Did you nurse in public?

We all know this is an age old debate and I would like to hear from our members. Did you nurse in public? Were you comfortable? Did you feel like you were well received if you did nurse in public?

Please share your thoughts.

Return to Poll

57%

 (16) 

Yes, I nursed in public wherever I wanted or needed to.

21%

 (6) 

Yes, I nursed, but it was usually in a corner.

21%

 (6) 

No, I would go eslewhere to nurse (car, bathroom, etc)

0%

 (0) 

No, I would offer a bottle or return home,

28 Members voted

[GRose]

I nursed in public, Noah didn't take a bottle until he was 6 months old and even then he wouldn't take one from me. Even if he would have taken a bottle for me I still would have nursed him in public, it is so inconvenient to bring a bottle and breast milk along when I have my boob right there and ready. I always made sure I was completely covered, no one ever saw my breast. For all I know people thought I just had a baby sleeping under the blanket.

[houseofgirls]

I nursed occasionally in public, but I usually found a nice quiet place to go.  I wasn't worried about other people, but my baby liked to have some peace when she nursed.  I found I didn't need to nurse her that much in public though.  I timed things around feeds, more for my own sanity...I like to get my errands done as quickly as possible.  I have to say, nursing was quite convenient on the plane ride we took to hawaii.  We didn't have to worry about bringing liquids to the airport, and I was able to comfort her whenever she needed it.

Around here, I see a lot of nursing Moms in public.  Sitting on the benches at the mall, in restaurants, at the park, etc.  No one seems to mind around here, and I don't see a lot of people gawking either, so thats nice.

[Whitneylauren]

I nursed in public- after a while I just felt like my breasts belonged to the world! ;) Though, I have to say, that I was always covered up.

[kennedydp5]

i couldn't vote b/c my answer is in between...

it's depended on the circumstances where we have been if i have chose to be in the car or not.  when we've been at dh football games, i've sat in the car.  when we've been out shopping, i've nursed in public covered up but its really hard b/c he HATES HATES HATES being covered up, lol!!!!!

[GRose]

Kennedy- My DS was the same way, he hated being covered up, he would pull the blanket off of me all the time lol. I would wear a tank top under my shirt and I would pull my breast out of the top, then I would keep my overshirt as close to Noah's head as possible. That way my tummy was covered  and my breast was covered as well if Noah decided to reveal me.

[babydreams9]

I'm with GRose and kennedy.... my son can't stand having a blanket over him. We even sewed our own nursing covers but he doens't like those either. So, I do the layered shirt technique and it works. DS also is very easily distracted, so I have to find some place quiet or he'll pop off every 5 seconds wanting to look around. I have NO problem w/people nursing in public and never have. If one doesn't like it, don't look. Get over it!! (sorry, just ranting for a moment...lol)

[mum2beagain]

At first I nursed in the car/quiet spot. Once baby and I got the hang of it and I was able to latch him quickly and easily without exposing myself I nursed when ever my son needed feeding no matter where I was.

[mum2beagain]

I had a couple of really great nursing tops as Sam hated being covered too. They had a concealed zip right under the breast line, open the zipper and bring baby to the breast and you wonld have never known baby was nursing.

[Diane1003]

I have a cover too that is AWESOME - it's made by "Peanut Shell" and has a metal loop at the top so I can see down to my son with ease... It's great. I'd HIGHLY recommend nursing tops if you have a need to nurse in public - they are handy!  Best of luck.

[Super_sally888]

Yes, I nurse in public.  When baby is hungry she is hungry.  No choice.  But I do cover up.  I use a sheet or a towel to cover me while I feed her.  If possible I find a quiet place, but I have been known to carry baby and walk around, with me covered and her attached to my breast.  I try to wear tops that are easy access and not too revealing.

[MilkMama]

I am nursing my 4th child - she is 17 months. I have always felt that the hunger needs of a young child come first - it is their most basic need! I am careful not to let my breasts show in public... I am discreet so I don't see any reason to hide in a corner. No one has ever made a negative comment to me about my public breastfeeding.

