Through pregnancy and the birth of your baby you’ve probably had more people looking at private parts of your body than ever before (how many people were in your delivery room?) So by now you may have shed some inhibitions and be slightly more prepared for getting your boobs out in public to breastfeed.
Some new moms will be not at all worried by the prospect of breastfeeding outside the privacy of their own home; others will be uncomfortable or downright horrified by the idea. However, unless you are going to live like a hermit for the next few months you’re likely to need to give baby a few al fresco meals.
Before we get all holier than thou about it now that we are in the ranks of breastfeeding moms, let’s take a step back to the days before our boobs were functional. Unless you are Janet Jackson and have a malfunctioning wardrobe, or frequent the beaches of Europe, boobs generally don’t come out in public and when they do; to a lot of people it’s fascinating. Boobs don’t become any less fascinating because there is a baby attached to them. Let’s be totally honest, it is genuinely hard not to look. Boobs have some sort of hypnotic power – eyes are drawn to them.
Once baby is latched and contentedly feeding your exposure is minimal, but getting baby latched and staying that way can be difficult. A novice baby may take time and encouragement to latch. An older baby may flail around; play peek-a-boo with your cover blanket or just pull away to look around. You may find yourself chatting to your friend unaware that baby has lost interest and is smiling at passers by while you sit with your boob on display. If you are nervous about it, practice your tactics for discreet feeding at home before you venture outdoors.
Filed under: Baby, Motherhood, Parenting | Tagged: Baby, Boobs, Breast Feeding, breastfeeding in public, Mommy Map, Motherhood, New Parents, Parenting
Breastfeeding is so very wonderful for a baby and breastfeeding support is equally as wonderful for a new nursing mother. Great post
I hear you….but the way I see it is if anyone wants to stare at you while you are breastfeeding your child then that’s their problem….not yours. People need to stop and think that they might be making the mother feel uncomfortable and that’s not ok because it’s hard enough being a new mom without total strangers making it even more difficult.
I just read an excellent post on another blog about “The upfront brigade” – you know, those women who give us breastfeeding moms bad press by popping a boob out everywhere and anywhere, thrusting it in the face of the public (not literally) almost as if they are showing off at what a good job they are doing or trying to prove a point. It’s these gals who trigger people to complain about moms breastfeeding in public.