Breastfeeding and Hiking

One of my main concerns when I started hiking with my baby was how I would go about feeding him when we were out on the trail.

Turns out, the biggest obstacle I had to overcome was my own self doubt.

In this post, I'll share a few tips on how I got comfortable and confident breastfeeding out on our hikes.

Feeding at the trailhead

When I arrived at the trailhead, I got all my stuff ready to go. Including baby.

Before putting on my final layer (if winter hiking) I would feed my son before we got out of the car. That way I knew I would have at least 90 mins (mostly in the first few weeks) before he might want another feed.

A lot of the time he would fall asleep after feeding and he slept happily in the carrier for the majority of the hike.

Breastfeeding friendly clothes and nursing bras

At the beginning I didn't have any nursing friendly tops to wear, so I wore a loose fitted wool/synthetic t-shirt or long sleeved top that I could easily pull up. I always wore these nursing bras .

I found them so comfortable and easy to pull to the side, no clips or buttons and they still gave enough support for out hiking.

During the summer months when I was just wearing a t-shirt, I brought a flannel shirt with me to put on over and give me a little more coverage. It's what I felt comfortable doing.

If I felt I didn't need it, I used it to sit on.

In the winter, my jacket covered my sides and kept the wind from getting in at me.

There's a good variety of nursing friendly tops available but my favourite merino wool ones are here .

Finding somewhere to sit or squat

As I mentioned above, I could use my flannel to cover the ground or just sit on the grass, tree stumps or logs.

I always carry a black plastic trash bag in my backpack or carry bag. I've used this on the ground to sit on if it's raining or snowy, or on wet logs etc. It's light and you can have it packed in a little pocket somewhere. Seriously, it's really useful!

Use your raincoat if you have it packed with you.

Backpacks make a great seat, too!

I usually step off the trail just a little, especially if it's busy, to give me more privacy.

And hey, if you got good mobility, squatting works a charm :)

Pumping/storing breastmilk

I was exclusively pumping for the first 3 weeks but I managed to get out and about on some hikes. It just took a little extra planning!

I would usually pump and feed before leaving the house. I had small stash built in my fridge (not much, maybe 4oz).

After feeding a bottle and pumping at home, I'd put a bag from my extra stash in my cooler, along with a bottle and some spare milk storage bags.

I had a very small foldable cooler bag that I carried my spare milk and bottle in. I fed this out on the trail if I needed.

I had a small portable breast pump, I brought that too and could store the pump parts in a Ziplock bag in the cooler. It was there if I needed to pump again.

Luckily, I was able to get the hang of breastfeeding and no longer needed to pack my pump or spare milk.

I always did bring this hand pump with me, though. I would just keep it in the car.

Sometimes my son napped longer than usual or fed less and so I found the hand pump to be really useful for those times when I was full and uncomfortable.

Give yourself plenty of time

Your usual 30 minute hike will probably take more planning and time. Don't let the fear of it not going to plan put you off.

My best advice is to just go for it. Give yourself extra time. Try be as flexible as possible. You'll get the hang of it and the prep work becomes second nature :)