[cminamyer]

I'm like most of you are, I would nurse in public anytime my daughter needed it and will do it with our next child also.  I did try to cover myself and like a couple of the other lady's said, I would use the layered shirt thing and it worked great.  No one every said anything to me.  And if they had I would tell them where to shove it.

[Jessicalyns79]

I would breastfeed anywhere literally lol. I tried to be respectful of other people and didn't try to make others uncomfortable. I remember the first time my husband and I went to dinner and I went to breastfeed," Are you really going to do that right here." I laughed at him and said," what do you think people are going to stare at more, me holding a baby under a blanket or a baby screaming at the top of his lungs?" And that stopped that conversation from ever happening again.

[chantal21]

I was always uncomfortable nursing in public, but in certain places, I got the hang of it. If I was at a mall that had a Motherhood Maternity Store, I would always go there as they welcome that and have a changing room where you can sit and nurse and be comfortable. I always was just paranoid of Jeremiah pulling the cover or blanket down too fast for me to respond and cover up! yikes! So for the most part, I would nurse him in the car or bring a bottle of breastmilk for him. I think it's so crazy that so many people think your crazy for nursing in public...it's not like we throw our boobs out there to the world or something. I believe we are VERY discreet! lol. I mean afterall, your baby has to eat!! I remember being at the beach last year, and I nursed him around so many people. I was totally fine with it and no one ever even noticed. It just looked like he was sleeping under a beach blanket. =)  

[kennedydp5]

chantal-  omg, it never even crossed my mind to actually sit in the motherhood store at the mall!!!  thank you!!!  that will be my spot from now on when we are there, lol!!!  :)

[chantal21]

kennedy...yes! You're welcome! It's wonderfuland very private and they don't care how long you are there. lol. When my lil guy was a month or two (he still had trouble latching)... it took me over 30 min. to nurse him and they didn't even care! Now you will have a new spot! =)

[holspowell]

They have covers now that I didn't have the luxury of having available with my DS, now 4. You can get them just about at any of the department stores now (WM, Target, etc) and they are very cute. This is the exact one and I can still see my baby while she nurses. She hates to have something over her and this let her not seem like somethings on top of her sooo heavy.. http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=10877978
VERY easy to use.

[kele1129]

Once my boy and I get the hang of it I intend on feeding him when he is hungry no matter where we are.

[Michele, Katy, TX]

I always went to a bathroom or even the car if that was more convenient.  I know that it is natural and a lot of people are very open with it.  I am just not one that is.  I have breastfed all 5 of my kids and will this one, but I do go somewhere discrete to do it.

[Joyce49788]

since i have only tried to nurse 1 out of my 3 children i was very uncomfortable and would usually try to nurse in the car or a bathroom if possible.  i am not sure how i will feel with this one, but maybe once i get the hang of it, it will be easier.  my big problem is that i am very large on top and therefore to keep baby from suffocating i have to have one hand on my boob to keep it away from his nose... that coverup that kolspowell put up the link for from walmart is really cool looking, i think that is something i might invest in...lol

any comments on how to deal with that would be great....lol

[Camilleta]

I thought I would never nurse in public, but when my baby cries, I just do it lol. Plus, after all the nurses and doctors and visitors seeing my boobs, I sort of got over it. They're just baby feeders! My husband doesn't really like this and neither do some people around me, but oh well. Don't care. =)

And for Joyce, I had to hold my breast away from my baby's nose at first, but I don't have to anymore. When she got to be a few weeks old, she figured out how to nurse without suffocating herself. Hopefully yours will do that.

[Joyce49788]

Camilleta...love your outlook on this... and thanks for the info... as i believe i had said somewhere previously... i stopped nursing my son at 6 weeks and i still felt like i was suffocating him. lol
anyhow thanks so much hopefully this lil girl will figure out how to nurse without suffocating herself and i wont have to stress/worry about it so much. my problem is that i am currently a DD and very close to a DDD so that makes them BIG baby feeders...lol
i have heard that it doesnt matter how big or small breasts are, that they are all made to feed a baby and produce milk... i guess i am just concerned that i wont be able to be real subtle about getting baby to breast...in public anyhow. i guess in the back of my mind i feel like if something slips of whatever that i could get a fine/ticket for indecent exposure or something...lol