First time nursing in public {Breastfeeding Bloghop}

Today I am linking up with Sisters 'n Cloth for the breastfeeding blog hop and discussing the first time nursing in public.  For me, being able to breastfeed comfortably in public enabled me to keep nursing my babies until they were 18 months old.  It meant that I didn't have to know how much milk I needed for the baby when I left the house.  I didn't have to worry about how I would keep the milk good or warm it up. 

I can remember the first few times I nursed Miss Froggie in public.  This was  in the year 2000 and in the summer in Texas.  It was over one hundred degrees every day.  And Miss Froggie was quite the hot water bottle.  I remember sitting on a bench and latching her.  I had most of my breastfeeding gear and a baby blanket.  But it was so hot and Miss Froggie was sweating already.  I just couldn't imagine keeping that blanket over us once we were latched. So I took it off.

To be honest, this was easy for me.  I mean I was SO HOT and so was Miss Froggie.  But it was a little more difficult for dear husband.  He had to be assured that I was not exposed but he agreed it was too hot for a blanket over us.  The next time I remember was in a restaurant.  I nursed her in the booth.  (I've found that if you sit in a booth and nurse on the inside breast, no one out of your table can tell what you are doing.  And in general, once latched it just looks like you are holding your baby.)  This time dear husband asked if it would be better to nurse in the bathroom.  I was honestly surprised.  I asked him, sitting on the toilet?   He said, "oh, no, I guess not". ( He had been under the impression that women had chairs or couches in the bathroom.)

After that, we were both pretty comfortable with the nursing wherever we were.  I have done different things with different babies to keep myself modest.  I like the new light weight nursing covers that keep you covered hands free, but I think they make it obvious what you are doing.  I use them with a new baby that is still learning to latch quickly.  If I am out with family or girl friends I am discrete but I don't worry too much.  If I am out in mixed company I usually keep everything very covered.  Although, some of my babies have liked to uncover themselves.  This can cause more of a scene than quietly latching.

I think the best advice I was given was to practice latching in front of a mirror.  That way you can learn to latch without showing anything.  This gets super easy as baby gets older, because they can do it all themselves.  Now, with the fourth baby 8 months old, we have nursed just about everywhere.  The park, the pool, the amusement park, in the car (not while moving), in the mall, in my office, in the doctor's office, on play dates, at church.  When we have moved or traveled, I have checked the laws in the new states.  Mostly they say the same thing.  Mother can nurse wherever she is legally allowed to be.  But so far, I have not been asked to move or leave anyplace.

I am thankful that I had my girls first.  It would be a little more awkward to nurse a baby in front of tween or teenage boys than teenage girls.