Where are all the breastfeeding (in public) mamas?!

[Feline]

Before I had my boy I had strong views about bf-ing in public. I thought as I'd never dream of getting my boobs out normally, having a baby wouldn't change anything and I'd only bf when I could do so privately. Ha! Having a hungry baby changed everything and my strong views diappeared in a puff of smoke. If I wanted to leave the house I had to be prepared to bf anywhere or deal with a screaming tot ... to the extent that as I walked into the registry office to register my boy's name he was stuck onto my boob. :-D

Thing is, I NEVER see anyone else bf-ing in public. I am discrete, ie I've worked out how to do it without flashing flesh, but of course it's still obvious what I'm doing. I take him out with me all the time, and stop off for coffee/lunch pretty much anywhere I fancy, and I always end up bfing him. How come no one else ever seems to?! I'm not a tie-dye wearing hippy chick, I'm a modern uptight city gal, so it would be nice to know I'm not alone. Or maybe I am...and I'm flouting convention without even realising it. Any thoughts?!
Xx

 

[special_kala]

I feed everywhere, yesterday i fed Fox walking round Asda and then in mcdonalds.

I dont see many people feeding in public, in my town people just dont tend to BF which is a shame.

 

[bunnyg82]

There was only a few times I needed to bf in public and I used a cover as my boobs are ginormous I just couldn't do it discretely but it was obvious what I was doing. I actually still felt really self conscious, even with the cover which is sad really. Hoping I'll feel more confident this time around!

 

[Becky61]

My LO is constantly on my boob when we are out and about, AND I LOVE IT!
The other day, in the middle of the shopping centre, they had one of those stands, with a car for sale etc, and some comfy sofas... perfect! Beats the shopping centres hard upright plastic chairs.
Gone are the days when woman had to sit with their babies in grotty public toilets. We can be discreet, there's no need to be otherwise. If people find it offensive they need only to look the other way.
I always think... If I was at the beach with my bangers out, I bet people wouldn't complain, yet why, when I do one of the most natural things in the world, do I get odd looks?? Beats me.
x

 

[babyhopes2010]

THANKYOU!

im a bit like argh bf in public so hope that in time i feel the same as u do x

 

[LDC]

It took me a while to feel confident enough to feed I public, because I didn't see anyone else ever doing it. I wish I'd had the confidence before to get on with it. I'm discreet too, I've never been challenged and I don't think people generally pay that much attention to even notice. I think it's a shame that I've never seen anyone else doing it in public all the while that I was pregnant and even up to now.

Xx

 

[Amy_T]

I do it anywhere too, I'm very discreet just because I feel better that way but it doesn't bother me. I have had people come up to me to look at baby not realising i am feeding, their face is a picture when they get close up and realise!! I've had a few people look and smile and others stare but I love doing it!

 

[hubblybubbly]

I didn't manage to BF my first but am having more success this time around, so far I've BF at the local water park while watching my toddler and hubby and today in a cafe, I'm still getting the hang of keeping discreet....so I pretty much flashed my entire bangers several times! But I don't see many public breast feeders either, maybe I'll notice it more now I'm doing it myself...
X

 

[Seity]

We're everywhere! If my boy is hungry, I feed him. Anytime, anywhere. If that means while cruising the aisles at the grocery store, than that's where he gets fed. I just lift up my shirt and pop him on.

 

[beachgal]

At first I was so nervous and scared to bf in public and now I'm much better (I'm still getting the hang of how to not flash too much, and using my nursing cover.). I haven't seen anyone else nurse (except my friends) but maybe that's because they have been discreet too?
So far I've nursed:
Grocery store in the middle of an aisle
Drug store at the checkout/exit
Mall and food court
The park, the beach (i was with two friends and we all were sitting on the sand nursing our little ones and it felt very empowering!), friends houses, restaurants...
If my little man is hungry, then he will be fed .

