experiences

Breastfeeding for me.

My journey started with difficulty. After an emergency caesarean and being quite unwell after surgery my little one slept for days. Once he woke we realised quite soon that he had a full thickness tongue tie (from back to tip). He fed amazingly putting on 1lb a week and not losing any birth weight.... But he ripped me to shreds! I got support, he had the tie divided (although he still has one which I find cute as so do I and his sister). I ended up with infection and several abscesses which I ended up in hospital with. Several times consultants and my GP advised stopping breastfeeding but this seemed to conflict with everything I knew and felt about breastfeeding. I found that breastfeeding actually got me through all of that. The bond I had with my son not only made all of the physical difficulties of the caesarean and the infection something that I felt I had to get through, but it helped me get through them. The hormones released when feeding can help with the bond as well as with physical and emotional healing as discussed by the La Leche League.

Which boy did I need!

I lost most of my supply in the affected left breast and spent the remainder of that year feeding my son mainly from the right side. Yes I was lopsided for a while which horrified me but evened out eventually!

When my son was 22 months old I had my daughter in a more natural manner avoiding an unwanted repeat caesarean. Breastfeeding went well and although she too had a tongue tie it was much less of one and did not cause any issues. Both breasts had a good supply this time and I am proud to report that she self weaned at just over 3 years of age. 

Breastfeeding, pregnancy, birth and motherhood inspire much of my artwork. As does feminine strength, vulnerability and power. Not everyone wants or is able to Breastfeed for one reason or another and I do feel that recognising individual need and choice is so very important in maternal health. However, I also feel that our culture, recent history and formula marketing as well as our individualised way of living lends itself to a much more difficult society for breastfeeding. One of the key elements in my own breastfeeding journey has been support. Without the support of my husband, mother and good friends it would actually have been a very different journey.

Much love

Susan xx

In 2012 Susan decided to start exhibiting her work and step further into the world of Art. Two years on and she has had illustrations published in two children’s books, a street art video made, exhibited in several beautiful venues, and had book covers, sketches and paintings commissioned. During the rest of 2014 she has several more books to illustrate and a new animation project for a singer/songwriter.

Susan has promised an original illustration for the winner of the Keep Britain Breastfeeding Scavenger Hunt. 
If you’ve been looking for the Keep Britain Breastfeeding Logo you have found it!  Below you will find links to other bloggers and companies that are involved in the hunt this year and the rafflecopter which you can use to gain entries towards being eligible to win the £1000 worth of breastfeeding and baby goodies.

ARDO Breastpumps Blog

Charlotte Keating Blog 

JJ Jiraffe Blog Post

Eats On Feets UK Blog Post

Buy illustrations and artwork from Susan Merrick

SBM Artwork

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Keep Britain Breastfeeding Day 6 Round-Up Breastfeeding Over A Year

Here are all the amazing posts from day 6 of the Keep Britain Breastfeeding Internet Scavenger Hunt 2014.  The theme today was breastfeeding beyond one year with tonnes of great posts about tandem nursing as well. 

BLOG POSTS & ADDITIONAL COMPETITIONS

Guest Post Vicky from JJ Jiraffe Shares her Breastfeeding Experiences - Breastfeeding in England

Breastfeeding Beyond a Year, Um Yes, Well Beyond! - Attachment Mummy

Why I Decided To Breastfeed - My Little L + a BabyBeads Competition

Breastfeeding Through Pregnancy and Beyond - My Thoughts on Things

We're Pregnant Again - Mummies Waiting

The Logostics of Tandem Nursing - Diddle Diddle Dumpling

Choosing a Breastpump - Mummy is A Gadget Geek

Win an ARDO Breastfeeding set including pump and accessories - Mummy is A Gadget Geek

Breastfeeding Toddlers and Beyond: Not As Weird As You Might Think - Mixed Bag of All Sorts

Breastfeeding Beyond A Year: (Or My Breasts, My Baby, My Business) - Keep Up With The Jones Family + a Thrupenny Bits Nursing Cover competition

