September 15, 2004

Those Who Give a Hoot

Bludgeoned senseless with the message that breastfeeding is the best thing we could ever do for our babies, some of us are still at a loss as to how to make peace with letting it all hang out whenever the wee one needs a snack. For those of us who still balk over the full frontal nudity clause in our Good Mother contract, Hooter Hiders are here.

Helping us to keep our modesty intact, this new item is available in fun fabrics, folds up compactly, and easily fits into just about any size diaper bag. It also eliminates the need to purchase a wardrobe of specially-designed nursing tops; can serve as a light blanket in a pinch, and can be draped across the front of the stroller to protect baby from the sun. To top it all off -- so to speak -- the terry cloth panel insert is perfect for cleaning up spit-up, drool, and other baby-related mishaps.

The garment -- if we can call it that -- was obviously designed by two Moms. Aimee Lagos and Claire Ekelund, each the wife of a professional soccer player, founded Hooter Hiders during playdates between their older children. They had previously found that attending games while nursing proved to be a hassle and, off-the-field, they were tired of having to leave social gatherings in order to feed Junior in privacy.

The contraption was dubbed Hooter Hiders by a male (surprise!) friend. So if the name conjures up images of a tacky Florida restaurant, so be it. Anything that helps make breastfeeding easier and has style to boot, sounds good to us.

Hooter Hiders are available online at hooterhiders.com.

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