To do, or not to do? The choice to breastfeed in public is a personal one.
If you are a new mother, you will agree that breastfeeding may sometimes feel lonely because more often than not, you are sitting by yourself in a room and nursing your baby. All by yourself.
This can get a little frustrating after a while and there will come a time when you are ready to explore breastfeeding your baby outside of your room or house. Fear not, you are not alone.
More and more mothers today are ‘bravely’ choosing to breastfeed outside in public, because why not? Isn’t breastfeeding a completely natural thing to do? Why should one feel ashamed or threatened by naysayers asking a mother to “go back inside’ and feed her baby?
The main issue around breastfeeding in public is the wrongful sexualization of the act of breastfeeding. It is because our society and movies depict breasts as something to be seen only during acts of pleasure and not the reason for which it was actually biologically created – to provide nourishment for your baby.
We have put together a list of tips that could help you feel more comfortable as you embark on this new breastfeeding journey.
Tips to help you try breastfeeding outside of your home or in public.
· Identify which position your baby is most comfortable with feeding.
· While at home, you can practice covering yourself effectively, so you can do it easily in public if you wish to cover yourself while breastfeeding.
· It is easier to start your public breastfeeding journey in areas where other mothers and babies may be present like a welcoming relative or friend’s home.
· Dress in a way that makes it easy to access your breasts so that it is easier to breastfeed.
· Make sure to carry a breast pump in case your breastfeeding session is cut short and your engorged breasts need to be relieved.
Will I ever be comfortable with breastfeeding outside of my house?
Like anything in life, the more times you do it, the more normal it will become. Think about the first day at a new job, and how nervous you are. Then think about yourself a month in. That’s how breastfeeding outside of your house would feel like. The first few times you do it might feel a little nerve-wracking but we promise you, fast forward a few weeks and you’ll be whipping your boobs out with confidence.
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