Nursing in Public
Many new mothers worry about nursing in public. Breasts are usually seen as a sexual object in our country instead of for their natural purpose. There may be many mothers nursing in public, you just haven't noticed. Once you get the hang of it, you can breastfeed in public and no one will ever know.
Feeding your baby at the first signs of hunger will help maintain your milk supply and will attract less attention than if you wait until he starts crying. Here are some tips for nursing your baby in public.
Prepare before you leave home
- Wear an oversized T-shirt or sweatshirt you can pull up from the bottom, a fitted T-shirt with a loose button-front shirt over the top, or a shirt that you can unbutton from the bottom.
- Take a blanket to throw over your shoulder for extra
privacy.
- Wear your baby in a sling or front pack. This can be the easiest and most private way to breastfeed in public. Slings or front packs can be purchased inexpensively at resale shops and neighborhood garage sales.
- Practice nursing your baby in the mirror to see what others will see.
- Breastfeed your baby just before you leave home.
Scope out the place
- Once you've reached your destination, search for a place where you can sit down to nurse. That way, you'll be ready when your baby is ready.
- A dressing room can be a very convenient and quiet place to nurse.
- Large grocery stores, discount stores, or malls may have a restroom with a baby area that provides a place to sit and a diaper-changing table.
- Pharmacies almost always have a place to sit down.
- If eating out, tell the host your baby will need to nurse and ask for a booth or a corner table.
- Wear your baby in a sling or front pack and you may not need a special place to nurse or sit down.
- If weather allows, nurse in your car when you arrive.
Be confident and comfortable
- When talking to people in public, such as store clerks, waiters or even friends, be confident and keep eye contact with them so they'll know it's all right for them to look at you Your eye contact will also distract from what your baby is doing.
- If you are by yourself in a large open area, focus on your baby's eyes and face. After a while, you won't even know there are others around and they will be less likely to notice you.