Tandem Feeding 2 Children Beyond the First Year - Sorry About The Mess

Tandem Breastfeeding: The Early Months - Circus Queen

Breastfeeding and Birth Books For Children - Review and Giveaway - Circus Queen + Pinter & Martin competition

Breastfeeding in Public - My Baby Boy and Me

Breastfeeding Beyond a Year - We're Going On An Adventure

I (Almost) Did It: Nursing Beyond A Year - Attachment Feminism

Breastfeeding Past A Year - Belle Du Brighton

Breastfeeding Beyond A Year: Completely Normal - TalkMum

COUPON CODES

Baby Beads UK -  KBB2014 for 15% off. No minim order, free uk delivery

Pinter & Martin - Save 25% using code KBBF25

Close Parent - Save 20% on their new washable breastpads and 15% on Caboo + organic carriers.

Cantaloop - Save 20% on the Cantaloop Seamless Nursing Bra using this link

Visit From The Stork - 10% off using code KBBF2014

Milk & Mummy - 10% off until June 26th

Blazing Needles - 20% off using code KBBF2014

Feed Me Mummy - 20% off using code KBB2014

Blissful Things - 10% off using code KBBF2014 (free delivery if you spend over £50)

BreastVest - Save 20% on their nursing vests by using code KBBF20

ARDO Breastpumps - Save £25 on the Calypso single pump using code CALYPSO100 (I also see on the website they have nipple cream on special offer too)

Monkey Mama Necklaces - 10% off with code KBBF2014

Freeva - 14% off using code KBBF14

The Mother Magazine - 20% off subscriptions using code keepbritainbreastfeeding

BoobieMilk - FLASH Sale with 25% off using code KBBF on June 25th and 26th 8pm-10pm

Guest Post : Vicky talks about her breastfeeding experiences

Vicky from JJ Jiraffe shares her breastfeeding journey for the Keep Britain Breastfeeding Internet Scavenger Hunt.

My son was born in december 2010 after a rather quick induced labour. He wasnt fussed on nursing straight away and 8h later we were back home.

Nursing started out great, after failing to feed sucesfully with my 2 older daughters this time was a breeze, no sore/cracked nipples and we both settled into a routine of on-demand feeding.  He lost 10% of his birth weight which took around 3 weeks to build back up and he was slow to gain weight, my lovely HV didnt seem concerned and offered comments like 'breastfed babies are usually slower to gain weight' & 'He seems happy & healthy and reaching his milestones'.

Around 4m we went to the GP for a something or other & thats when everything changed. My GP suggested he was 'starving' and not gaining weight fast enough. By this time he was 2.5lb heavier than his birth weight of 8lb.  Suddenly being made to feel like a failure but determined to continue breast feeding, while waiting for an appointment with the hospital I spoke to a lovely lady at La Leche League who checked for a tongue tie, checked his latch & showed me alternative feeding positions to try. We spoke about using donated milk and about using a supplemental feeder.

I remember that moment I walked into the hospital appointment like it was yesterday, I fully expected to be told I HAD to formula feed. I was surprised when the consultant reassured me that he was pro-breastfeeding and would support my as best he could.
I was told he was 'failing to thrive' & I would have to feed a high calorie formula suppliment or he would be admitted, I was told my milk wasnt enough for him but I was re-assured that I could continue to breastfeed.

