Breastfeeding in Public

Before I had my daughter, I was anxious about breastfeeding in public. I didn't know what to expect and how hard it was going to be to maintain my modesty and quickly satiate my crying baby's needs. Last month (at four months) I got over my anxieties when we traveled to Florida for Christmas break. While visiting theme parks, I knew that nursing Tenley was going to be a challenge, but I decided that I would make it convenient for me. The idea of traveling to the one crowded (or so I've read) mother's room that the parks provide every single time I needed to feed her (which usually is every two or three hours) sounded far from appealing. I didn't want to feel as though feeding my baby was a tremendous burden because that didn't seem right to me. Why should giving my daughter nourishment be complicated or a hassle for me? It shouldn't, I realized, and I resolved to make it convenient. That doesn't mean I didn't take care to be modest, but I was more relaxed and calm as I prepared to feed her opposed to growing frantic about getting her latched immediately so she stopped crying while simultaneously trying to stay covered myself. I knew I needed to be calm for Tenley particularly in the midst of the chaos and noise that theme parks by nature generate, or she would grow frustrated and even more upset. So instead of struggling to get her situated as quickly as possible, I got her latched as discreetly as possible then tossed a light blanket over my shoulder to keep me covered. It worked great for me.

It also turns out I had been needlessly worrying about people judging me for nursing in public. Whenever someone would look over at me and realize what I was doing, they would hastily look away and mind their own business. No one in thirteen days ever said anything to me about it. Not on the plane, not at the parks, at restaurants, or anywhere else. Some ladies even smiled at me with looks of understanding. Their beaming faces seemed to be telling me that they supported me doing what was best for my baby even though it required some sacrifice on my part. And I felt relieved having the freedom to feed my baby as needed.

So what can you do to make nursing on a trip (or just in public) a breeze? The key is preparation. I got tons of advice from the web before we left. As an avid roller coaster fan, I knew I wouldn't want to be missing out by having to visit the mother's room every few hours to nurse so I wanted to determine the best course of action. I considered pumping, but if anything, I thought that carrying the equipment would be a pain and that pumping is even less discreet than nursing. I own a nursing cover and intended to bring it, but I didn't end up using it more than once or twice because it proved unnecessary. Instead of planning around using the cover, I planned my outfits strategically.

Basically, I only wore clothing that would help me breastfeed easily and discreetly. I wore shirts that either pulled down easily, were loose and easy to fit the baby under, or that buttoned. A simple trick I learned with button up shirts is to unbutton from the bottom, so the top few buttons offer some cover. Simple, but helpful. I also learned that wearing a cardigan, sweater, or shrug (one with buttons or a zipper down the front) over a loose shirt can help you cover up from the side. Apart from that, the only thing that I really wouldn't have been able to do without was a nursing bra.

I would advise you to invest in some good nursing bras. Nursing bras should be comfortable and easy to use with one hand (pretty much all things should be convenient to use one-handed once you become a mother). My favorite ones are $17 from Target (I have the gray and the nude). They offer no padding but chances are you won't need it if you're nursing. The only negative is that, because they have no padding, your nipples might be noticeable through a tight shirt. It's kind of something that you learn to live with though because breastfeeding changes that for a while (I've been informed that the change isn't permanent). Anyway, I love how easily I can clip and unclip the front of these bras for nursing. They are especially convenient while out in public and you're balancing a baby on your knee in a restaurant booth or on a park bench.

That was the other thing. I mentally planned where I would nurse Tenley and how I would handle things. I found spaces on benches and picnic tables quite easily most of the time. I tried, if possible, to sit out of the way of the beaten path by a wall or bushes or something that would provide shade for the baby and myself. Then I would sit down, pull my shirt up or down just enough to get her latched, stretch my shirt over her head (so she could have a pocket to breathe and the fabric wouldn't cover her nose), and placed a blanket over my shoulder as a light cover. The great thing about babies is that their big heads offer plenty of cover for the minimal amount of skin usually exposed when nursing. In some outfits, I've found a blanket isn't even necessary at all because Tenley's head keeps me modest and, to the untrained eye, it probably just looks like she's sleeping in my arms.

Still, it was important to have nursing gear handy. I always had a light blanket and a burp cloth nearby. Since I was still using a nipple shield at the time, I had that with me, too. It was also helpful to have a drink handy as I tend to get insanely thirsty when I'm breastfeeding. For those of you who change your baby after eating, it would be helpful to have a diaper and wipes close by. I also carry with us a changing pad I adapted myself. It's actually a thin (and cute) dog bed from T.J.Maxx that is easy to roll up and unimportant enough that I don't mind putting it on the ground wherever we may be to change Tenley on it.

Here is the dog bed I use as a changing pad. I think it's a cute pattern. Tenley looks thrilled about getting changed...

You can tell I just got done feeding Tenley here because I still have her light cotton blanket
that I used for cover draped over my shoulder.

Finally, the last thing I did was feed on a schedule. I didn't actually make a schedule, but I knew about how long I had before Tenley would need to be fed again and I tried beating her to the punch. If she was due for a feeding but seemed happy, I fed her anyway to prevent an outburst later. It is those outbursts that makes breastfeeding in public a real challenge. It's not enough that you're trying to get a wiggling, crying baby latched onto a body part that you would prefer to keep hidden from the public. Just add people staring because your baby is loudly drawing attention to you and you're clearly struggling to stifle her shrieking and do so in a discreet manner. No, it is much better to get a head-start and feed your baby before things get out of hand.

Now tell us what you think!

Do you have any experiences (negative or positive) with nursing in public?
How did they affect you (did you learn to stop caring or does it still bother you)?
Do you have any other tips for breastfeeding in public?

This post was written by Olivia.