What a Hoot?

There are plenty of tactics to get a busy editor's attention, but I gotta say, I wasn't expecting the email I got today from Bebe Au Lait. It was a press release about their fabulously stylish new product, The... wait for it.... "Hooter Hider." What!? Whoa, back up. That'll make my finger pause on the delete key.

Now I think anything that encourages women to feel comfortable about breastfeeding is probably a good thing. But for a $35 cape-y deal that's supposed to give the wearer a sense of chic, classy modesty... what an oxymoronic name! If it were some sort of ironic statement (or, perhaps, bright orange with an owl design) I might get it. As it is, I'm perplexed. What do you think, moms? Am I overreacting to a catchy name? Is the Hooter Hider something you'd consider buying?

I guess it does bring a whole new meaning to Hooters Girl...

Comments

[Janna]

OK... normally I'd be on your side here. But actually, my cousin just had a baby and she absolutely LOVES her Hooter Hider. She says that it makes breast feeding really easy and she thinks the designs are cute. So, i guess, to each her own!

[Ilisa]

This looks strangely similar to the (less scandalously named) Modest Mommy Cover, which we featured in Parents in the March 07 issue (As They Grow, Pregnancy & Birth) for $30 (modestmommycover.com.)...

[Kelly]

Okay... I'll admit it. I got one. With my first, I struggled to get the whole breast feeding thing. And in public? Heavens! I managed, somehow... but it was hard. He struggled nursing under a blanket, so I always had to find a private place. This time around, I knew that wasn't going to work. Then I came across "hooter hiders." Silly name, but a good product overall. I probably could have made it... but for 30 bucks I saved myslef the time and effort. I really like the stiff top - it makes it so you can look down at the baby or he can look at you. Anyway, I am hooked. It folds up easily, and makes the decision to feed the baby in public easy.

[Amanda]

I love it! I'm glad that it's actually very useful.. and I swear I'm really not a prude. Something just struck me as so funny about a classy coverup with the name hooters! :)

[Mary]

Seriously!! Do we really need to cover up to feed our children? I understand the first few months are more difficult, but once past that time is there really a need. My babies head covers up my "hooters" just fine, thank you very much. I can't think of a better way to make mothers ashamed of feeding their babies!

[laura_s]

i would buy a hooter hider because a) i dont want people to see mine in public and b) i enjoy the name.

[Becky]

I wouldn't use one because A. I refuse to hide to feed my child the natural way, and B. calling it a 'hooter hider' makes it seem almost dirty, by calling them hooters. Everyone knows about Hooters the restaurant and I don't really associate feeding my baby with something like that.
Different name, maybe. And the breastfeedign coverups are ok, as long as they get moms out in public nursing, its ok in my book. The name, however, is what irks me.

[Jim]

My wife (and all her friends) got them and they were awesome. Our town in the conservative midwest isn't a bastion of breastfeeding in public, though the local women's hospital (where all these ladies had their children) is doing its best to change that.

It really helped them and they had more women ask them about the product and breast feeding in general while feeding in public with the hooter hider. So, I think it actually helps to some extent.

My wife nursed our son in restaurants, at the mall, at plays and other shows... everywhere. And when approached by a pregnant mom who timidly inquired if she was nursing, she would respond in the affirmative. You could tell that these women had decided that they probably weren't going to breastfeed, but seeing the Hooter Hider was causing them to do an instant re-evaluation and after they talked probably were going to breastfeed their baby.

I think that's a positive thing.

[Liz from Cool Mom Picks]

While I have personally never used one (a receiving blanket works just fine for me), we have featured similar items on Cool Mom Picks and our readers love them. If it makes them more comfortable with the notion of public breastfeeding, then I say rock on, Hooter Hiders!

Also the name? Hilarious. I don't think we always have to take life - or our hooters - too seriously.

[Bridgette]

I bought one of these (under the name bebe au lait) and my friend ended up using it during her feeding times. She loved it and wished she would have bought one from the beginning. The stiff top lets you look down at your baby and the neck strap means you don't have to worry about the cover falling off while you reposition! Great idea, love it!