We bought bottles, a steriliser etc but little man was having none of it, he refused all the bottles we tried (we tried them all) wanted boob and nothing else. I remembered what the lady from LLL had told me and searched the web for a Supplimental Feeder, I stumbled across a lady offering to pass hers on to someone who needed it & I contacted her. The SNS arrived 2 or 3 days later along with a letter explaining how to use it.  I started using it the same day, it was a little cumbersome to start with as there are 2 tubes, one that has to be directed right so it doesn’t leak milk while the other tube has to be placed about a 1/4 of an inch extending past the nipple while the baby suckles. Its a little tricky to get the tube to lay right on the nipple while also getting baby latched on, especially with a larger bust. Even with taping the tube down it still took a while to perfect but as time has went on it got easier to use untill it became second nature. I attached little man to suckle then slipped the tube into the corner of his mouth, about half way through the feed I lifted the bottle above my nipple so that the formula could flow using gravity & babys suckle. I ordered 2 more from the USA that were a single tube, these were easier to take out & about with us as they attached directly to the little glass bottles of Infitrini that we had been prescribed which was a great help.

We carried on like that for 5 months, when we went out a SNS came too along with a bottle of formula. The staff at the hospital had seen nothing like it & it became a bit of a talking point, when people asked I showed them how it worked & explained why I chose to use it. My only regret was not using one sooner. Little man decided to self wean off the breast at 9 months old, by which time he was back up to a healthy weight & had been signed off from consultant care, at that stage he was only feeding from me at night & he simply started sleeping through.

SNS takes practice, patience and understanding of how it works to get the desired results but they are worth every penny & I would do the same again in a heartbeat.

Vicky is the lovely owner at JJ Jiraffe who makes childrens clothing, blankees, pram and baby accessories.
Cloth nappy friendly & made to measure clothing.
Liners and footmuffs to suit any pram, pushchair, special needs buggy or wheelchair.

Here is a picture of some of her work -

 There are some newborn baggies and a tee up for grabs for the Keep Britain Breastfeeding Winner

Here is the Keep Britain Breastfeeding Logo!  You now have the chance to enter to win over £1000 worth of breastfeeding and baby goodies.  Use the rafflecopter at the end of this post to claim your entries.  Each entry goes towards your eligibility for the main prize, you need a total of 50 entries and each tweet, like and comment brings you one entry closer.

Here are some of the other bloggers involved -

Hex Mum

We're Going On An Adventure

Like Tomorrow

Visit From The Stork

Attachment Feminism

JJ Jiraffe

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Keep Britain Breastfeeding Day 5 Round-Up: Pumping

Here are all the amazing posts from day 5 of the Keep Britain Breastfeeding Internet Scavenger Hunt 2014.  The theme today was pumping. 

BLOG POSTS & ADDITIONAL COMPETITIONS

Top Tips For Expressing - ARDO Breastpumps

Informal Milk Sharing:  Fiona's Story - Eats On Feets via Breastfeeding in England

Breastmilk Pumping - Family Fever

The World's Secret Breastfeeding Community - Like Tomorrow

All Hands To The Pump - Keep Up With The Jones Family

Pump Pump Pump It Up - Mummies Waiting

One Milk Bank For Scotland - Diddle Diddle Dumpling

The Importance of Breastfeeding Support - Mummy Is A Gadget Geek

Happy Breastfeeding Memories - Princess Poets Life Adventures

Breastmilk Donation, Use & Storage - My Thoughts on Things

Breast Milk Pumping - Slugs and Snails

COUPON CODES

Pinter & Martin - Save 25% using code KBBF25

Close Parent - Save 20% on their new washable breastpads and 15% on Caboo + organic carriers.

Cantaloop - Save 20% on the Cantaloop Seamless Nursing Bra using this link

Visit From The Stork - 10% off using code KBBF2014

Milk & Mummy - 10% off until June 26th

Blazing Needles - 20% off using code KBBF2014

Feed Me Mummy - 20% off using code KBB2014

Blissful Things - 10% off using code KBBF2014 (free delivery if you spend over £50)

BreastVest - Save 20% on their nursing vests by using code KBBF20

ARDO Breastpumps - Save £25 on the Calypso single pump using code CALYPSO100 (I also see on the website they have nipple cream on special offer too)

Monkey Mama Necklaces - 10% off with code KBBF2014

Freeva - 14% off using code KBBF14

The Mother Magazine - 20% off subscriptions using code keepbritainbreastfeeding

BoobieMilk - FLASH Sale with 25% off using code KBBF on June 25th and 26th 8pm-10pm

Informal Milk Sharing: Fiona’s story - #KBBF2014

When I was growing up breastfeeding was pretty foreign to me. In fact I didn't see a woman breastfeed until I was 14. Babies were bottle fed with formula. It's just the way it was.

