I feel like I hear stories about this all the time, but surprisingly, I've never been bothered much by anyone when nursing in public. Only once have I ever been asked to stop and it was by a family member at a family gathering, and I basically told him forget it. Maybe it's cause I'm in more liberal California, but I've nursed all over and never had a problem. What have others experienced?

i nurse on demand, regardless of where i am. i was told by my mother that a lady wouldn't do that in public and that she couldn't believe that i would expose myself in such a way in public - that it should only be done in private and don't i think i should move to a more private place (this was while i was sitting in the drivers seat of a rental minivan on vacation visiting her AND i had excused myself from the restaurant only as a show of respect to her). i never excused myself again - i now bf right at the table, regardless of what restaurant i am in or who i a with.

i have to admit that i was nervous the first time my hubby and i ate out with my father in law, though. but, he handled it like a champ - stared and said nothing! it was the only time i've ever seen him speechless! lol!

one time in a restaurant a small family was seated at the table 2 to my left (there was nobody directly beside us). the wife very loudly said that it was not appropriate for her daughter to have to see it and complained to the waitress. the waitress advised her to speak with the hostess for an alternate table - she did and they were promptly moved. the restaurant never said anything to us.

another time i was bfing on a couch in the middle of the mall. i would have chosen a more discreet location had i the time, but my dd was screaming to be fed so i found the first seat and fed. as people passed by i was shocked and disappointed at the number of negative looks we got. we did get a few very positive expressions, though, too.

one other time i asked an employee at the zoo if they had a nursing room somewhere (i have no problem nursing in public but sometimes it's nice to have a calm, relaxing environment with a comfy chair). he asked if i could do that in the bathroom, and i said, "um, no" so he said that he would have the family bathroom unlocked for me. by the time i got there it was unlocked and i found a toilet and a changing station. i was disgusted and promptly went to the cafeteria to eat and feed. i don't think he meant harm - he was just ingnorant. by the way, in contrast, disneyworld has a really nice nursing room in each park - i only wish they had more in the magic kingdom since the park is sooooo big.

otherwise i have never really had any negative experience while nip, and i do it all the time. when i was novice i used a bebe au lait nursing wrap but quickly decided that it was not comfy for my dd and simply not in her best interest. i have kept it for rare occasions when my clothing does not allow for discreet nursing (like fancier occasions when i wear a dress that i must pull the neck down, thus exposing my entire breast).

I've posted this stuff in other threads on here so I will post here too.

I am a father of five children with three different women and my present wife is the only one who was able to breastfeed. I think it is a very beautiful thing aside from it being healthy for the baby and a great bonding tool for mother and baby.

I have held blankets up for my wife in public or when we have had guests over to the aprtment so she could breastfeed without worries.

I was a mall security guard for a few years and have seen women breastfeeding in the mall common areas. I have invited them to the security office or the mall office to breastfeed in private and when anyone has refused then I stood there a couple of feet away with my back to them and kind of acted like a shield for them.

I am on the hospitality team at church and there was a woman sitting in the foyer one Sunday breastfedding and I invited her into another room with a more comfortable chair for her comfort and privacy.

I believe it is hard enough for women to breastfeed in public without worrying if they are offending anyone that they certainly do not need to be hassled for it or ridiculed. My hat is off to everyone who breastfeeds.

Please do not let a few close minded people stop you from doing what you need to do to take care of your child.

Thanks for your response, Vance. It's so nice when men truly appreciate the breastfeeding bond.

Background--worked labor and delivery for a few years..so I can really see the bond that occurs from day 1 of breastfeeding (despite the often dificulties involved in getting the little one to actually take the nipple) as far as public places...no problem they are public. Mall, park, etc. I really don't care that someone is out there breastfeeding, granted I'm not as chivilrous as Vance is(would feel perverted walking up and talking to a breastfeeding mom). But I'm not overly offended.

The part that bothers me is the "technically public" places, but places that are "insert word for nice place". Fancy restraunts, a dance hall(not a club), etc. I tried to take my wife out for a very nice romantic dinner, and the mood is kind of spoiled when the next table over is breast feeding. I've also seen breast feeding happen both at weddings and at funerals. At some point arn't we crossing a line?

Most places are fair game, but if you are in the middle of 300 dollar plate at a restraunt, please get up and go to the bathroom. Weddings--you are ruining her big day, not on purpose, but just by providing that distraction. Funerals--could you be more disrespectful to the dead? I'm not saying don't breast feed, but walk around a corner, use a restroom, a sitting room, something. At the very least, if you are breast feeding, please throw a blanket over the little one and the breast. What you may be proud to show off is still disconserting to others.

IMHO
Skeeter

I don't understand what motivates you to post the such on a breastfeeding board? If you were looking to be educated, then great. But that is not what I get from your post. Are you really lurking here just to bash women that breastfeed in public? You are obviously uneducated on the subject. Sorry if I am coming off strong but I am highly offended by your post. What exactly is your purpose?

I am lucky perhaps. I have nursed in public for a long, long time and only ever received positive comments when people saw. This might have been down to using a maya sling in part.

My youngest is now 13 months, and I am still nursing her. I have absolutely no problem with moms who nurse in public without being covered. I am just prudish and more self-conscious so it is not an option for me. But it is really important to me to give my babies the best nourishment possible.

