Breastfeeding without a cover-immodest?

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wm1175

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I’m breastfeeding my 3 month old and naturally he is often hungry while out in public. While most of the time it isn’t an issue, sometimes it is difficult to manage a cover and a squirming/crying baby. I know this is a controversial subject…but is it immodest to not use a cover? I’m not specifically planning on doing it, but if the need arises I would like to know if it would be okay.

Second, this is my first baby and my husband and I are hoping to have a large family. Is it necessary to use a cover in front of our other children? It is my idea that by not using a cover I would teach them that breasts are first and foremost for feeding an infant, but again, I want to make sure that I’m approaching this correctly. Thank you!
 
You don’t carry a simple blanket?
It’s cold. Help yourself out!

It’s not so much about immodest behavior as it is about courtesy. Many folks think it’s wonderful and natural that women breast feed, but that doesn’t mean they want you to flash them, 😊

ETA: Children know what you are doing. You don’t necessarily have to demonstrate.
 
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Oh I certainly do! I have a cover and a blanket, but usually I use the cover that wraps all the way around me. It can be inconvenient though if I have to adjust his latch or any number of things because I can’t see him and don’t have enough hands to adjust him and pull the cover open. He’s also in an arm flailing stage and so a blanket stays on for approximately half a second before he swings it off and I’m scrambling to cover myself again! Haha. I haven’t come across an instance yet where I had to nurse without a cover…but I’m trying to get an idea if it would be okay or not if I needed to.
 
I used an “Over the Shoulder Baby Holder” or baby SLING as they used to call them. Easy to pull to cover or reach under. You might try one of those!
 
wm1175 said:
I haven’t come across an instance yet where I had to nurse without a cover…but I’m trying to get an idea if it would be okay or not if I needed to.
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I think this is perfectly fine. Really, in the vast majority of cases, not much shows anyway, if you are wearing a top designed for nursing. Some babies won’t nurse easily with a cover over them, especially as they get bigger, and moms shouldn’t be made to feel ashamed for feeding their baby the natural way. 🙂
 
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When my kid got big enough, he flailed so much with a cover that I wound up exposing a great deal more than if I fed him discreetly without a cover. Try the two-shirt method–one shirt that you lift up, another shirt that you pull down. Latch him on when no one is looking, and all anyone will see is a baby being snuggled against you. I prefer to feed in quiet, out-of-the-way corners, but if the kid was hungry in the middle of the park with no cover around I certainly wasn’t going to starve him. I’m no fan of “making a statement” by making a big deal of nursing in public, but it’s also not something immodest or indecent; do whatever works for you.

I wouldn’t worry about breastfeeding covers with siblings. Heck, you might wind up tandem feeding a toddler and newborn, or at least feeding a newborn only a few months after you stop feeding this one; to your older children, your breasts will simply be those nice Mommy milk-makers.
 
heidi_storage said:
Try the two-shirt method–one shirt that you lift up, another shirt that you pull down
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Yep. I used tank on the bottom, pull that one down, sweater or pullover top on top, lift that. No one sees anything. Baby eats discretely.
 
A couple of women I’ve seen breastfeeding in public recently seem to have not bothered to cover up. Which nobody, including me, seemed to have an issue with. But the fact that they were breastfeeding their baby wasn’t really obvious. It sort of looked like they were just carrying their baby around. They must have been used to doing it that way.

It’s the latching on and taking off that most American’s are modest about. I’ve seen women from other countries who didn’t seem to have any issues with concealing any part of the process at all.
 
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Yeah.

At home with just hubby and my kids…it’s whatever. However, if I had a prepubescent boy, it might be different.

In public? I try to be very modest. Not because I think I need to be covered but because people tend to like to touch babies and if I make it “obvious” they are occupied I’m less likely to get an accidental peep show because someone coo-ing got their attention.
 
This will be fun.

The breastfeeding in public threads really bring out he best in everyone 🙂

A shirt over a nursing tank is the best invention EVER in my opinion. Shirt goes up, nursing tank goes down, babe goes on breast.
 
wm1175 said:
Oh I certainly do! I have a cover and a blanket, but usually I use the cover that wraps all the way around me. It can be inconvenient though if I have to adjust his latch or any number of things because I can’t see him and don’t have enough hands to adjust him and pull the cover open. He’s also in an arm flailing stage and so a blanket stays on for approximately half a second before he swings it off and I’m scrambling to cover myself again! Haha. I haven’t come across an instance yet where I had to nurse without a cover…but I’m trying to get an idea if it would be okay or not if I needed to.
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The flailing may stop once he discovers the “switch” on the other breast to stimulate milk flow. Maybe a bit of guidance will help.
 
Actually, the discussion so far has been pretty calm and, I hope, helpful to the OP. I hope this happy trend continues.
 
When mine hit about 9 months, I would’ve needed a straitjacket to stop the flailing. Mind you, I would totally have been open to one–in fact, I could use one for each of my kids–but for some reason, they don’t sell little baby straitjackets.
 
Xanthippe_Voorhees said:
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heidi_storage:
When mine hit about 9 months, I would’ve needed a straitjacket to stop the flailing. Mind you, I would totally have been open to one–in fact, I could use one for each of my kids–but for some reason, they don’t sell little baby straitjackets.
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🤣

You sure?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M32NIM...locphy=9002262&hvtargid=pla-392030578039&th=1
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Too small. LOL! Mine kicked underneath, but the hands were busy enough.
 
I personally don’t think there’s anything immodest about it. However, there are lots of people who disagree. Some people won’t like it. In most states, you are protected by law and there’s nothing they can do but glare and whine. It’s up to you if the glaring and whining are worth it.
 
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