When I had my first baby I was going to bottle feed because well... that's just the way it was, plus my family were anti breastfeeding and I was only 17. When I had my baby via emergency C-section, I was offered to have a try at breastfeeding. The instinct I had after my son was born was so strong that I didn't hesitate. 15 years later, I'm pregnant with my 5^th baby and still breastfeeding my 4^th. My family still doesn't get the whole breastfeeding thing but my husband and I don't care what they think. I'm providing the best nutrients for my baby, plus breastfeeding isn't all about food. It's also about providing warmth, comfort and safety.

A few years back my doula asked if I would like to donate some breastmilk to a mumma in need that just had her baby and her milk was taking a while to come in. I didn't hesitate. I believe all babies should have access to breastmilk. They don't call it liquid gold for nothing. 

I really didn't give much thought to donating after that. I mean, who would I give it to?!

Then one day a mumma posted on a natural parenting site on Facebook that she was desperate for breastmilk for her baby boy. I replied with a few other ladies, and the day was saved. Turns out it was the sister of the mumma I previously donated to...small world!

Then a whole new world opened up...Eats on Feets! I couldn't believe it, a whole community dedicated to milk sharing. What a fantastic concept! It makes me smile seeing all the milky mummas helping out and all the mummas loving their babies and sourcing out such goodness.

Milk sharing is normal. It's been happening for as long as humans have existed!

Milk sharing is safe,

It's perfect,

It's love!

Written by Fiona Hunter-Thain

For more info check out our website

To join your local milk sharing community find us on Facebook

This post is part of the Keep Britain Breastfeeding InternetScavenger Hunt 2014.  If you’ve been looking for the Keep Britain Breastfeeding Logo you have found it!  Below you will find links to other bloggers and companies that are involved in the hunt this year and the rafflecopter which you can use to gain entries towards being eligible to win the £1000 worth of breastfeeding and baby goodies.

  

Mummy Memories

Sorry About The Mess

My Little L

Circus Queen

My Baby Boy and Me

The lovely Coastal Path Creations have donated a gummy necklace and bangle for the Main Prize Winner!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Keep Britain Breastfeeding Day 4 Round-Up Nursing in Public and Funny Breastfeeding Stories

Here are all the amazing posts from day 4 of the Keep Britain Breastfeeding Internet Scavenger Hunt 2014.  The theme today was positive nursing in public or funny breastfeeding stories.  There are a few LOL moments in this great list of posts for today.

BLOG POSTS & ADDITIONAL COMPETITIONS

Best Bits for Breastfeeding - Edspire

Breastfeeding In Public - Mummy To Boyz  + a BreastVest Competition 

Positive Nursing In Public Experiences and Funny Stories - Life With Pink Princesses

Guest Post: Positively Normal -  Attachment Mummy

Nursing In Public: It's Not All Bad - My Thoughts On Things

The Day The Men Probably Burnt Their Tongues - Mummies Waiting

5 Tips for Confidently Nursing in Public - Diddle Diddle Dumpling

My First Nursing in Public Situation - Breastfeeding in England 

Breastfeeding Is Dangerous (or, the day I shot a man) - Keep Up With The Jones Family

I Remember (A Series of Memories of Breastfeeding in Public) - Sorry About The Mess

Positive Experiences of Nursing In Public - We're Going On An Adventure + a BreastVest Competition

The Importance of Nursing In Public - Attachment Feminism



COUPON CODES





Cantaloop - Save 20% on the Cantaloop Seamless Nursing Bra using this link

Visit From The Stork - 10% off using code KBBF2014

Milk & Mummy - 10% off until June 26th

Blazing Needles - 20% off using code KBBF2014

Feed Me Mummy - 20% off using code KBB2014

Blissful Things - 10% off using code KBBF2014 (free delivery if you spend over £50)

