Breastfeeding Abroad

When I told people we were going abroad, I was told, “It’s so easy to breastfeed when you go away… no bottles, sterilisers etc…just boob”

Oh how I wish this was the case for us – except it wasn’t! If I was exclusively breastfeeding it would be straightforward and one less thing to think about in the chaos of going on holiday.

I express so that baby can take a nightly bottle from his dad at the 10.30/11pm feed. So the feeding stuff plus a breast pump was needed. Arguably you could ditch the steriliser for cold water sterilising or a microwave (if you’ve got MAM bottles). Fortunately the hotel we stayed in had a microwave and steriliser so there were two things off my list to pack! I normally pack the kitchen sink, I didn’t fancy on packing the microwave too!

[For more on our First Family Holiday take a peek at my blog]

Like lots of mums, I fretted about feeding on holiday amongst the other pre-holiday stresses. My feeding-related worries included feeding in swimwear (would it be difficult? what if I leak? where will I feed?); feeding in the heat (how would baby cope with the heat? Would my milk alone be enough? Would I need to give him water?); and what other people may think.

Even though we have holidayed on numerous occasions in the past, this was unchartered territory for me and, of course, for baby George! So like any mother, I did the one thing I knew I could do to feel slightly prepared…I Googled until the cows came home!

Despite the pre-holiday anxiety, the reality was not as I expected and it’s covered in this blog. Hopefully it will allay some fears that a fellow breastfeeding mum may encounter and, if anything, save some time on Google.

Feeding in Public
Having tackled public feeding for the first time when George was 2 weeks old, and conquering it numerous times since, I wasn’t daunted about feeding in places where I would be clothed, I.e. in the airport or on the plane. Luckily we flew with an airline who doesn’t have a policy on requesting feeding covers for breastfeeding mums! Wow. So in the comfort of my seat I fed George without a hitch.

There was one extra element that made feeding whilst travelling a breeze: a MilkyTee shirt. I had bought one to wear especially for the occasion of travelling – two words: ABSOLUTE GAMECHANGER! I only wish I had invested in one of these accessible tops before #NotAnAd #genuinelyuseful

Although the evening feed was typically done in the room before heading for dinner, George sometimes wakes for a top-up, which meant feeding in a seat in the hotel foyer/bar/general area so having accessible evening clothes was also a must. (I’ve posted a few of my holiday outfits on my Instagram)

So with one element of public feeding sorted! The remaining and majority of feeding involved a lot less clothing and being surrounded by other holidaymakers; a prospect that I was not confident about.

My first afternoon poolside, I sat under a parasol in my swimwear and anxiously scanned the area for any glaring looks as I fed George. To my relief, I didn’t spot a single sideways glance or prolonged stare and I could feel the tension in my body melt away.

This wasn’t just a one-off, it was my experience for the entire week of our stay. Perhaps it’s because it was a family resort that no one batted an eyelid (?); regardless I was happy to be feeding at ease and enjoying my holiday.

The Heat
If you know us or have read some of my other blogs and Instagram posts you will know that George is a baby of routine – for feeding and sleeping – and has been since around 6 weeks old. I was already aware that during periods of hot weather baby will want to feed more. However as I hadn’t experienced this in practice, I prepared myself mentally and took his feeding patterns with a pinch of salt. He still got fed at his normal times (adjusted slightly to account for the time difference) and because there was only an hour time difference I had the choice of keeping his routine to UK times or adjusting slightly. Purely on the basis that his last feed of the night would be pushed a bit late, we decided to shift the routine by half an hour.

As mentioned this was far from a military operation and, although baby still fed at his normal times, I observed his cues and responded when he seemed hungry – he definitely fed much more than normal!
So prepare to be flexible and respond to your little one to avoid them becoming dehydrated or getting sun stroke.

Swimwear
I should begin with stating that because of the nature of swimwear material there is no need to worry about leaking. (This may sound obvious but this was one of my genuine concerns – I’m not naturally blonde honest!) However I did wear breastpads to breakfast just to save my swimwear a little.

The main question that comes into my head when choosing my outfits nowadays is ‘can I feed in it?’. Selecting my swimwear was no exception and I took different types of swimwear to try:

Structured bikini
String halterneck bikini
Halterneck bikini / tankini
One piece

Their ‘feedability’ and general feedback is summarised below:

The structured bikini – this used to be my go-to choice for swimwear pre-baby and pre-pregnancy, as my assets were on the small side: so any structure and boost was appreciated. Although this isn’t quite the case now that I’m breastfeeding, I was hardly bursting out and the assets were contained. Scoring points for looks, but feeding in this wasn’t quite as attractive. Short of having to take off the bikini top completely, I was able to fold down the cup, which made it a bit less accessible for baby and not exactly comfortable.
The string halterneck bikini – I probably felt the most exposed in this swimsuit (lots of string, so not huge coverage) but this was by far the easiest to feed in! Simply slide the triangle of cloth aside and – hey presto! – full access! Whilst still maintaining a bit of modesty when baby pulls away, as it’s just as quick to slide back into place. This type of swimwear may not be the best option for mums with larger assets, as I did feel more exposed and at times would inadvertently flash a bit of side-boob or under-boob.
The halterneck bikini/tankini – I had both a bikini and tankini with wider straps that tied into a halterneck – access is quick and easy, like the string bikini, although you do run the risk of stretching the material if the cups are attached to a band. The upside with this type of swimwear, versus the string one, is that it is more supportive and modest, especially the tankini. So if your body confidence is not great, the tankini gives some extra coverage.
The one piece – great for modesty and relatively easy to slide off a strap to lift out a breast or you could pull the material down to expose but this would definitely stretch the swimsuit. For me, I felt exposed during the feed as baby has a tendency to pull off abruptly after feeding and I was left flustered trying to quickly pull the strap up to maintain my modesty. I only ended up wearing this once!

So the winners for me and by far the best experience for feeding and overall look/comfort were the halterneck bikini and tankini!! Great for ease of access whilst still allowing me to feel supported and confident!

My experience of breastfeeding abroad was a very positive one; with it being so much more relaxing and laid back than I had envisioned !!
So I encourage mums to be proud of your body – even if you may not feel it – a body that has carried a child is a beautiful one! If you’re breastfeeding then doing it on holidays should certainly not create additional stress and don’t forget you are on holiday too – enjoy it! 🙂

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