Got Milk? Breastfeeding in Public

I think as long as you are discreet about it it's fine- I don't think you should have to leave the area or go to a bathroom etc to nurse but in the same note, you can generally cover yourself enough while doing it too. There are bathing suits and tops that show WAY more skin than nursing would!

I never felt ashamed or that I was making a spectacle when nursing my girls in public.
Penelope and I are experts on nursing in public after this trip to visit family when she was a month old. We nursed in the airport, on the plane, at the zoo, in stores... hehe I felt very happy and confident that I could just grab a couple diapers and go with our relatives...I didn't worry about where I'd nurse her or if she'd be able to eat enough.

I'm of the whip it out variety. I do however look for tables or benches where I can turn my back towards the room for latch on, and have used fitting rooms in stores while shopping.

Oddly enough,the only public place I have ever encountered someone who was noticably upset about my nursing was at the family waiting room at Babies R Us . There was an older guy watching TV and I came in to nurse my son. When he realised what I was doing he rolled his eyes and made a big production out of moving to the other side of the room.

I have a line all ready to go if I am ever hinted at to go to the rest room to nurse. "Wow, this place has permission from the health inspector to serve food in the bathroom?"

[Rapunzel]

I've breastfed all four of my children (twins included) and plan to breastfeed this one as well.

I have definitely breastfed in public but I do believe in doing so discreetly. It helps to: practice at home in front of a mirror, make sure your clothing is geared towards the activity of bf, and try not to make a big deal of it yourself (ie don't fuss over the baby and make a production number over draping yourself, continue having a conversation or whatever activity you were participating in prior to getting the baby latched on).

Definitely the most difficult babies to nurse discreetly are the very, very young ones that might have problems with their sucking reflex in the beginning as well as the older babies that want to do the "suck, look behind them, suck, look behind them" cycle. When I have an older baby that wants to look and nurse, I generally decide to try breastfeeding later. If the baby really is hungry he/she will get pretty upset when mom battens down the hatches. After doing this a few times my kids all got the hint and started *quickly* taking care of their hunger and then interacting with the world around afterwards.

I do try very hard to not "flash" anyone when I'm nursing. I feel very private about my body and I try to keep it that way. Now, if someone around me is uncomfortable about the very idea that I'm breastfeeding (albeit discreetly) then they just have to get over it - that gets into their own pscyhological "issues".

I am really bothered by the hyper-sexualization of breasts in our culture. Perhaps this is borne of decades of breastfeeding being shunned in our society so only one aspect of the dual nature of breasts was emphasized (ie the sexual aspect)? It's like the general public forgets that mammary glands are primarily, hello!, for feeding babies!

Jennifer

I'm trying to figure out how to deal with this issue since I am breastfeeding and starting to get out of the house more. So far the baby's been asleep when we're out but I know the time will come when she needs to eat. I plan to use the mother's lounge at Nordstrom but I don't know where else I will go - I guess Starbucks?! I should practice in front of a mirror to get my technique down in advance. Also, I'm not sure how I feel about nursing in our apartment in front of our guy friends...any thoughts?

Practicing in front of a mirror helps. It's hard when they are so little and need some help getting on. In another month or two, it will probably seem a lot more automatic. I think those big cushy chairs at Starbucks are nice because you can kind of sink into them and be a little less exposed.
I like to use the flannel receiving blankets because they "stick" a little to clothes whereas the smoother finish ones slide off. (IMO)
In warmer weather, parks and playgrounds are good spots too.

Jill, Do you have a Baby Gap at your mall? Some of the larger Baby Gap's have a lounge area in the back of the store for breastfeeding.

While I realize this one has been going on for a long time, I can't help but chime in. I'm totally in the "whip it out" camp (discreetly, of course). Neither of my boys EVER accepted a blanket over their heads, and it just made everything more difficult. I wore baggy shirts and was careful, and while I got a few dirty looks, it never caused a huge commotion.

As far as public places that have designated areas: Nordstroms has a mom's room with changing table, couches, etc. God knows we never SHOPPED there, but we sure spent a lot of time at Nordstroms. BabiesRUs also usually has a little room, as does Ikea. I've never been in a Baby Gap w/space for it, but we only have one in the area.

[SueC]

With the first baby (when I was way more self conscious) I asked sales clerks at department stores if I could use a dressing room to nurse and they were always very accomodating. That's another option if you can't find a women's lounge and want to nurse in private.

I am glad to find that most people that identify themselves as being in the "whip it out" category still try to do so discreetly. Although I have not had children yet and I will plan on breasfeeding, I still believe that you can publicly breastfeed without making others uncomfortable. I must say that while waitressing a few times some women made my job very uncomfortable. I have no problem with that act of breast feeding, but I do have felt very uneasy when someone has their breast fully exposed consistently for long periods of time while I am trying to do my job. I beg that they just try to be discreet! A flash every once in a while is acceptable, but life is not just one big topless beach.