Today I am sharing an easy sewing project: a nursing cover. The hardest part of having a child for me has been breastfeeding. You would think that since it is the natural way to feed a child that it would come easily for everyone but it hasn't for me or many of my friends. Thank goodness for lactation consultants! The first 6 weeks with my daughter was so hard because I wasn't producing enough milk so I had to feed her + supplement with formula + pump at almost every feeding. Newborns eat 8-12 times a day so that was a lot of extra work! Basically I would get done with one feeding cycle and then have 30 minutes to an hour until it all started again. I almost gave up several times but it worked in the end. There are still bumps in the road but I am proud to say that I have made it almost 9 months and my goal is 1 year!
Some women are very comfortable nursing in public without a cover and I admire them. I am too shy for that though so a cover is essential for me. And my daughter is at the age where she is a distracted eater so sometimes I even use one when I am at home just to get her to focus on eating. I bought some adorable scarves on Etsy that could be used as nursing covers but they just didn't work for me because I couldn't see her and she often needed help latching in the beginning. I found that a nursing cover with a stiff piece at top was the way to go like one I have called the Udder Cover (seriously what is up with that product name...great product, terrible product name). It never occurred to me that I would be able to easily make one myself until I saw this tutorial and this tutorial.
I mostly followed the first tutorial but I used the second to help with the boning step because I was having trouble with that step on the first one. I think it was my brain not working that day because I think both tutorials are good.
The project only required a yard of fabric, coordinating thread, corset boning, and d rings so it was a cheap sew too. I got enough boning to make a ton more. One thing that I would change is the part with the boning sags a little and when I looked at my Udder Cover I noticed that the straps were overlapping with the edge of the boning instead of being right at the ends of the boning. I think making that minor change would help the boning to be supported a little bit more.
I have been at the sewing machine for most of my projects lately but my husband has been working on a project for the nursery that I hope to have finished soon and soon *fingers crossed* our bonus room will be getting a big makeover. The work was supposed to start at the beginning of April but contractors are always on their own time. I can't wait to be able to use that room again!
