BFing in public, where have you done it?

So a few times today this topic has come up with my ILs that BFing in public is disgusting. I think they are anxious for me to 'give it up' but they can bite me

I BF pretty much wherever I happen to be (I do cover up and am discreet, but I couldn't really care less if others cover up).

So I am just wondering where have you BFed in public, do you put limitations on where you will do it?


I have BFed:

in restaurants - fast food and casual dining. No fancy places yet - but I also haven't taken DS to any fancy places.

at my quilt guild meetings
at my quilt guild board meetings
in public parks
at a clothing store (in the changing room)
in my car when I could find no other place
Doctor's office
Thruway rest area
Little League Games

If I am at someone's home I will ask if they are comfortable or if I should go to another room.

That's all I can think of right now.

So where have you BF?


(Edited for typos)

Message edited 2/26/2010 10:26:49 AM.

Re: BFing in public, where have you done it?

My son is only 10 weeks old...we recently started going out in public. He is EBF. I have nursed in the changing room, in the mall on a couch, in my car, and in Ruby Tuesdays WITHOUT a cover! I am discrete and I won't do it just anywhere. It has to feel right. I have to feel a sense of privacy, even if it's in the midst of a crowded mall. I'm new to it and I hope to lose the anxiety real soon. Check out the group on FB called "If breastfeeding offends you, put a blanket over YOUR head!" It's very liberating. The minds of those who think it's disgusting are the true perverts of this society. I'm sorry that your ILs have such a warped sense of what's right. They must oversexualize the breast and that's just disrespectful to begin with. Whatever though....good for you to keep giving your DC a nutrition and a connection that no other source can live up to.

Message edited 2/25/2010 9:56:02 PM.

Re: BFing in public, where have you done it?

Everywhere - I have a nursing cover and there is nowhere I would not nurse..I am VERY discreet.

Re: BFing in public, where have you done it?

Re: BFing in public, where have you done it?

I'm still shy in certain places but will use a cover and if my baby is hungry I will BF him in public or anywhere for that matter. I always try to find a discrete spot though (inside a booth at a restaurant, my car etc. I do not see anything wrong with it and would never even think twice if I saw someone else bfding in the most public of places. I alwys just get nervous that some perverted guy will see me or somehting weird like that

Re: BFing in public, where have you done it?

Anywhere she's hungry. Amelia doesn't let me use a cover but I don't mind, I barely show anything.

When I'm with my family I don't care whatsoever. They're so used to seeing a boob being pulled out they don't even blink Every woman in our family has breastfed so its completely normal to us

Message edited 3/1/2010 12:03:18 AM.

Re: BFing in public, where have you done it?

I never thought I would but after a month or so I was doing it wherever. On the boardwalk, in my car, in fitting rooms, restaurants (well more like the order and sit kind), friends houses, etc. Once she started hating the nursing cover that got harder to do though..

Re: BFing in public, where have you done it?

DS is 8 months in a half an hour!

I'm shy about my boob being seen but not shy about doing it anywhere as long as I'm under cover.

We've BF...

In the mommy room of BRU & BBB.

In a glider on display at BRU. (the store was empty and I did not want to be stuffed in the room alone)

The back seat of the car.

Restaurants, fancy and not, booth or table. Often I've gotten him under cover before the server got to the table, taken orders and then DS pops out of nowhere and their surprised!

Fitting room of Kohl's, Macy's, Lord & Taylor.

The beach on a blanket.

Family and friend's homes.

Food court at the Source Mall at a GTG!

On a plane.

Park bench at the arboretum.

DH's work.

And to add... I've pumped on a plane, in the car while DH drove and at the hair salon while under the dryer (under the drape).

Re: BFing in public, where have you done it?

I do it when necessary wherever we are. I use a nursing cover and try to be respectful of other people so they can't see. I have gone to my car to nurse if there is no real good place to do it wherever we are.

Re: BFing in public, where have you done it?

DD is ebf so I have done it everywhere....the most public place was yankee stadium. I am always so covered up that people usually don't notice.

Re: BFing in public, where have you done it?

