This seems to be a very HOT issue and I'm interested in your take on it - this question is for all of you, not just breastfeeding mommies!

How do you feel about breastfeeding in public? Do you do it? Does it make you uncomfortable if others do? Do you have any great tips for making it easier? Any funny, embarrassing or interesting stories about your experiences with public breastfeeding?

I nursed Owen in public and had no problems doing so, I nursed him until he was 14months old.

As far as seeing others nursing in public I don't have no problem with it at all as long as they don't have everything hanging out, LOL.
I used the nursing shirts from motherhood maternity and they worked great, they have the double layers so you are always covered up without having to throw a blanket over baby while nursing. Owen couldn't stand the blanket over his head.

I wasn't able to nurse Josh...but had wanted to. I was nervous about doing it in public, but I remember dragging the pump to my mom's house. We were sitting in her sewing room, and I was just pumping away, lol. Of course, it was my mom and she was even there for his birth, so nothing new to her.

As for others doing it in public, I don't really mind it at all, as long as boobs aren't hanging out for the world to see.

I see older toddler still nursing who run up and lift up their mom's shirts...I guess the mom's must be ok with that. The first time I saw a toddler still nursing, I thought it was a bit odd...I'm talking about a 2 or 3 yr old here. But again, it depends on what the mom wants to do, I think.

My SIL is on her second round of b/f-ing and she is very comfortable with it. She will sometimes go to a quieter room but most of the time just keeps herself covered and feeds right there. She makes it look so easy...I wish it had been that way with Josh.

I agree that as long as mom is being "discreet", there's nothing wrong with BF in public. I know breasts and BF are "natural", but I don't feel it's necessary to "display" the whole process.

I also can't get over being freaked out by older children still nursing. I know it's common practice in many places outside the US, but *TO ME*, it's just too weird if the kid is old enough to verbally request it or "come get it" themselves.

Naomi is 14 months and still breastfed, but only morning and night. I feed her in public if i have to but i usually cover her with a wrap so to be discreet. She is tiny anyway so it doesn't look too bad kwim?

I agree with the discreetness thing, there is a lady at my playgroup who still brings a U pillow with her and her baby is 7months old!! then she lies her down and hangs out her boob WHILE STILL HOLDING IT IN PLACE and the whole world can see...it just looks gross and she comments the whole time on how she wont stay there. now i am one for breastfeeding but this mum just drives me nuts with this SHOW every week....:sad3:

I agree with the discreetness thing, there is a lady at my playgroup who still brings a U pillow with her and her baby is 7months old!! then she lies her down and hangs out her boob WHILE STILL HOLDING IT IN PLACE and the whole world can see...it just looks gross and she comments the whole time on how she wont stay there. now i am one for breastfeeding but this mum just drives me nuts with this SHOW every week....:sad3:

:haha: ROFL Nikki!!!! One time when I was in college, a mom brought her 3 year old to class and during lecture he just walked up to his mom, said, "milk pease" and pulled her shirt up and started nursing. It totally distracted our entire class. Weird, I thought. I am a bit uncomfortable nursing in public. Will usually try to find a secluded place. I have a nursing shawl, but Roman is at the point now where he tries to pull it off his head and show the whole world my boob! :oops:

I am all for it as long as it is not making anyone else uncomfortable.....not everyone is ok with it and I think we should all recognise that......sometimes a private space is best for the situation....I can't stand the whole it's natural so deal with it thing ....be respectful to those around you too.
My SIL BF my niece till she was 3 plus and once when we were all together for dinner at my MIL house she lifted her mothers shirt to get a drink at the table while we were all having dinner...nobody said a freaking work...but we were all quite shocked. I agree if they can get it themselves or ask for a drink...um sorry this fountain is closed down...LOL

I went to a concert once when I was BF and leaked milk all ove my shirt , and literally left puddles on the floor...so embarrassing...and yes I had pads on they were soaked .....

I never had a problem with it. LMAO, I did enough flashing in my days as a "hoodlum" (as my grandma would say!), so it was no big deal for me.

