How Much Skin Is Appropriate When Breastfeeding?

Nursing Noah on the beach at Coronado Island when he was 10 weeks old

I look at the evolution of my feelings about breastfeeding the same way I look at a lot of things. If you asked me what I thought about public breastfeeding before I had a baby, you would have received a very uninformed, not well thought out response. I probably would have said something along the lines of I think everyone should breastfeed, I just don't want to see it.

Then, I took a Bradley birth class, and our instructor had a little one that was still breastfeeding at the time. The little one would happily head over to her mom, breastfeed for a bit then go on with whatever it was she was doing before she stopped by for a drink. I never once saw any part of my instructor's breast, although she was nursing without a cover. It made me wonder what decision I would make for myself.

When the time came, I found that I felt most comfortable breastfeeding Noah with a cover. Maybe it started when I had so much trouble breastfeeding him for the first five weeks of his life, maybe it came from own desire to decide when and how much of my breast I wanted to show, but I found I loved the cover and how easy it was for me to use it in public. Some of my friends that didn't breastfeed felt uncomfortable when I used it at a dinner table with them, and some other friends that didn't use covers wondered why I used one at all.

I've always felt comfortable nursing Noah, and now that he's a toddler, I often breastfeed him without a cover when I'm in a hurry. I'll sit down in the parking lot if he asks me or in the women's lounge and just start breastfeeding. Some people look extra long at my long toddler as he nurses, and I imagine they wonder how old he is, but no one has ever with a cover or without a cover said one thing to me about breastfeeding Noah. Whether it was as an infant or a toddler. I have always felt I control when I use or don't use a cover, and I want all women out there to be able to feel comfortable making those same decisions for themselves.

Today, Annie, from PhD In Parenting posted a video on her blog that speaks to this very issue. I'd love for you to watch it and let me know what you think. I offered up some of Ash's music for the video, but she decided to go with a female acoustic artist which I think fits quite well. And to answer the question of how much skin is appropriate, Annie's right, it's up to the mother to decide. I'm glad I always have.