 

[CatherineK]

I feed wherever she is hungry, with two other kids I can't stay cooped in. Luckily I see more and more people breastfeeding lately when I'm out and about, it's nice!

 

[SerenityNow]

The only time I notice people nip is when they are using a cover. I think that there are probably people doing it and you don't realize they are bf.

 

[AP]

We used to see loads of mums bf in coffee shops when I went in to do the same thing Maybe we all hide out in Costa coffee up here

 

[kitabird]

I felt uncomfortable nip with my first, but this time around I'll feed anywhere! You're right though, I haven't seen many others doing it, usually it's just at baby groups. If I'm going out for a couple of hours I'll try to fit it around LO's feeds so I can concentrate on keeping an eye on my toddler! Maybe others do that too?

 

[Shadowy Lady]

I bf'd LO for the first 9 months and I did so in public.I used a cover though, I don't like flashing my boobs and they are too big to just cover with my top.

Where I live most moms bf'd and they do so in public but I've never seen anyone do it without a cover (of course unless they're at a baby group or something). I suppose if it was more the norm I may have been ok with it but I just don't want to stand out that way.

 

[too_scared]

No one in my town bf's in public. It is a very small town with an aging population so I don't get to see many new moms anyway. The only place I go that I nip is baby group. There are about 5 other moms there who will nurse there.

But when we go out of town I nip all the time. At first I would sit in my car with a blanket up to the window. Then I just said f it and do it where ever he needs to be fed. We visited my family in Toronto and my sister was a great inspiration to nip. She does it without a nursing cover and is very discreet. I use my muslin and cover with that but sometimes it's just too hot for that so I will just sort of shield his head/my breast with it.

I'm getting much better with the whole idea. I would have nip here in my home town last week if it weren't for one of my former students sitting right there. Not comfortable doing that in front of a teenage boy that I know that way.

I always thought no way would I nip. I thought I would pump and give bottle in public. But I hate giving bottles and pumping is annoying. I am very modest and am not a fan of my chest but when it comes to feeding and comforting my little boy I'll do whatever needs to be done. I have no idea how that changed.

 

[babicyntaf]

I feed her whenever she wants it, wherever that happens to be! I never thought I would do that but as the only source of food for my LO it's either feed in public or stay indoors for the next few months. I've fed her in cafes, in museums, in pubs, on the beach, in the park - pretty much wherever I can. I always try to be discreet and do the "pull onetop up, one down" style of feeding or use the muslin as a cover-up.
In a cafe last week I had someone come up and say "well done" for feeding in public. She was a La Leche consultant in the area and was pleased to see me BF my LO in public.

 

[_Lexi_]

I can't say I've fed her in the supermarket, but only because I haven't mastered feeding and walking!! There's a few stores in my city that have nursing rooms. If I'm out and about nearby, I'll try and feed there, but only because the nursing chairs are comfy! I can't say I've seen anyone else doing it, but I'm not overly concerned, if she needs feeding, I'll feed her!! x

 

[optimistic1]

I didn't think I'd ever nip I always thought she'd wait til we were home or I would never be out that long unless she's napping and it worked well until we were in the hospitals surgery waiting room while OH was in surgery and she randomly woke up screaming for a feed. I tries to be discreet and use my cover but she was thrashing around and carrying on and people started staring so I just pulled out my boob and stuck it in her mouth THEN I covered myself up once she was calm.

 

[Gym knickers]

Unfortunately I had I stop BFing a few weeks ago when LO turned 6 months but I always used to wear one of those tops with a flap, that way I could be anywhere and it was discreet. The best place I NIP was in M and S cafe next to a big table of old ladies. Lots were staring but I just carried on eating my sandwich!! I had to laugh in a restaurant a few months back too. I was feeding LO next to a young couple and the lads face was sooooo red, he kept forgetting what he was saying and giving sly looks over to our table. DH and I thought it was so funny but I did feel a bit alert for him- he only looked about 16, bless him!