Warm Hearts Happy Family

Welcome to the June Carnival of Breastfeeding–exploring the topic of nursing in public.  Check out other participants linked at the bottom of the post!

Unless you are one of the rare few–the bold moms that I so admire–the question of how to balance breastfeeding with summertime activities is bound to enter your mind.  Over at Mamapedia, I saw a similar concern posted by a reader. 

Concerns like pools and leakage, family bbq’s, trips to the park, and going for that morning jog can have many modest moms camped up in their home for the whole season.  This is not only completely unnecessary but wasteful!  There is no reason to sit this summer out, because the public and breastfeeding are compatible.  I promise.

Let’s start with the family bbq’s.  If you are new to nursing in public this is absolutely perfect.  You are breaking your nursing in public seal surrounded by friends and family.  Once you are a nursing pro you will look back and feel silly at how awkward you felt feeding your baby outdoors. 

If the thought of nursing around people still makes you a little uneasy start smaller.  Go in your backyard in the morning, breath in that fresh air, nurse your little one, and listen to the birds sing.  I am telling you, that is peace and love baby.

Another popular summertime spot is the public pool.  This setting can be downright terrifying, especially for the boob, I mean the noob.  There is just not a lot of modesty options when nursing in a bathing suite so start with the above –backyards and bbq’s if you have to.  One key piece of advice I have–especially at the pool–is people are really not paying attention to you. 

I always felt like when I was about to nurse a huge spotlight beamed directly down on me and everybody held their breath and stared, absolutely appalled at what I was about to do.  But in reality the insecurity was all mine, nobody around me noticed or cared.  So when you are at the pool nurse with pride and if somebody happens to notice all the better.  You are helping change our culture for the better (and don’t worry about the leakage, you won’t be swimming around with a streak of milk in your wake I swear).     

Nursing in the summertime is beautiful, it is convenient, and it is healthy.  You don’t have to carry around formula, bottles,  and sterile water.  Food is always ready, always the perfect temperature, and always perfectly mixed.  And all this with zero clean up required.  So enjoy your summer of breastfeeding, I know I will!

Blisstree.com: Nursing in Public: To Cover or Not to Cover

Lucy and Ethel Have a Baby:  (Boobs) Out and Proud

PhD in Parenting:  Would you, could you nurse in public?

Dirty Diaper Laundry:  Breastfeeding in Public- Talents- I haz it

Kim Through the Looking Glass:  Here?  At the Restaurant?

Grudge Mom:  Nursing in a room full of people you know

Mum Unplugged:  Aww, is he sleeping?

Massachusetts Friends of Midwives:  Nursing in Public: Chinatown, the Subway, the Vatican, and More

Mother Mary’s Soapbox:  June Carnival:  Breastfeeding in Public

Tiny Grass:  Nursing in Public as an Immigrant

A Mother’s Boutique:  Breastfeeding in Public

Chronicles of a Nursing Mom:  Why Worry About NIP?

Blacktating:  Thank You for Nursing in Public

Musings on Mamahood:  NIP, no tuck

Motherwear’s Breastfeeding Blog:  Get kicked off a buss for nursing in public?

babyREADY:  A wee NIP in the park

Long Life:  Planes, trains, and automobiles–we’ve breastfed in them all

Breastfeeding Moms Unite:  Nursing in Public: A Fresh Perspective on Nurse-In’s

Pump Ease:  Breastfeeding Hats? YES! Nursing Covers? Uh… Not So Much

Breastfeeding Mums Blog:   Nursing in Public - What’s a Breastfeeding Mother to Do!!

Hobo Mama:  Easy, discreet way to breastfeed a toddler in public

Stork Stories…Birth and Breastfeeding:  Little Old Men… & Nursing in Public

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