Breastfeeding in Public

How to Breastfeed Discreetly
is Easier Than You Think

Breastfeeding in public is likely something that every mom does at least once. Babies need to eat, and eat often because their tummies are small. Even when a mother plans her trips around feeding her baby there is a great chance that they will get hungry while away from home. Therefore don't feel bad if while waiting for your food at a restaurant you need to feed your baby or anywhere else in public.

One thing that people might tell you is nursing in public is fine, but make sure that you cover up. Well actually the baby covers the nipple while they are nursing and your shirt cover the top of the breast, something that shows when a woman wears a low cut shirt anyway. So before you drape a blanket over your shoulder to cover your baby keep in mind that this will be distracting to your baby, they will likely pull it down anyway, and it will act as an insulator causing this feeding session to become something that is rather hot and uncomfortable for your baby. Don't make your baby uncomfortable because someone else is uncomfortable with something like feeding your child, that is on them not you and certainly not your baby.

You should do what feel natural to you and what you feel comfortable doing. Planning ahead can limit the times that you have to nurse your baby in public but is not always an option. As stated before babies will want to nurse often out of hunger. Even when you are able to feed them right before you walk out the door, a short 20 minute car ride to the restaurant plus the 5 minutes you wait to be seated and the 10 minutes you wait to order your food, then another 10 minutes before your food arrives already has your baby looking forward to another meal in 15 minutes. Obviously a bit of multitasking, eating your meal while you discretely nurse your baby, is all you need to do to enjoy your meal and provide nutrients effectively for your baby. Don't think for a minute that in this scenario that you have to gobble your food up in 15 minutes, or eat for 15 minutes and then leave to nurse your baby in the car and return 20 minutes later to finish your food. First off you are taking the time to eat at a restaurant which means that you are paying extra money than if you were eating at your home, you are likely with family or friends and leaving would take away the time to visit with them, something you could do while nursing your baby at the table. There are many times when nursing in the car would be unfit due to cold or rainy weather, even nursing on a hot day outside can be unpleasant for a baby, and there is hardly the room you would have at a table in your car, and a parking lot is a public place so people would still be able to see you, like in the restaurant.

Never feed your baby in a bathroom to avoid feeding them around people, the only place that you could sit down is on a toilet and no one wants to eat a meal while they are sitting on a toilet and your baby is no exception.

When you are at home nurse in front of mirror a couple times to see exactly what you see, you'll discover that the second that you bring your baby to the breast, lift up your shirt and the baby latches on happens so fast that you see nothing. You can ask your partner to observe while you are nursing and see what they say they see if you do not have a large mirror that you can move. Breastfeeding in public is normal, anyone who thinks otherwise isn't normal.

Even when examined up close breastfeeding does not reveal your breast.