My Experience on Breastfeeding in Public

There is one thing that I have always known about breasts, they are part of the respected parts of a woman’s body. So they are treasured. At some point, I see them on screens and magazines being objectified, put on billboards and beaches. On the other hand, they become a selling point for campaigns about breastfeeding.

Breastfeeding in public is slowly becoming more accepted and even attracting more attention as compared to bottle feeding. One thing that we can be sure of is that a hungry baby waits for no mom, what the baby wants is milk, right there and then.

You don’t have to worry at all when it comes to feeding your baby. There are many ways that you can nurse your baby in public places confidently and confidentially.

There was a time I encountered a big problem in a certain restaurant out of town. I had gone to take a meal and as I was sitting down, automatically, the baby started crying for his milk. When you are carrying a small baby with you, you just need to breastfeed when he gets angry.  I could not wait for long as I took the breasts out and gave him to suckle as I covered him. It did not last even 5 minutes before I was rudely interrupted and asked why I was breastfeeding there. That irritated me as the man tried to harass me out but I told him I know my rights as a mother and I will protect myself and my child from anything that touches us. After the struggle of another 10 minutes, I called assistance from the police and the man was advised accordingly.

The legality of public breastfeeding

You don’t have to worry on nourishing your baby in public because it is protected by both federal and state laws. Here are some of the things that you need to know:

• Let your baby feed whenever he/she is hungry. It does not matter where you live or stay, it is always allowed to breast a baby anywhere where a mother is entitled to be. The only exception that you can encounter is in a moving car where even the baby has to be secured in a child safety seat. Anywhere where you are allowed to feed your baby with a bottle, you can go a step further and breastfeed.

• Certain laws provide extra protection for the mother and the child. Legislation always allows printing to be done on federal property. At the same time, if you are at work, then your employer should allow you to pump milk or nurse when you have work breaks. If you use daycare centers, then they must allow you to nurse your baby in their nursing facility.

• Is it allowed to breastfeed on a plane? This is a unique question because I have encountered some planes banning or wanting the mothers to cover up or even stop breastfeeding while on that plane. Not all airlines will bar you from nursing but because of many other factors, it is considered wise for you to check on the plane’s policy on breastfeeding if you are traveling with your child.

Tips for public breastfeeding

If you want a hassle-free breastfeeding experience, then you need to know the following tips.

• Always be in the right dress mode that will enable you to nurse your kid. The kind of clothing that you will put on should be able to ensure that the baby has the easiest access to his or her lunch. Wear dresses that have a wrap-style front or even that pen from the front. If you want to use shirts, choose button-downs. KeaBabies nursing covers come in adorable prints and can serve as a poncho top for breastfeeding moms.

• Use of a nursing cover. Now, this one comes down to personal choice. To add to it, not all babies will love them. When you use one, take care of two things, the baby should have enough room for feeding and also breathing. Good aeration is also important so that heat does not overwhelm them, hence KeaBabies Multi-use Cover is a must-have.

• You can also use a sling baby wrap carrier as it also ensures that public breastfeeding is convenient and also comfortable.

• You can go a step further and request to have a special accommodation to nurse the young one. Many places have managed to construct such places for mothers and they come complete with chairs and also changing tables for use.

If you are harassed while you are breastfeeding in public, this is what you need to do:

• Always stay calm and avoid any kind of threat that will be directed to you as the first line of action. If you feel physically unsafe, then you will need to call for help from the police.

• If it’s an employee that is harassing you, file a complaint against the company and the employee if you don’t get assistance and protection from the manager of the company.

All in all, you will need to be ahead of anything. Plan your travels, search online for ideal breastfeeding-friendly places, and most importantly, know your rights.

Meet Our KeaMommy Contributor: Avery K. When she isn’t looking after the many needs of her 2 kids, Avery enjoys taking walks in the park, enjoying nature, and getting her daily fix of caffeine.