So here it is again. Another day, another dollar, another breastfeeding chat. However, today we get down to the skin. Nursing in Public. Do you do it? Do I do it? How does one do it?
I will say I am very lucky. Both my boys nursed like champs, perfect latch on so its really easy for me to nurse in front of other people which I do as often as neccesary. Some women have trouble because of their babies popping off or not having a good latch or even having to use a nipple shield. No trouble for me. Once my boys were latched on, they would eat until they fell asleep. Well, Baby E did go through a stage at 6 months where he was easily distracted but it quickly passed. I never really care about where I am or who I am with, I just feed him when he is hungry. Simple as that.
I can honestly say that I havent really nursed in public like at a store or something like that. I envy those women who can attach the baby in a sling and walk around the grocery store or the mall nursing. I cant seem to do anything while nursing but nurse. I have nursed in my car at lots of places. I have nursed at a public park while there was an event going on but there were so many kids there, I doubt anyone saw me. However, I am not against it. It has just never came up. While I do have a nursing cover, I always forget it at home so I have never used it. I have never had anyone say anything bad about me nursing. I have had family members who frowned on me nursing in my grandmothers living room with everyone around. I can tell them right now like I told them, Get Over It!
Ala. Code § 21-1-13 (2006) allows a mother to breastfeed her child in any public or private location. Wanna find out the breastfeeding laws from your state? Click HERE. So its perfectly normal and perfectly LEGAL for me to breastfeed in public and I wont let any yahoo tell me differently. So the next time it comes up, I wont hesitate to do it.
How do you feel about it? Have you done it before? Wanna share? I would love a comment or if you have a really good story to tell, a guest post about it. Email me here if you want to guest post about breastfeeding.
I think nursing in public is something that has to be decided independently by each woman. I personally was fine nursing in public if I had a cover and a chair with a back so that nothing peeked out. Thankfully my boys were both great at nursing too so they would stay under the cover.
I nursed both my children wherever and whenever I wanted. I didn’t have a cover, but I used a receiving blanket neither of them ever pulled it off once. I had one person (my mother in law) complain about me breastfeeding in public, but I respectfully told her that she raised her children the way she wanted to and that I would do the same. I don’t see what the big deal is. It’s beautiful and perfectly natural (not to mention cheaper!), and it’s not like I’m offering anyone else a sip from the tap. Get over it.