Seven Tips for Breastfeeding in Public Confidently

1. Understand that breastfeeding is as polite an activity as walking down the sidewalk or having a sandwich at the corner café. There is nothing special about breastfeeding that makes it inherently impolite. It's not impolite at all, it's just another everyday parenting task. The personal hang-ups of strangers don't count enough to influence how you parent your baby.

2. Your baby covers everything a swimsuit would, and it's ok to wear swimsuits, low-cut tanks or even barely there tube tops. You will be more covered than a lot of women walking by you. You are doing nothing wrong.

3.If you feel anxious about it, check yourself out in the mirror at home while nursing as you would in public. This will reassure you that there's a lot less visible from out there than you can see yourself. If you need to, seeing what others see enables you to make adjustments to make you and your baby more comfortable. You'll be surprised how often people won't even know the baby is nursing, they'll think you are just holding a sleeping baby.

4.Take a supportive friend with you on your first outings - plan it that way! There is definitely strength in numbers. If your friend is nursing too, even better. A great way to begin NIP is to attend La Leche League or Attachment Parenting International meetings. Not only will you gain experience, but you will also see how others do it and have the chance to ask questions and make new friends.

5. Decide what you will say if someone asks you to move or cover up. Most women are never approached, but many moms feel better if they know they won't have to come up with a response on the spot. Some moms fear a comment would require them to verbally defend themselves. It doesn't. One easy way to handle it is to respond only by taking the person's name and position so you have the information you need if you choose to register a customer service complaint. Don't discuss, don't debate. Just turn the tables on them and say, "And your name is?" Some mothers also like to print their state's breastfeeding legislation on a business card to hand out when it is appropriate. That way, it is not necessary to memorize the law and try to recite it under pressure.

6. Fake it. Yep, if you are nervous, nobody needs to know. Fake being confident. Play the role of an experienced mom who has fed her baby everywhere and just isn't concerned. Act normal. Read a magazine, a book, a newspaper; use your free hand to check your planner, your messages, or simply just gaze around the place with your Mona Lisa smile on. Women have done this a gazillion times all around the globe all through history. You're one of them. No biggie.

7. It's not the attitude of onlookers that matters; it's your own attitude about your breasts that is the main factor in your ability to breastfeed in public confidently. When you work on internalizing the healthy message that your breasts are amazing, functional and deserve respect, the ugly messages of shame and disapproval from society won't shake your confidence or influence your decisions. That takes time and input that offsets the messages we've received all our lives. Women can help bolster their confidence and erase shameful messages by visiting empowering websites and connecting with other supportive mothers. A few sites you might want to visit are www.007b.com and www.nurseherenow.com.

With experience, support and good information, breastfeeding in public can be one of the most convenient aspects of nursing a child, and a mother can be confident feeding her baby wherever she needs to.