Nursing in Public

Many states have passed laws protecting the rights of breastfeeding mothers to feed their babies in any location they choose. It's great to know that whenever your baby gets hungry, you can feed him or her without worrying about negative consequences. Nevertheless, some people -either through ignorance or just because of plain meanness - still make it very uncomfortable for nursing mothers. You might be the kind of mom who doesn't care what other people think. If so, more power to you!

However, if you do worry about other people, or you want to be discreet when you nurse, that's fine, too. I've nursed in airports, restaurants, malls, Wal-Mart, church services, school functions....you name it, I've probably nursed somebody there! Most of the time nobody had any idea that I was nursing.

Moms today have so many options for discreet nursing. The easiest for many moms is a baby sling. You might like a ring sling like the Maya Wrap or Over-the Shoulder Baby Holder. One advantage to a ring sling is that once baby is done nursing and has fallen asleep, you can easily slip baby and sling off together. When I was nursing a decade ago, I used a ring sling made by Parenting Concepts. I loved everything about it! But today there are lots of other sling options. Pouch slings like the Peanut Shell, the Hotsling and the Dittany Baby sling are great, but you have to make sure they fit c0rrectly. Another carrier option is a tie-on wrap. This versatile carrier offers a wide variety of positions, but some styles work better for nursing than others. My new favorite carrier is a two-shoulder carrier called Baby K'Tan. It is the only carrier I've ever seen that actually works for twins! It makes nursing discreetly both comfortable and easy. TheBabyWearer.com is a great site for moms who are new to babywearing.

An alternative to the sling is a nursing cover. Two companies make very similar nursing covers, Bebe au lait and Peanut Shell. Both provide nice coverage and allow Mom to easily see her nursing baby. Another interesting cover is made by a mom working from her home. She calls it the Privacy Breastfeeding Coverup. It is larger than some of the other covers on the market, thus providing more complete coverage. Poncho or cape covers are another option. Baby Boo offers an attractive cape option. The big drawback is that it doesn't allow mom to see her nursing baby as easily. A new poncho option that we've just discovered is made by Moody Mamas. This roomy grey poncho allows you to see your baby as you nurse. It also doubles as a soft baby blanket. You'll find this great poncho at A Nurturing Moment. (It will available in the online store within the week).

Regardless of how you choose to nurse your baby in public, remember that you are making a statement every time you feed him or her. You are telling people that you want the very best for your baby. You are also saying that your baby's health and well-being is more important to you than public opinion. Finally, you're letting the whole world know what an incredible mom you are!