You and your new baby decide to go on your first outing since he was born. You change him, dress him and nurse him before you leave the house. He falls asleep in his car seat on the way there. Perfect! He's fed, changed and sleeping peacefully.You're all set to shop and you're sure you have at least an hour and a half to get your shopping done before he wakes up and is hungry again. A half hour into your shopping he wakes up and you know he'll be hungry soon. What do you do? Do you rush home to feed him? Should you go out to your car and feed him there? Maybe you should use the bathroom stall? Unfortunately, this is often how nursing mothers are made to feel when they choose to nurse. So often nursing is seen as offensive or somehow shameful and should be done in private. Any mother who has nursed a baby knows that hiding out is certainly not a practical option.
So, you need to feed your baby in public, but how can you go about it in a discreet and comfortable way for yourself and those around you? Here are some tips that can help you:
1. Know Your Rights!
B.C. and Ontario specifically outline the rights of breastfeeding mothers.
Ontario's Human Rights Commission states that:
You have rights as a nursing mother. For example, you have the right to breastfeed a child in a public area. No one should prevent you from nursing your child simply because you are in a public area. They should not ask you to "cover up", disturb you, or ask you to move to another area that is more "discreet". http://www.ohrc.on.ca/en/issues/pregnancy
B.C.'s Human Rights Commission states that:
Mothers are allowed "to breastfeed / express milk on public benches such as may be found in shopping malls, museums, hospitals, public parks, restaurants, etc.;" and mothers are allowed "to breastfeed their babies while walking in stores, etc." http://www.infactcanada.ca/B.C._HR_Policy_Procedure_Manual.htm
For the rest of Canada women are protected against sex discrimination by each province's Human Rights Code. See the Infant Feeding Action Coalition's website http://www.infactcanada.ca/Breastfeeding_Rights.htm
What it boils down to is that you are allowed to nurse your baby anywhere you choose to and you should not be discriminated against in any way because of it.
2. Get Nursing Clothing.
Technically, you dont need any special clothing to nurse your baby; however, there are many items you can use that will make the experience more comfortable, discreet, and enjoyable for you! If you feel comfortable nursing with regular clothing, great! But if you feel uncomfortable with exposing your belly or your breast, then nursing clothing would be a great option for you.
Here are some items that would help you to nurse discreetly in public.
- Nursing Tops - Nursing tops come in an assortment of styles and different openings for accessing the breast. Many come with a discreet under layer that keeps breast and tummy covered, exposing only the area required for nursing.
- Nursing Bras - A nursing bra provides easy access to the breast without having to remove your entire bra.
- Nursing Cover - A nursing cover covers you and your baby during nursing. Paired with a nursing top, you can feel comfortable nursing your baby anywhere in public!
See BumbleWee Nursing Wear's great article for more details on essential nursing clothing: Article - Nursing Clothing Essentials
Check out BumbleWee Nursing Wear for a great selection of nursing clothing available in Canada!
3. Practice, Practice, Practice. - Practice makes perfect! In the beginning, you and your baby are both learning how to breastfeed. To help yourself feel the most comfortable, practice at home before you try it in public. Once your baby is latched you can fix up your clothing to cover the majority of your breast so that almost nothing is left exposed. Ask a friend or your man how you look or check yourself out in a mirror.
4. Dont Wait for the Sirens! - Feed your baby before he is starving, screaming and drawing attention. By now you probably know your baby's schedule and hunger signs so use them!
5. Get Ready. - Get yourself ready before you pick up your baby to nurse. Undo your nursing bra and get your nursing cover and burp cloth ready. Then you can easily pick up your baby, get him latched, and arrange your clothing to cover yourself where you feel necessary. Now, you're good to go!
6. Be Confident. - You are feeding your baby the best nourishment available. Don't draw attention by acting nervous or trying to hide. Act like you normally would - chat, read, whatever makes you feel comfortable.
7. Be Considerate. - Be considerate to the people around you who may feel uncomfortable by your nursing. That doesn't mean you should leave the room or feel the need to hide, and it doesn't mean that they are allowed to ask you to leave or cover yourself, it just means to be aware. For example, if you're in a room with a few people, you can just let those around you know that you will be nursing. This way, if they are uncomfortable with your nursing then they have the chance to leave the area.
Why Should I Nurse in Public?
I believe that all women should be encouraged to nurse in public. Why? The 2003 Canadian Community Health Survey questioned new mothers who chose not to breastfeed. The top reason for women choosing not to breastfeed was that they found it "unappealing" or "disgusting" (pg25 Breastfeeding Practice Article). Women who nurse in public would act as a role model to these women, and would inspire and encourage new mothers to feel comfortable with the option to nurse.
Breastfeeding truly is a beautiful and amazing experience for you and your baby. Hopefully these tips have helped you have the strength to feel confident with your choice to breastfeed and with nursing in public. It would be a shame for a women to choose not to breastfeed or to prematurly wean her baby because she felt self-conscious nursing in public.
Comments
I'm glad this article is here, I'm going to let my friends know it's their right to breastfeed in public. Yet another reason why I love BC!
My husband claims my modesty went out the window sometime during labour. The truth is I have no qualms about nursing in public because I think it's the best thing to do for my child (and every child for that matter!)
That said, I have a couple tricks to being discreet when necessary. I don't have much for nursing tops. I always where a tank top (usually a one with a shelf bra instead of an actual bra) under my shirt so that I can sneak my breast out and latch my son without exposing myself (developed after my sister-in-law's boyfriend would squirm at the thought of my son needing to feed).
The other trick is my baby carrier. It holds my babe in just the right place to feed leaving me covered and hands free. I've fed my son while walking down the aisles of Costco, talking to salespeople in stores and nobody could tell.
I nursed both my children for a year in Britain and it was great. I nursed them on the beach, on planes, in cafes and restaurants. This is the beauty of breastfeeding - it's so convenient. I was always discreet, and I never once had a negative comment, in fact a few people said how lovely it was to see a mother feeding this way. A few years later I realised that I hadn't been protected by the law at the time! It's great to see that your right to feed in public is protected in Canada.
When I decided to breastfeed I felt that I had to do it as if it were bottle feeding...why be embarrassed breastfeeding -- in both situations you are doing something necessary -- feeding your child! At this point my boobs are functional, not sexual.
At first I warned people I was about to breastfeed, even in my own home. Now I don't (at home). Most recently, when my son was 4 weeks old, my husband and I attended one of the nicer chain restaurants for a baby shower that his workmates put on for him. (Our baby arrived 3 weeks early.) At the end of the main course, Graye was hungry so I set him up for being fed where I sat. The people we were with didn't care, and although we tried draping a cloth at first, it was too much trouble and I gave up on it. I ordered my dessert and tried to do so as if I didn't have a baby sucking on my breast. The waiter followed my lead and didn't bat an eye, and neither did the waitress who delivered our desserts.
I've decided that if you act like it is normal and your rightful choice, most people will go with the flow. So if somebody apologizes in embarassment if they come upon me, I talk to them normally, crack jokes, etc. As I do this I myself become more and more comfortable.
Breastfeeding rocks!
I wish I had seen this while i was nursing. It was difficult at first to nurse in public. It's hard when you are just learning and its hard to get comfortable anywhere!
It took me a while to feel comfortable nursing in public, but it definitely helps knowing that the law and a whole bunch of supportive moms are out there are on your side.
It is really good to see the references to the Ontario Law. Thanks so much for sharing all this valuable information. It is so unfortunate that some people don't recognize the beauty of a mother nursing her child.
Thank you for these tips.