Violet is starting to want to nurse in public again

[SarahBear]

So Violet started having difficulty nursing in public starting around 4 months. If I was walking with her in the mei tai carrier and if she was tired, she would still nurse though. Recently, though, she's been demanding to nurse on occasion in public without it being while we're on a walk. Yesterday we were in a restaurant during the time of day that she has typically been nursing. She pointed to my chest and said "dat!" Clearly she wanted to nurse. I felt a bit awkward about it, so didn't nurse her right away. She ended up reaching down my shirt. I passed her to Owen, but then felt bad, so took her around the corner where there was a chair and a little bit of privacy. I nursed her and then went back to the table. Then she wanted to nurse again and I just wanted to eat my dessert, so I let her nurse while I ate. I live in a small town (moved here a few months ago) and recognized about half the people in the restaurant, including the staff, so it's not like I have the option of being anonymous in a restaurant, nursing my 15 month old. More women with toddlers need to (a) nurse their toddlers and (b) do it in public! Maybe I'd feel different if she had never stopped nursing in public, but she's demanding it now whereas she would refused before and I'm left feeling a bit awkward. I don't want to deny it to her, but I also feel awkward doing it in public at this point.

 

[Tacey]

For me, the awkwardness comes in waves. I find it hard, then get over it for a few months, then it gets awkward again and so on. There's nothing wrong with getting them to delay a bit if you're not up for it at a particular time, but I think you're right that when you can, it's a great thing to do to normalise it. I'm comforted that more often than not, people really aren't paying much attention to what I'm doing though.

Mind you, Arthur has been through a slightly mortifying phase where he'd ask to nurse, then when I got my boob out, he'd lean back, try to catch the eye of anyone around and point at my boob saying "mukmeh!" like he wanted to show it off. As you might expect, I had a bit of a break from NIP while that was going on...

 

[RaspberryK]

Just do it and be blasé about doing it.
No one will bother if you don't give a crap what they think.
Or if you really don't want to, offer drinks and snacks and generally distract until a convenient time.
Xx

 

[MommyJogger]

For me, the awkwardness comes in waves. I find it hard, then get over it for a few months, then it gets awkward again and so on. There's nothing wrong with getting them to delay a bit if you're not up for it at a particular time, but I think you're right that when you can, it's a great thing to do to normalise it. I'm comforted that more often than not, people really aren't paying much attention to what I'm doing though.

Mind you, Arthur has been through a slightly mortifying phase where he'd ask to nurse, then when I got my boob out, he'd lean back, try to catch the eye of anyone around and point at my boob saying "mukmeh!" like he wanted to show it off. As you might expect, I had a bit of a break from NIP while that was going on...

That is absolutely adorable, but I imagine it was super awkward for you. I'm a pretty hardcore "we nurse wherever, whenever", but that probably would do me in, lol. A hilarious story for when he has his own kid, though.