I was a closet BF'er and the closest I came to "public" was in my car with blankets covering all the windows

Re: BFing in public, where have you done it?

I don't have the gumption to BF in a store/restaurant, but I have nursed her in my car and in many bathrooms lol. I try to feed her before we leave the house for anything to avoid needing to nurse in public. I'll also pump a bottle to have just in case (but lately she's been rejecting the bottle).

Re: BFing in public, where have you done it?

Everywhere and anywhere!

Re: BFing in public, where have you done it?

Posted by chelle

Everywhere and anywhere!

Re: BFing in public, where have you done it?

I never did the nursing cover, DS hated it.

I always wore the nursing Tank Tops which kept me very discreet.

With that said. I nursed EVERYWHERE. My inlaws even named my favorite chair in their living room the "BFing Chair" And my MIL wouldn't let anyone sit in it. lol

I nursed in the mall, restaurants (nothing fancy because if it were fancy I wouldn't have brought a baby), parks, other peoples homes, doctor offices, car, literally everywhere.

And maybe it was rude of me but I never asked other people if they "minded". Never even thought about it. I guess I went with the mindset no one would care if someone fed their baby with a bottle, what's the difference.

And if/when we have another, I wouldn't change a thing.

Re: BFing in public, where have you done it?

The Montauk Light House -- I was desperate and there is no where to be discreet there, so I just found a semi shady area, and put on my nursing wrap and went to town!

Re: BFing in public, where have you done it?

I've breastfed:

in many dressing rooms
in my car more times than I can count
restaurants (casual and fast food)
parks
friends houses

the beach (one time we went for a pretty long walk and on the way back my DS started to freak. I sat down to feed him but sand flies were attacking us, so i had to feed him while I walked along the beach. That was interesting )

Re: BFing in public, where have you done it?

Where haven't I, is probably a much shorter list!

When my daughter was hungry, I fed her...my concern is always her FIRST, not the discomfort of others. That said, I've never "whipped" them out...so unless you were rudely staring at us, you'd never see anything.

(I only BF her 3x a day now and only at 'sleep' times, so BF in public is no longer part of our routine.)

Re: BFing in public, where have you done it?

Whenever they were hungry & wherever.

Re: BFing in public, where have you done it?

I just tried to find a spot where Sasha wouldn't get distracted and where I wouldn't feel self-conscious.

It's much more commonplace, but people cannot help but gawk sometimes.

Re: BFing in public, where have you done it?

I've BF in many restaurants, mother's lounges, couches at the mall, my car, a bus, a local fair, the park and the beach. If DS was hungry, I'd feed him wherever we were. He usually didn't mind when I used a nursing cover.

Re: BFing in public, where have you done it?

The beach, restraunts, starbucks, the LIRR, countless parking lots, the mall, the back of church, the upstairs office at ski resort , everywhere.

Re: BFing in public, where have you done it?

I've breastfed everywhere I've been.

The only challenge I EVER had was in the South Shore Mall. I was there with my best friend for a hair trial and Robbie was hungry. I covered up and fed him. This crotchy old lady at the front desk told me I couldn't do that because it was indecent and they were a family establishment. She had the NERVE to tell me that I should go and do it on the bench in the mall.

I nearly lost my ever lovin' mind.

I pointed out the shampoo girl who was wearing a man's oxford shirt that was NOT BUTTONED - but tied at her waist. You saw more of HER boobs than you could of mine.

I did get an apology from the owner a week later after several complaints from some groups I belonged to.

Re: BFing in public, where have you done it?

Everywhere, the park, stores, restaurants, parties, the bus.

And he hates being covered up so I just had to say f*** it and I just try and be as discreet as possible. I usually wear nursing tanks anyway when I leave the house with him so all anyone is going to see is the side/top of my boob and I really don't care what they see anyway if they see more than that.

Re: BFing in public, where have you done it?

EVERYWHERE!!!!

I've walked around the grocery store grocery shopping with DH and was nursing her. She won't let me use a cover but I wear lots of layers so you can't even tell she's nursing, just looks like she is laying in my arms sleeping!