That is why I created a cover-up for moms who want to provide their babies with warmth and comfort, and, most importantly to me, to give those mothers who are bashful the privacy they crave. I have never been very comfortable with being naked in public, not even in front of my own mom. I call my cover-up Private Dining because it gives modest women like me the wherewithal to nurse in public instead of choosing formula.

Wearing my cover-up makes me confident enough to breastfeed anywhere, anytime. While wearing Private Dining, nobody has ever stared at me. They simply think I am wearing a poncho because of the wonderful design.

While I respect every mom who nurses, modest moms should be supported and praised just the same as moms who breastfeed au naturel.

My support goes out to ALL nursing moms; it is not always easy!
Jorie

Check out my review of Jorie's product at Private Dining Nursing Cover Review

My "baby" is now 24. I breast fed all 4 of my children and even back then when the baby was hungry I fed it, where ever I happened to be; restaurant, mall, etc. In my experience a quietly breast feeding baby attracts a lot less attention than a crying, hungry one.

It was also my feeling, and still is, that breasts were put there for that purpose and anyone who didn't like it didn't have to look. That being said, I was also very careful not to expose myself in public; but with a t shirt on it could be lifted from the bottom and my bra could be opened from inside the shirt so no one actually ever got to see anything.

I myself have a problem breastfeeding in public because of my large breasts. I only did it once when we were at the pediatrician's and the visit took longer than we have thought it would.

MoniB,

Hi, I,too, am large and I think it made it easier for me to breastfeed in public. I always wore a T-shirt, never anything that buttoned, so I just would reach in from the neck to open my bra and then when the baby was in place I only had to lift the bottom of my shirt enough to get the baby on; but its head was already there to block the view. I think if the breasts are small you have to lift the shirt up so much higher that you're exposing a lot more skin.

I understand the horror of exposing large breasts in public, it's something you live with your entire life. But nursing in a T-shirt was never a problem.

yes I have been challenged for breasfeeding in public, twice in the same month and it bothered me quite a lot, I was upset and offended by the way it was done.

-first time at the local library, well actually when sitting on the bench in the entrance (never elsewhere in the library and I breastfed there many time)... what upset me so much was the manner of it "I' m only saying it for you etc ...." I was SO surprised that I didn't think to reply something to make it clear that I wasn't bothered breasfeeding but clearly this lady making a comment was so it was her problem rather than mine ...

- second time in the caf� section of a department store, impossible to know if really a customer complained or if it was the employees who were bothered ....

I've been wondering, is a shop a public place or a private place ? surely I can't be prevented from breasfeeding sitting down OUSTIDE a shop if I'm asked to stop breasfeeding inside a shop ...
a library is a PUBLIC library so that's clear ...


It's my third child and I walk a lot (I don't drive = can' t hide in a car for breasfeeding !) so I breasteed everywhere I happen to be, anyway .... I just HATE it when I'm made to feel bad about it ...

I wonder, there could be somewhere on the net where we could register everyday WHERE we breasfeed in public ... otherwise we only hear about such and such mother who was forced to get off a plane or asked to leave such and such place ...
I wish there would be some more ways to make it more "mainstream" to breasfeed in public so that more people would be aware that it happens .... and that it's OK ...

I also lift my tee-shirt from the waist up, I wouldn't want to unbutton from the top it would show too much ..... on the other hand the idea of covering up seems ridiculous to me;

- the first time i did it, for my first child, it was more because we were in full sun and to give her a little shade BUT a German tourist came up to me and lifted my cover, he was intrigued by what I was doing and then straight away appologetic when he realised ... so much for privacy !

- my last baby tends to need to push my breast away to position the nipple as she needs it, SO she also pushes my T-shirt up, I end up showing more than with my previous babies, and I'm sure she would play with a cover and NOT let it in place anyway but yank it away and wave it etc ...

- I found these capes I've seen in America (I'm from Europe) terrible .... because you can't see your baby ! Someone suggested they would offer one to me when I was pregnant, I blurted out "but this is not Saudi Arabia, this is America, this is supposed to be the land of freedom !"

so is there anywhere on the internet mothers can "clock-in" and list all the different places they breasfeed in public, instead of where they were asked to stop or move or made to feel bad about it? That would be more positive.
Isabelle.

I thought I would be afraid to bf in public and actually it was natural. I'm feeding a baby, a baby needs to eat. I certainly think family would understand if I did it at a wedding or wherever. I had no problem when my SIL did it at my wedding.

If other people talk that is their problem for being narrow minded. I'm thankful for the women that can voice that we have rights so that we know we don't have to feed a baby in the bathroom.

I can't ever remember being challenged, maybe a few looks, but I figured, I'm an adult I'll get over it, and the other person is scarred for life, oh well, get some therapy already.

I had the opposite problem - to precede this story I breastfed my 5 children for a total of 9 years.

Then when my youngest was 5 we had a 6 week old foster baby for 6 months and I used to carry him around in a front pack. We were in the local pizza/sandwich cafe and he needed to eat so I whipped out his bottle - a man across the restaurant called over "why don't you give him the real thing!"

Aw Susan, in his DREAMS!

He must have separation issues with his mother. LOL