You are here

Public Breastfeeding: Finally, a Happy Story!

Photo Courtesy of Joanna Goddard

Most of the time, when we hear about breastfeeding in public these days, it’s in response to a mother being asked to stop nursing, a nurse-in declared in response to such a request, or a celeb’s ill-informed tweets on the subject.

So we love hearing a story about successful on-the-go breastfeeding that’s totally drama-free (and happens to have been captured beautifully in photos). So, kudos to one of our fave bloggers, Joanna Goddard, who recently wrote about (and posted a lovely series of photos depicting) an afternoon of casual, discreet public breastfeeding while out with her husband and infant son.

She writes:

Since Toby was born, I've met so many wonderful moms who are nervous about breastfeeding in public--they worry that people will give them weird looks or say something negative, or they just feel uncomfortable baring a boob...

When I was pregnant, I had also read a few stories about restaurant owners or random passersby saying negative things to nursing women now and again, so I came up with a phrase that I'd have at the ready, just in case. Want to hear it? :) I planned to say, ‘It's my legal right to breastfeed my baby anywhere in public or private; if you have a problem with it, you can look away.’ Haha, sounds dramatic, but I felt good knowing that I'd have a reply, if the situation ever arose! Luckily, strangers have actually been great. You know, 99% of the time, people don't even notice that you're breastfeeding (it's so subtle!); and when they do realize it, people have even walked by and said, ‘Aw, that's so sweet,’ or ‘Isn't that beautiful?' which was a nice surprise.

Moms, have you nursed in public? How did you feel? Did people notice or care?