Even before Ava, I never thought anything of it if I saw a breastfeeding mother.

i didnt breast deed miki, but have no problem to see women breast feed in public at all

Though i do sometimes find it amusing when women sit ther with the spair booby hangin out on show as well i mean the one the kids fedding of okay but the spare all up in your face i find that unnesesary LOL though i have only seen that a few times

I did not breast feed. Didn't even try. ZERO desire to do so and quite happy with my decision.

So as a non-breastfeeder let me just say that if people want to BF in public they shoul djust do it and everyone else can get over it. It is the natural thing to do and if you feel comfrotable taking that route, more power to ya. Anytime, anyplace...a kid's got to eat.

That being said, I DO think it is the polite thing to be somewhat discrete about it. Use a blankie or towel to cover what you can. No sense in causing me to elbow my husband because I might catch him staring at some boob. :P

And older kids breastfeeding bother me. I don't know why, and I'm sure I'm wrong to feel that way, but it just does. But I would never say anything or give anyone dirty looks. Not really my business. :)

I really don't have a problem with it, I thought I would, but once Cooper was born and if we were out and he needed it, then I would. If I could make it to a feeding room, I would use that too, but sometimes they are quite far away.

I would like to think though that I was always discrete, and would cover up as much as I could.

WIth Parker I rarely did, because he would get on and wobble around and pull off, plus the noise, it wasn't any good anyway, I didn't go out that much with him either LOL

Nic, maybe you bf playgroups mum has some reflux? I mean if she isn't staying on the boob and is pulling off, the lieing down may be making her worse?

no rach, she is just a sticky beak lol. and loves to look around!

So as a non-breastfeeder let me just say that if people want to BF in public they shoul djust do it and everyone else can get over it. It is the natural thing to do and if you feel comfrotable taking that route, more power to ya. Anytime, anyplace...a kid's got to eat.

I am in total agreement w/this statement, particularly about the part where everyone else just needs to get over it. There was an article about this in Parenting awhile back and the cover had a picture of a baby latched on to a breast. It wasn't obscene looking, just very obviously a baby nursing. I thought nothing of it until a couple months later in a later issue I was reading the letters to the editor. OMG, I could not believe how some people reacted. One writer said "Your cover was disgusting and breastfeeding is digusting, don't these people know we have formula now." My mouth hung open at that one. Another one implied that the front cover was pornography and I thought "Lady, you are one sick puppy if you think a picture of a baby nursing is pornography. Whoever gets off on that is a pedophile."

Anyway, I would have loved to have BF and think maybe if I had one baby I could have done it. But with the boys it was all too much for me in the first few weeks. I had this great idea that I could pump breastmilk instead, not realizing how exhausting pumping and then doing feeds would be. So I only hung in for 3 weeks before throwing in the towel. I feel good about trying it, which is what I had always planned to do, just try it, and that at least my boys got that early milk which is supposed to be great for them anyway. But coping w/two newborns and PPD just didn't help matters so I quit after 3 weeks of pumping. And it did help somewhat. But if I were to have another (not likely) I would definitely try again. Presuming that it's just one baby of course. :smt036

I do think discretion is the tactful thing to do. It is natural to BF but it's not natural in our society for woman to sit around with your chest completely exposed. I don't think there is a need for everything to hang out, I don't even care if people use a blanket or not as the breast the baby is nursing on is usually covered by them. But there is no need for the other girl to be hanging out when not in use if you KWIM.

And toddlers nursing, well, I think when they are at the point that they can ask for it, that's kind of odd in my opinion. I know it's a great way to bond w/your child but I think at a certain age there are other ways to bond that are more age appropriate.

But at the end of the day, my hat is off to BF'ing moms. In the short time I tried to do this I know what a huge commitment it is and for those of you that have to restrict your diet b/c of intolerances, etc. I really admire you and those kiddos better really appreciate all you do for them when they get older!

One writer said "Your cover was disgusting and breastfeeding is digusting, don't these people know we have formula now."
!

OMG :sad3: