When I had my first baby in 2006, I “went into hiding” every time my baby had to nurse. If we were out to dinner, I would go out to the car and put the sunshade up. If we were at a friend’s house, I would resign to one of the back bedrooms. If we were shopping, I would politely ask to use a dressing room (never the bathroom, mind you…ewww).
The problem with this plan was that I always missed so much – conversations, laughter, living. Babies aren’t exactly known for quick eating so sometimes I’d be out of commission for 20 minutes or more at a time.
When baby #2 arrived seven months ago, I wised up and discovered nursing covers. With my Bebe au Lait nursing cover in my bag, I can nurse anywhere, anytime. I’ve nursed in airports, in parks, at restaurants, in museums, at friend’s houses, and at Disneyland – with confidence.
That said – when you see me nurse, you don’t SEE anything (if you know what I mean). I’m quite modest and discreet about the whole thing. Not because I am ashamed, but because I want to be respectful – of others and of my body.
When it comes to the (sometimes heated) topic of breastfeeding in public, I would have this to say: breastfeeding is a beautiful thing, a sacred thing. It should be encouraged, advocated, and championed across our country and throughout the world. The benefits for babies and for mothers – both physical and emotional – are too well-documented to ignore. Our culture should be doing more to promote exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months and continued breastfeeding through one year and beyond.
Breastfeeding shouldn’t have to happen outside of the public eye (on the contrary, actually…the more people that breastfeed openly, the more the next generation will learn about it and consider it.). That said, I don’t believe breastfeeding in public should be synonymous with “openly expose your breasts to every passer-by, without any consideration for modesty.” Women should try to keep covered – and that doesn’t have to be a difficult task. You can nurse in a baby carrier, with a blanket thrown over your shoulders, in a specially-designed nursing shirt/dress, or with a nursing cover. Some super experienced mamas can even manage to nurse discreetly without any additional coverage.
YOUR TURN: What is your “take” on public breastfeeding?
To get the conversation going (and because I love my readers so much), I’m giving away a Hooter Hiders nursing cover.
In case you’ve ever wondered, Hooter Hiders covers and Bebe au Lait covers are actually made by the same company; they just have two different names – “Hooter Hiders for the tongue-in-cheek and Bebe au Lait for mommy chic.”
Both brand names feature:
- lightweight, high-quality material
- adjustable, rigid neckline so you can see your baby
- gorgeous fabrics for stylish mommies
There are, however, a few differences between the brands.
Bebe au Lait covers retain the original design. They have a rigid neckline and an inside pocket/burp cloth.
The new Hooter Hiders, on the other hand, have two designs: Pocket and Ruffle. The Pocket design has an external pocket, but no internal pocket like the original nursing cover design. The ruffle design has ruffle details along the neckline and bottom of the cover (no internal pocket).
The “Hooter Hiders Classic” nursing covers are exactly the same as the Bebe au Lait covers, although the selection of prints is a little different (some styles are available under both brands, some not).
——————————————————————————————————————
Every time I leave the house, I always double-check to make sure I have my nursing cover. It’s a product I use every time I’m in public so the $35 is definitely an investment worth making if you are a nursing mom.
I’ll end this post with a quote from the Bebe au Lait website: “Breastfeeding is something to be proud of. Bebe au Lait allows modern moms to do so wherever and whenever, in style.” I completely agree.
WIN IT! One winner will receive a Hooter Hiders nursing cover {of her choice}. To enter, leave a comment stating which design you would choose on this post prior to Tuesday, October 27th at 11:59 p.m. (Don’t forget to follow the rules…all generic comments like “Enter me!,” “Love it,” and “Cool stuff!” will be disqualified.).
P.S. If you’re interested in “staying in the know” about the latest Bebe au Lait sales, contests, and fun…you can follow Bebe au Lait on Twitter, fan Bebe au Lait on Facebook, or sign up for the Bebe au Lait newsletter.
*UPDATE* The winner is #53 zmama. Congratulations!
