I only breastfed for about a month but I was always covered unless I was home & it was just Shane & me there. Even around my family I covered myself because I could imagine how uncomfortable that would make them feel (along with me).

I don't mind seeing people breastfeeding in public as long as they are covered.

I guess I really don't care, lol. I can't cover myself in public because right now it's just too hot and my baby HATES being hot. I'm usually hardly covered by my shirt, but usually in public I'm in my car. I did do it at a restaurant once, but I did cover myself with a blanket then. "Public" is a very interesting word, especially when you describe your house as 'being in public'. If I'm at someone's house, I try to be as discrete as possible, but again is a little difficult because of the heat.

Being in public is not being in your house. The phase being out in public literally means being out in the public's eye or being around others.

I personally think it is common courtisy to cover yourself up when you are around mixed company other than your husband or your boyfriend. Other people dont ask to see your boobs no matter how natural it is to breastfead your child.

ugh people need to get over it it's just a nipple

Yes it is just a nipple, but is your husband ok with you just flashing any joe shmo on the street or would he prefer you to have a little discreteness to yourself and try to cover yourself? Try to be honest here!

And on the other side. Why would you want your husband to be faced with the woman in the mall who has no discreteness and just flashes the "nipple" or the breast for that matter in the middle of the food court? Why should he or anyone else need to see that?

There is a degree of modesty here and yes it is "just a nipple" but really...it isnt just that simple

I agree with you 100% Heather. Shane wasn't comfortable with me breastfeeding around our own families without a blanket covering me, let alone in public. I'm in no way trying to say I don't agree with Moms who breastfeed in public, because I think it's great but in my opinion I think it's trashy not to be the least bit discreet about it. Even if it is 150 degrees out, there are light weight receiving blankets out there just to use until the baby is done nursing.

Edited because I can't spell

It's not like I pull out my boob, get my baby and THEN have her latch on. I have her on my lap, pull it out with my hand over my nipple, then there's probably a less than 10 second period where my nipple is actually exposed while she latches on. My shirt is usually enough to cover down to her mouth. I don't like any type of blanket because even those receiving blankets trap in heat, trust me I know from experience.

I don't understand the whole 'indecent exposure' when guys have a nipple to!! Woman just happen to have a little more fat around theirs...

I breastfed Alyvia until she was... oh lord... 20 months? 21 months? It was just a couple of months ago that she was weaned, and she'll be 2 next month. She was extremely difficult to wean, so I can sympathize with your sister. What ended up working for us was stopping cold-turkey. It shattered Alyvia for a few days, but after a week or so she (almost) forgot completely about nursing. Every now and then she'd reach for one and cry when I'd say no, but she's grown out of that completely now.

I only nursed her in public when she was younger and relied 100% on my milk. And I had a black nursing shawl that I used. It was like a poncho I guess, but it was made out of very lightweight material. It slipped over my head and covered completely, so I never had to worry about people catching a peek, and it allowed me to nurse my child in public without offending others. And the neck of the shawl was loose-fitting, so I could look down and see her, and she could look up and see me. It's a great tool, and I plan to buy a new one for this next baby.

I would not nurse without one. That's mainly for myself though. I'm not comfortable exposing myself to others, not even family. I would either use the shawl or excuse myself and step into another room with Alyvia. I don't think I'd personally be offended if I saw a mother nursing her child in public, but I can understand if others would. Maybe they don't want their children to see nude breasts, or maybe the idea of nursing sickens them. I can understand them not wanting it shoved in their faces. And I'm not saying nursing mothers should be forced to hide it - just be respectful of others and use discretion.

I nursed both my kids and I would always excuse myself to another room if I was at someone else's home. I was the one breast feeding, the people I was visiting didn't need to be subjected to my boobs. I also used a blanket to cover when anyone came around. In public there are not a lot of times I had to nurse because I guess I didn't go very many places when the kids were small. I had a sling and that worked fabulously for nursing discretely.

