After 5+ months of exclusively breastfeeding, the best way to breastfeed is when I am at home, carefree and topless.  Though this may sound abruptly honest and a little “TMI”, it’s the truth.  To all the mommies-to-be and new moms out there, this is something that no one will ever tell you, but boy do I wish someone would have told me in my early days of breastfeeding.  Besides it being extremely comfortable, it is also comfortable for your baby and the skin-to-skin contact adds to the emotional connection with a newborn.

Now, what are you supposed to do in public?  Well, you’re obviously not going to go topless, however, how are you expected to nurse your child in the outside world?  We live in a society where breastfeeding in public is somewhat of a taboo – where pulling out your boob to feed your newborn may shock everyone around you.  But why?  Why is something so natural, such a taboo in public?  Society was not always like this.  So when did things change and why?

According to Inventing Baby Food: Taste, Health, and the Industrialization of the American Diet by Amy Bentley*, here are the 2 main reasons why breastfeeding became taboo in America:

1. Baby food companies.  Baby food companies began associating their product with progression and “civilized” America.  Suddenly, breastfeeding older infants became a thing of the past and was not done by women in industrialized countries.
2. Mid-century mentality of sexualizing breasts.  Post-war America brought about the rise of pin-up girls and the birth of Playboy.  Breasts were viewed as something sexual and not functional.

Though there have been movements (like the #NormalizeBreastfeeding movement) that promote public breastfeeding, it can still be uncomfortable for women to nurse their child in public.  Personally, I may have been a bit judgmental about women nursing in public without covering up prior to becoming a mom myself.  But now, everything has changed.  It’s a case of finally being in the shoes of a breastfeeding mom and it’s something that is only understood when we experience it.  Nevertheless, we have to respect people’s diverse views on this subject and we must not force our personal views on anyone.

Here are a few ways you can comfortably breastfeed in public:

1. A lightweight cover. A fellow mom gave me a cover by Hooter Hiders!  I adore it because it’s lightweight and efficient.
2. Wear easy-access shirts.  There are quite a few clothing that make it easier to breastfeed anywhere.  Button-down blouses and shirts with front zippers are my favorite!
3. Sit next to your husband or loved ones.  They will help you wherever, whenever and will never make you feel awkward.

That is the way I breastfeed in public.  It’s comfortable for me and my baby and I try to also be sensitive to those around me.  It will always be a Yay for me and never a Nay because when my baby has to eat, that is all that matters.  If you’re a breastfeeding mama, nurse your baby publicly.  Many times, no one will even notice you’re breastfeeding.  Don’t feel limited to only nursing at home.  You can do it – go for it!

 

*Amy Bentley is an associate professor in the Department of Nutrition, Food Studies, and Public Health at NYU – Slate.com