Now That’s How It’s Done
April 15, 2009 by Angela White, J.D., breastfeeding counselor
Filed under breastfeeding photos, nursing in public
Without getting into a debate about how much breast or nipple it is appropriate to show in public, I simply want to share this breastfeeding picture as an example how nursing in public often appears. Absolutely no skin (aside from that precious baby’s) shows and many people might assume the baby is sleeping and not nursing.
Photo by littleREDelf
Do I think all mothers need to be this discreet in order to nurse in public? Absolutely not. I believe a mother should do what is necessary and what she is comfortable doing to nurse her baby in public.
That is perfect – thank you for sharing. I went to my very first LLL meeting over 6 years ago to learn how to nurse in public. I was very self conscious about it. What I saw was a group of moms nursing their babies and looking very much like the pic you have displayed. These women were able to quickly latch and unlatch their babies. The moms I saw trying to cover up with a blanket took considerable more time to get set up and in the process brought more attention to themselves.
I love that baby’s lip! I remember working so hard to ensure a proper latch that seeing the lip there reminded me of the thrill of knowing we’d done it. It’s been months since I nursed and years since I had to worry about a latch but you’ve brought it back. Thanks!
I completely understand what you’re saying here. Discretion isn’t required, but on the other hand pretty much nothing is visible once the baby’s latched. Really, what’s all the fuss about?
What an adorable picture!
What a precious picture! Sweet baby, pristine tee, great promo for breast feeding.
This post is really well-timed! In the latest issue of Parents Magazine (May 2009), on page 106, there is a blurb about nursing in public. It really made my hair curl! The paragraph, part of the Manners section, asks the question, “It is okay to nurse my baby in a restaurant?” Jana Banin, the etiquette columnist, says, ” Yes, as long as you’re discreet: Think scarves, shawls, dark booths, or quiet corner tables. No doubt you crave brunch as much as your baby craves milk, and there’s no reason why choosing to breastfeed has to mean months without eggs Benedict. In fact, you deserve it.” While I agree with the sentiment of the answer (its okay to nurse in public), the first sentence of her response qualifies when its okay, meaning its not always okay! I would love if a bunch of nursing moms emailed her and corrected her position! What she is saying undermines moms who may want to nurse but are wary of public nursing, and undermines the effort many women put into getting the general public to be accepting of nursing moms. Her email is manners@parentsmag.com . We shouldn’t need to feel ashamed about nursing in public, or made to feel as though we need to hide in dark corners of restaurants or cover up with a conspicuous shawl to feed our children! Who wants to eat covered up anyway??
Thanks for all the comments ladies!
@ Amber — yes, you’ve summed up exactly what I was trying to say!
@ Jennifer — What a shame that columnist didn’t use the opportunity to educate women about their rights under the law! Thanks for mentioning it here. I’ll be thinking about my response to her….
Great picture! That little baby hand grasping his mommy’s shirt is PRECIOUS!