To Nurse (in public) or Not To Nurse

I preface this post by saying that while I am a strong believer of breastfeeding, I know that it is not right for everyone and I feel even stronger about each momma doing what is right for her and her baby.  Whether it be breastfeeding, pumping and bottle feeding, or formula.

I love to nurse my baby.  I love that I have a ready food supply when ever I need it.  I don't have to lug around a bottles or formula (my Diaper bag is full enough with carrying enough fluff to get us through our outing).  I really don't mind nursing in public. I'm really not modest about it.  I have breasts and they are used to feed my baby.  Yes, there are, were, and will be times in life that my breasts were not a food source and I'm sure that there will be times again.  

Last week I took Colton to a kindergarten registration meeting for my oldest son.  While I was there he decided that he needed to eat.  Now I am a VERY strong proponent of Nursing on Demand.  When I'm hungry I eat so why shouldn't my baby.  I felt a little strange about nursing in at my son's future kindergarten, until I realized that the reason that I felt weird was because I was not at all uncomfortable with the situation. I don't use a blanket when I nurse because LO doesn't like it (much to my husbands dislike), however, I always wear a tank under my shirt and LO completely covers any exposed breast.  It got me thinking.  Should I have been uncomfortable? Is it EVER inappropriate to nurse in public?  So I asked all of you and the response I got back only confirmed my decision.   In fact most of my fellow BF momma's shared my "love" for BF in public.  

One of my favorite comments came from a mommy who shared about walking around the department store DD in tow nursing while she shopped and how an older women came up to her, not even realizing that she was nursing.  The other women was a little embarrassed when she realized that she was nursing, but momma sure wasn't.  It seems to me that when someone unknowingly "pops" in on a nursing session that they are worried that we, as mommas, are embarrassed, but the truth is I think the majority of us are proud of our breastfed babies. 

Breasts have become so sexual in our society that for many it is taboo to BF in public.  That a baby eating the way that nature intended is not acceptable for a child to see.  In the US babies are sold with a bottle of milk, while in other parts of the world they are selling nursing babies, and you see momma's nursing everywhere you go.  To be honest, other than my nursing group at the hospital, I don't recall ever seeing a momma nursing in public other than myself.  Yes a breast can be a sexual devise. Yes sometimes as women we use our breast for things that they were not intended for.  But for some reason it is more acceptable for a women to walk around the beach in a teeny tiny bikini that covers next to nothing but a momma nursing her baby quietly on a bench is the one being inappropriate.  So for all of my fellow Mommas that love to nurse their babies where ever they are good for you, for those Mommas that aren't as comfortable nursing in public know that if you do decide to that there are lots of us that support you and for those of you that think nursing my baby in Burger King while my kids are playing is wrong, I'm sorry that  I have offended you, and if you don't like what you are seeing please don't look.  

So to answer my own question.  No, I don't think that it is ever inappropriate to BF in public.  If it is appropriate for you to give your baby a bottle it is appropriate for me to give my baby a breast.  

Share your nursing in public stories with me!  I love to hear them!!!

A special thanks to Momma Dibs and to all the mommas of the FB Dairy Queens group for all your help, input and support!  You are all wonderful!!