BreastVest - Save 20% on their nursing vests by using code KBBF20

ARDO Breastpumps - Save £25 on the Calypso single pump using code CALYPSO100 (I also see on the website they have nipple cream on special offer too)

Monkey Mama Necklaces - 10% off with code KBBF2014

Freeva - 14% off using code KBBF14

The Mother Magazine - 20% off subscriptions using code keepbritainbreastfeeding

BoobieMilk - FLASH Sale with 25% off using code KBBF on June 25th and 26th 8pm-10pm 

My First Nursing in Public Situation

I’m a pretty confident person.  I don’t get embarrassed very easily, especially after giving birth in a US hospital with about ten strangers in the room in addition to my husband, mother and midwife.  However, having a baby is life changing and all of  a sudden I had this whole other person completely dependent on me for his safety and nourishment.

My most memorable nursing in public experience happened in a very public place when William was very little.  It was one of the first times I had to feed in public and I was on my own outside of the house for the first time.  My brother was visiting during my 12 weeks maternity leave in the States and I was picking him up from the Baltimore Washington International Airport.  I’d been there a million times, knew the best place to park and where I could sit and exactly how long ot would take him to get through customs.  I still managed to get there early as in the past I usually had to rush from work but  this time I’d had all day to get ready (it takes that long).  William was in his sling but I’d had a horrible episiotomy and I couldn’t stand for too long.  I wanted my Brother to find me easily so I sat down in front of the automatic doors that poured arrivals out into the terminal so that we could welcome him as soon as he came through the door.

The other people in the terminal waiting for their relatives to arrive loved seeing baby William and he was a very happy and cute baby.  That is until he got hungry.  I’ve never had a baby that does all those feeding cues that are talked about.  I’ve seen them on other babies, taught parents how to recognise them even.  William only had one cue, crying.  As soon as he started to cry everyone around me had an opinion, and everyone told me that my baby was hungry and that I should feed him.

So, I was alone, a little vulnerable as a first time mum, just given birth with a painful tear (I felt like everything would fall out every time I stood up) and I had never fed in public on my own before.  We also had huge latch issues and William hadn’t gone near my breast for the first few weeks of life after being suctioned at birth so we were still learning and it took some effort to get a good latch.

I hadn’t practised, I hadn’t done anything that I had been advising for years to do in such a circumstance.  I wasn’t prepared, I had barely managed to shower that morning in preparation of our trip out.  I panicked, I went bright red in the face and tried to calm William which didn’t work.  I did have a blanket with me so I thought that I could use it as a cover, so I tucked it under my bra strap.  William hated it.  I spent 5 minutes wrestling with him before abandoning the blanket and yes, I showed a bit more skin than I wanted to but we had a successful feed and everyone was happy that the crying had stopped.  It was at that moment that the doors opened and 200 people arrived in the terminal and the first thing they saw was my boob.

I overcame my fear of breastfeeding in public pretty quickly, we didn’t look back and we fed everywhere – on the plane, at the zoo, at my American citizen swearing in ceremony, at the supermarket, in the mall, in front of my family, at the beach, in the pool!  Practise makes perfect.

This post is part of the Keep Britain Breastfeeding InternetScavenger Hunt 2014.  If you’ve been looking for the Keep Britain Breastfeeding Logo you have found it!  Below you will find links to other bloggers and companies that are involved in the hunt this year and the rafflecopter which you can use to gain entries towards being eligible to win the £1000 worth of breastfeeding and baby goodies.

Diddle Diddle Dunpling

Mummy is a Gadget Geek

The Mummy Adventure

A Mixed Bag of All Sorts

Keep Up With The Jones Family

Monkey Mama Necklaces

a Rafflecopter giveaway