As of this month, I’ve breastfed my sons for a combined 28 months – 21 months with Little and now 7 months with the littlest.  And while my experience has been different with each of my boys, I’m happy to say that this time around, I have felt much more comfortable and confident.  This is especially true when it comes to breastfeeding in public or around others period.

There are a lot of things that can make breastfeeding difficult, but one thing that people don’t talk about often is how isolating it can be.  When Little was born, I almost always went to a private spot to nurse him when others were around.  I went upstairs when we had company.  I went out to the car if we were in public.  Unless it was too far, and then I fumbled with my nursing cover until I was finally able to nurse him long enough to be satisfied.

And there isn’t anything wrong with that.  I felt most comfortable in private so that’s what I did.  But I missed out on some things because of it.

Fast forward to now – I have no problem breastfeeding our youngest in public or around others.  I spent lots of time practicing getting a good latch and using a cover so that no matter where I was, I would be able to feed him and still be a part of family activities, conversations, and meals.

And while I am for women’s rights to feed their babies whenever and however they choose so long as baby is healthy, I still feel most comfortable breastfeeding discreetly and modestly.

So today, I’m excited to share with you 10 tips that I’ve learned about breastfeeding in public.  My hope is to empower you and encourage you that you can breastfeed your baby confidently, modestly, and discreetly wherever you are.  And it doesn’t have to be as awkward as it may seem to be at first.

This post is sponsored by Baby K’tan and contains affiliate links.  All opinions and experiences are my own. For more information, please see disclosure.  

10 Tips for Confidently Breastfeeding in Public

If you are a breastfeeding mama, I hope that these tips will make feeding your baby away from home a little less stressful and a lot more comfortable.

Know Your Rights

All 50 states have laws that allow women to breastfeed in public.  And many other states have additional laws that protect nursing moms.  If you’re not sure what the laws are in your state, take a look at what specific protections are available to you.  Knowledge is power.  Once you know what you are allowed (and protected) to do, you’ll feel more confident.

Plan Ahead

While I tend to practice feeding on demand when it comes to nursing my boys, most babies will tend to fall into a somewhat predictable schedule after a few months.  Plan your errands and outings ahead of time based on this schedule.  To the extent that you can, plan to be somewhere where you can get into a quiet place when you expect your baby to be hungry.

Get Familiar with Your Surroundings

If I am going to likely be nursing in public, I always like to be in a familiar place – somewhere I’m comfortable already.  But, if that’s not the case, I always try to scope out a place when we first arrive so that I’m prepared when I need to feed the baby.  It’s helpful to familiarize yourself with the people and activities that are around and the layout of the space.  Check and see if there are designated nursing areas that might provide a bit more privacy.

Choose a Quiet Spot

Once you’ve familiarized yourself with your surroundings, I always suggest finding a quiet spot away from the hustle and bustle, if you can.  A bench in the shade,  the corner booth in the restaurant, etc.

For what it’s worth, I almost always pick the corner booth with kids because it’s a little more out of the way.  But, the added layer of privacy with a wall and the back of the booth are really helpful for breastfeeding.

And if you have a distractable eater, like my littlest, picking a quiet spot will help increase the likelihood that they will nurse well.

Dress for the Occasion

Dressing appropriately is key to successful breastfeeding in public.  When I first became a mom, I was surprised by the sudden need to have nursing friendly clothes.  I had spent the last 9 months trying to create a simple, but functional maternity wardrobe and now all of a sudden, I needed to be thinking about which pieces worked well for nursing.  Who even knew?

I mean, yes.  I knew I needed nursing bras, but everything else? This was a learn as you go lesson for me.

Since then, I’ve learned a few tricks to choosing the best nursing friendly clothes.

My favorite is to wear a nursing camisole underneath your top so that if you need to lift your shirt, your mid-section (and back) stays covered.  This always make me feel more comfortable and less self-conscious.  You want to be sure that both your bra and camisole have easy to access clips that you can easily use with just one hand.

Other things that work really well – loose fitted and more flowy tops, which are great for post-partum anyway, stretchy necklines that can easily be pulled down, and button up tops or dresses.

Use a Cover, If You Want To

Another great way to maintain a little bit of privacy is to use a nursing cover.  Having a cover and a nursing camisole were the two things that make me the most comfortable nursing in public.

There are a ton of options for nursing covers on the market these days.  When we’re on the go though, my favorite thing to keep on hand is my Baby K’tan swaddle blanket.  I’ve talked before about how versatile these blankets are, but I really cannot say enough about them.  I just toss it over one shoulder to cover while baby latches.

When he was younger, I would be able to keep it over him the whole time, but now that he’s older and all but refusing to be covered while he’s nursing, I simply move the blanket away from his head once he latches and keep it close to cover myself and act as a burp cloth if needed.

The Baby K’tan swaddle blankets are lightweight and made with a breathable fabric, so their great to use no matter if it’s hot or cold and they fit in the diaper bag really easily.

Focus on Your Baby

I’ve talked a little bit about minimizing distractions for baby already.  But minimizing distractions for yourself is also an important part of successfully breastfeeding in public.  Here’s what I’ve learned.

A hungry, crying baby draws a lot more attention that a mama breastfeeding in public.

Sure, you want to be discreet about it.  I’ve never ever in the history of ever seen a breastfeeding mama with flashing lights begging to be noticed.

I’ve nursed our littlest in public often and most of the time, people don’t even notice.  Focusing on your baby will allow you to nurse more easily and smoothly, which will ultimately draw less attention and give you a boost of confidence seeing your sweet baby calm right down.

Nurse on, Mama.

Nurse with Baby in the Carrier

Another great way to discreetly breastfeed your baby in public is to nurse them right in the baby carrier.  To be fair, this isn’t something that I tend to do, but I have many friends for whom this works really well.  Especially when baby needs to nurse and you’re in the middle of the grocery store for example.

Using the carrier provides an extra layer of cover for you while still keeping your hands free.  It also helps keep distractions at bay for your baby.

Baby K’tan has some great tips to help you safely and comfortably breastfeed while using your carrier on their website.

Practice at Home

And like anything else, breastfeeding in public gets easier the more you practice.  I’ve found that each time I’ve nursed our youngest in public, I feel more efficient and confident in doing so than the time before.

If you’re not sure the best way to cover up, or to help your baby latch discreetly, take some time to practice before you go out.  Use a mirror so you can see and practice until you find a technique that makes you feel comfortable.

This will also help you know what others can see when you’re nursing (which, spoiler alert: really isn’t that much once baby has latched).

The more you practice, the more comfortable you’ll feel getting baby latched quickly and easily even with a cover.

Ask for Help

And finally, if you need help, ask for help.  When you are in a new place, ask if there is a nursing area.  Ask your spouse (or other kids) to pass you things from your diaper bag if you need.  Ask a friend to come sit with you for a bit of support and company.

Whatever you need, just don’t be afraid to ask for it.  People are usually willing to help.

Did I Miss Anything?

If you’re a breastfeeding mom, I’d love to know any tips or tricks you’ve learned to make nursing in public easier.  Be sure to let me know in the comments below!