Breastfeeding in Public

Breastfeeding in public is just breastfeeding. You live one life, in one world that belongs to all of us. It is not possible to designate breastfeeding as a private activity because it is not possible to live a life exclusively in private. Embrace breastfeeding on cue and live your life out in the world.

The first few weeks of breastfeeding can be hard. The cocooned state of the babymoon lends itself perfectly to giving you the comfortable space you to need to get your footing breastfeeding your baby and work through any potentially painful challenges that can mark the first weeks of your breastfeeding journey. It takes practice and guidance to successfully exit your babymoon with breasts and a baby who respond to each other with ease. But once you are over the hump, life is sweet. This is when you are ready to leave the safety net of your breastfeeding pillow and rocking chair and step excitedly into the current of society as your baby’s mommy.

Feeding on cue is the perfect way to have a successful, easy, convenient breastfeeding relationship, even and especially in public. Trying to schedule your baby’s feeding sessions puts a lot of pressure on you and a mountain of pressure of your baby. You are really setting yourself up for failure if you simultaneously limit your access to the world and deny your baby their coping mechanism by restricting your breastfeeding to a schedule. Breastfeeding on cue means you have everything and exactly what Baby needs in every situation and at all times. Your baby is “society friendly”, contentedly willing to go anywhere and tolerate most anything as long as they have their mommy milk at hand.

Breastfeeding in public comes together with babywearing in perfect harmony to give you access to all society has to offer. Once you master breastfeeding in a sling or carrier, the world is your oyster. You no longer even require a place to sit or two free hands. I can breastfeed my baby while pushing a shopping cart and holding my older son’s hand in the grocery store, all with comfort and discretion.

I find that it is helpful and worth the investment to buy some shirts that easily facilitate breastfeeding in public. You can also go through your existing wardrobe with a fresh pair of eyes, looking at your clothes from a new perspective with the priority of boob access. A set of camisole tank tops with an elastic neckline can be worn under any shirt that can be easily lifted to create a comfortable and discreet nursing set up. Anytime your baby wants to nurse you simply reach under the over shirt, lower the cami tank and raise the over shirt just enough to latch baby. This is a beautiful set up because your baby has access, your breast is covered, your belly is covered, and you can still see your baby’s face. If you are breastfeeding in a sling or carrier I highly recommend shirts that either have a neckline that stretches below your breast or button down at the top. While wearing your baby in a sling it is difficult to pull a shirt up but easy to lower or unbutton a shirt from the top down and the sling or carrier provides any privacy you may want. I also recommend investing some good nursing bras. They can keep you comfortable, supported, and provide convenient access for breastfeeding out in the world.

I pride myself on being a considerate person but as a parent I am the advocate for what is in the best interest of my child. It is my job to weigh what is in the best interest of my baby against what is in the best interest of others. If my 3 year old were screaming in a restaurant, that would be disruptive to others. He would not be receiving enough of a benefit from that behavior to outweigh the consideration of the disruption, so I would stop the screaming. When it comes to breastfeeding, the benefits to my baby FAR outweigh any potential modesty-based discomfort on anyone’s part. Furthermore, the only reason breastfeeding makes some onlookers uncomfortable is because it is sadly too rare of a sight. Breastfeeding in public normalizes breastfeeding. Merely by doing what is normal and best in the course of your everyday life, you encourage other women to breastfeed, model how it is done, and socialize support. So, if your breastfeeding makes anyone uncomfortable, they are welcome to eat their lunch in the bathroom. If someone has a problem with breastfeeding it is THEIR problem, not yours.

Every breastfeeding mother should know and be confident in asserting your legal right to breastfeed in public anywhere you and your baby are allowed to be. Most people are kind, considerate and supportive. You may well go your entire breastfeeding journey encountering nothing but positive interactions. However, there are some ignorant people in our society whom you could, unfortunately, encounter. I encourage you so vehemently to not give anyone else the power to take away your freedom (making you feel like you shouldn’t ever leave your home) or your contentment and pride.