Doing this to myself...

sdheft619 · September 2015

Anyone else self conscious about breastfeeding in public? I just feel like I'm being judged if I do it. I do believe it's all in my head. I have support around me I just worry about what people think, and I don't know why. I have only done it once and I use a cover. So why am I stressing about it?!?

Anyone else?

ForeverEverAfter · September 2015

I was like that with my first. The first 2 times in a restaurant I was in a corner of a booth facing the wall, and picturing everyone behind me staring in horror. By 2 mo I was better coordinated and could nurse discreetly without a cover, even while walking around. Selling quilts at a fair I had people that were chatting to me reach out to touch the baby and I had to tell them to wait til she was done eating (they thought she was sleeping in my arms). I got self conscious again when she was a toddler, but I never actually encountered any negativity, it was all in my head.

With this baby I'm comfortable NIP without a cover, with the right shirts you can't see anything even sitting right next to me.

WDDCH · September 2015

Screw people's opinions.

Yiggle09 · September 2015

I haven't yet. I pump then feed him that in public

jbettles · September 2015

I do not nurse in public. I'm just not comfortable with it. I rather pump in advance and take bottles with me. Just my personal comfort level and choice.

kkerner87 · September 2015

Yeah, I feel nervous about it. The furthest I got was at my in laws house lol. I just don't see how it can be done discreetly when LO goes to latch, my nipple is kind of all out there for a minute. She doesn't like a cover. She stops eating and starts to grunt and growl.

meggipi5 · September 2015

I've been "practicing" nursing in public, with the cover or just a receiving blanket. By practice I mean try it at places that are very mother friendly (i.e. baby group at the library, Bible study, etc.)

I want to get LO used to a cover because DD1 was not cool with the cover. I don't mind people nursing or me nursing sans cover, as long as my LO would stay latched, but sometimes she pops off and on and I'd rather my nipple be hidden...

Don't stress. The more you try it out, the easier it gets.

kanga915 · September 2015

I nurse whenever and wherever LO is hungry. DD is fine with a cover. I get smiles from other moms, I've never had a dirty look or nasty comment

rjanice · September 2015

When I was nursing, I did it in Applebees, Target, the park and in the grocery store parking lot. Very nervous at first but then felt empowered!
Like the Nike slogan, Just do it!!

Atlasmom · September 2015

I'm still pregnant but worry about this too.

sdheft619 · September 2015

Glad to hear it's not just me and that the more you do it the easier it sounds like it gets! I did it again for the second time today and it seemed a little better. It was just a room full of women besides my DH.

tlc11934 · September 2015

I could never do it. I use a cover in my own house when my kids and DH are around!

jlawson23 · September 2015

I thought I had that fear and then my daughter was born. And I literally said "screw it" I see more obscene things in public on a daily basis than me feeding my child. My opinion is everyone else is entitled to indulge and eat in public and so will my daughter.

AndieTessie · September 2015

I've only done it twice but both times are at her doctors so not sure if that counts. I used a cover because we haven't mastered latching on yet and my nipple is usually out for a few minutes before we get it. I'm hoping the more we practice the better we get. Right now I just pump and fill a bottle if we go anywhere that's not the doctors.

capricelili · September 2015

I'm still pregnant but wonder about this too. I really want to feel confident enough but am unsure about feeling self conscious. Would be nice too to know what laws or right protections we have by state. Keep meaning to google it, I live in Washington state. Just remember reading about a lady being told to nurse in the bathroom at a marshalls and a mom group staged a nurse-in because BF was protected there, but not sure where this was.

rholbrook7 · September 2015

I breastfeed LO in public for the first time today. It was in the park, but I was able to find a secluded spot on a bench.
Even then DH hovered over me, trying to protect me from anyone that might glance my way.
Honestly, once you get the hang of it, it gets easy. I waited to breastfeed in public until we got her latch down.

jenboston22 · September 2015

I've had to breastfeed in public for the first time recently, too. I thought I would be less comfortable doing it, but honestly, I think I was so focused on trying to get my screaming baby to eat that I didn't pay attention to anything else (to the point where I think I may have been more exposed than I would have liked). My son and I are still learning how to best breastfeed, so at the moment of needing to do it, my focus was entirely on my child.

itsasapphire · September 2015

I felt this way in the beginning too. It gets easier when LO has better head control and is a little bigger than just the length of your forearm. I nursed at a picnic and felt like everyone was staring at me but I bet no one even noticed.

I'm more awkward at people looking at me while I'm feeding than the possibility of someone seeing a nip. I mean, I just wonder what they're thinking. They're probably looking at me with comforting, positive thoughts but all I can think they're saying in their head is "her baby is on her boob, how is she having a normal conversation with that happening". Or "aw that woman is breastfeeding, that's so great of her, why did she just smile back, she smiled at me while her baby is on her boob, what is she thinking about". It's all in my head. I'm such a socially awkward person lol

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