I won't walk around topless or show off my boobs when I'm not breast feeding. Why would breast feeding change whether or not it is OK for me to whip it out?

if my husband didn't know enough to look away if it bothered him then he is the one i would be ashamed of. a breast being used to nurse is not the same as a breast being paraded around to get attention and people should know the difference. it's one thing to be a little uncomfortable because you're not used to seeing it but to be offended is just a bit much. that's what i mean when i say get over it. i breastfeed my daughter and it is not easy so if someone did it in public with pride and no shame i would say more power to her. sometimes as women we are our own worst enemies and i think it's time we stopped being judgemental about something so insignificant. if i judged a woman for bottle feeding her baby instead of breastfeeding all heck would break loose.

The difference is that NOTHING is being exposed when a women is sitting in a crowded mall and she whips out a bottle to feed her child. Then there is the other woman who sits down in the same crowded mall and feed her child but she whips out her boob, and to the shock of the passer byers, her breast is exposed. Did all those people ask to see her breast...NO!!! There could have been the woman walking with the small child that wouldnt want him to see that, or the preteen that would laugh and snicker at the sight of a "boobie" ha ha!!

All I am saying is that there is absolutely NOTHING wrong with breastfeeding your child in public. Do it all over town if you wish. But please just have the decency to be discrete about it for the sake of the other people around you that you DONT KNOW, that probably DONT want to see your boob... Yes it is a natural thing, BUT it still can be done with an element of discreteness.

I don't think this is about breast feeding, so get off the high and mighty BREAST IS BEST idea. This is about exposing private parts of your body that may be offensive to people.

No one is judging breast feeding. Exposed breasts? Oh yeah, thats just icky.

it is about breastfeeding because you use a nipple to breastfeed. my daughter has never tolerated having anything covering her while she eats and i have to feel "icky" because people like you don't have the maturity to look somewhere else if it bothers you so much.

Don't worry, I wouldn't look at your nipple. Nor would I be offended by you breast feeding. A whole lot of people are. I have decency and common sense to excuse myself from the room so I don't offend anyone. If having class is what bothers you, sorry that I'm classy and respectful of others and don't only think of myself.

i never said i don't excuse myself from the room. it's the fact that i have to be left out of family gatherings and sit outside the washroom at a restaurant so i don't offend classy people like you while i feed my daughter. she doesn't know or care that you find breasts "icky" and she thinks it's funny to pull the blanket off or stop feeding to look around at what's going on. i have had people tell me just stay at the table to feed her, we don't mind, but i leave because i don't want people like you giving me dirty looks and making me feel like i've done something wrong. that's why if i saw a woman that was brave enough not to give a care what people like you think, i would say that is a real woman, good for her.

It actually makes me happy when I see a woman breastfeeding in public. We see boobs all the time in tank tops and things, what is so different about seeing one that is actually productive?

I can't stand being in another room when I can hear laughter and happiness in the room next door. When I fed my daughter at my in laws, I fed her twice in the bedroom. After that I just sat in the recliner. I would continue to talk to everyone while she was eating. I was as discrete as possible when she was finished. I felt like I was being punished by being in the other room, just because I had to feed her.

That's why I like the shawl. I'm completely covered, no worries about it falling or being kicked off, and I can still nurse my child while not missing out on anything. Google "nursing covers" to get an idea of what I'm talking about. They're a great compromise.

I can completely understand not wanting to see another woman's breast while I'm trying to enjoy my salad and breadsticks in a restaurant. Or have my children see it. Or a table full of rowdy teenagers.

Yeah, I liked that special alone time with my child where it was just her & I (or he & I). But I can see where some people might not enjoy that as much and wish to be with the crowd. Kids grow up fast, they are only small for a very very short period of time. I treasured (and still do) my times alone with them.

The icky thing was a joke. Jeez, some people have zero sense of humor.

I think the shawl thing is a great idea. I would be willing to bet that if you used it with your baby from the time that they were first born that they would be used to it as they got a little bit older.

I have NO problem with my sister in law nursing in my house in my living room, but the problem I do have is when she doesnt cover herself up properly. If she is going to do it, just cover up. Put a blanket over yourself, its really not that hard. It doesnt gross me out, or anything like that, it just is out of courtisy that is it.