Nursing In Public

Today I nursed Lilly in our Ergo carrier while shopping for groceries. She was fussy and wanting to nurse. In the past, I have just gone out to the car, nursed her, and then returned to the store (while my husband continues shopping). But over the last few months, I have been nursing in public more and more. With any future babies I have, I am not going to waste any time nursing them in cars! I think it's so important to nurse in public to help normalize nursing. 

When I first started breastfeeding, I had never seen another mother nurse her baby in real life. It wasn't until I went to a "Mommy & Me" support group meeting held by a lactation consultant when Lilly was four months old that I saw another nursing mother. So, while I wanted to just nurse Lilly wherever we happened to be when she was hungry, I really didn't know how to go about such a task and, to be honest, was slightly terrified.

I had never tried nursing Lilly in the Ergo. I have nursed her in my ring sling. I specifically got the ring sling for easy hands-free nursing. For some reason using the Ergo for nursing seemed intimidating and complicated. I am really surprised at just how easy it was. Now, I am really looking forward to using it for nursing again. 

I still feel nervous nursing in public and in a way I felt like this was my first serious NIP experience. I had never nursed her while walking around shopping before. I have always been sitting- parks, food courts, yogurt shop, even a courthouse (but still sitting!) I think this particular experience especially felt like nursing in public, because I frequent this grocery store a lot and almost always see someone I know. Nursing there felt a lot less anonymous than other places.

Although nursing in public still makes me nervous, I'm proud to be a breastfeeding mom and I hope that by helping to normalize nursing, more moms will choose to breastfeed and feel comfortable nursing their babies (or older nurslings!) wherever they happen to be.