Does anyone NOT cover up?

[Persephone]

I was just reading the other cover up thread, and I was wondering if there's anyone who doesn't feel the need to cover up at all, ever. I'm not knocking you if you do feel more comfortable w ith a cover of some sort, but I personally can't imagine a situation in which I would feel the need to cover up. I normally wear spaghetti strap shirts that are pretty low cut, and I was just planning on pulling my boob out of my shirt to nurse. People might get a glimpse of nipple during latch on, but I don't care. If they don't like it, they can look away during latch on. Just wondering if I'm the only one...

[nadine]

i don't cover up. my son would just knock the blanket over and draw more attention to us. nothing is seen when i nurse. i feel no need to put my son under a hot blanket.

[Threefold]

I don't cover up, and never have. I have the luxury of living in N CA which is pretty bf friendly though.

[broodymama]

I have never covered up, I don't feel comfortable using a cover-up. It would make it too difficult to breastfeed and my DS prefers to be able to see my face.

I'm in south GA which is not a very BFing friendly place but I've never had any problems.

[luckymama]

personally, i don't worry about covering up. i tried, in the beginning, mostly for the sake of not making people around me uncomfortable ... but from the start my son objected to having something blocking his view of everything. so i ditched the blanket (and nursing tops, which i despised), and i just pull up my shirt. my son's head pretty much blocks the view anyway ... i've had a couple of gawkers here and there, and when they've bothered me, i've had a wing-man (my dh or my bf-friendly brother) to stare them down.

[abac]

I don't cover up, ever. I did in the beginning a little, but that didn't last long. Most of the time people don't even notice that I'm nursing, and if they do, they usually smile. The exception was last week at the beach when a man pointed me out to the woman with him. He then tripped while staring at me. :LOL

[BusyBeeMom]

I never "cover-up" per se. However, short of taking off my whole top, or wearing a dress so I'd have to pull the whole thing down, there's never a whole lot visible unless it's while DD is latching on or taking a peek around. I just pull my top up have at it. I think blankets and so on just call more attention to yourself, but if it makes someone feel more comfortable NIP, then go for it!

I also nurse wherever/whenever, even out to eat at a restaurant last night w/my squeamish ILs! I feel that the less fuss I make about nursing, the less everyone else cares. If I were to make a production, and go somewhere private or pull out a blanket, then it becomes a big deal.

Just my 2 cents.

Janey

[stafl]

I don't cover up, never had. Most of the time, baby covers any exposed skin and most people don't realize she's nursing anyway. I see no reason for a hot blanket, or *shudder* one of those tent-like things, especially down here in the HOT humid South! :

[crysmomofthree]

I never cover up, even though at times I feel uncomfortable. I agree with other posters that blankets just draw more attention. When I start to feel self conscious, I just tell myself that me breastfeeding in public a (especially around family) lets people know that it is "normal" to nurse even a toddler. I rarely get any flack.
crystal

[~member~]

nope. The two times I did cover up, I got kicked out. Go figure, huh. Both times at the Mystic Lake Buffet. Only once did security actually escort me out.

[Storm Bride]

I almost never cover-up, but I do in the early days when we're still establishing feeding. Today at the mall, I had to feed Evan, and I'm having some problems right now (nipples dried out and cracked, and one of them is infected). So, it's taking me a while to get him latched properly. I'm not that comfortable waving my nipple around and pulling my breast this way and that - such as when his hand brushes the sore spot - so I put a blanket (actually a flat cloth diaper - very lightweight) over my shoulder to get him latched.

Once this problems over...no way. I don't see the point. I'm very self-conscious in many ways, but not about nursing.

[Milkymommi]

I'm a never cover up girl... I feel much more in control and comfy without dealing with a funky blanket that just won't stay put anyway. Besides, I always say to people " Have you evr tried to hang out under a blanket before? Pretty hot and nasty huh? Well try eating there" Man! I can't even stand sleeping under the covers, I feel like I'm suffocating to death. I feel so bad when a poor baby comes out from the blanky and their little hair is all soaking wet :-(

Boo to blankets for me... but of course to each her own

[Persephone]

Well... ok then! I don't feel so alone.

[Pen]

We don't use a blanket or anything. I do try to keep her from getting distracted by her surroundings but she'd never go for a cover up. How do people keep those blankets over their shoulders anyway???? Besides, that one less thing to carry and then to wash.

[Misti]

Heh, I've nursed three kids for a total of 8 years so far, over the course of 25 years.

I tried a blanket early on with the first -- but he would have none of it, and between his flailing and screaming, it really did make a lot more of a fuss than just hauling up my shirt and going at it.

I was thrown out of one or two places -- but these days the law is on my side, and I make it very clear that I am well informed about that. They usually go away long enough for the baby to finish.

[earthmama369]

I live in New England, and the only time I "cover up" is when it's snowing! (And even then it's just pulling up a sweater instead of pulling down a shirt. I hate not being able to see my daughter's face while she nurses.)

[Trishy]

I never covered up either. I do try to be discreet but I am not about to make my baby wear a blanket over his head on the chance that I may offend some stick in the mud.

[sistermama]

Originally Posted by earthmama369

I live in New England, and the only time I "cover up" is when it's snowing! (And even then it's just pulling up a sweater instead of pulling down a shirt. I hate not being able to see my daughter's face while she nurses.)

I once read a great idea for cold weather nursing. Take a cheap white men's undershirt and cut two big nursing slits down the front of it. Wear it under your regular clothes. That way, when you lift your shirt/sweater to nurse, you still have a little something covering exposed belly/back. I've tried this a few times (live in Fl so not much opportunity!) and it is nice not to get a full blast of cold air!

Back on topic though, I've never covered up with a blanket. At work, I make sure that the edge of my shirt is right down to babe's face, unless I'm in my own office. But in the rest of my life, I try to make sure that there is at least some boob showing. Its my own little mama action to desensitive the general public.

[Pen]

I just asked my husband what he thought. He said he wouldn't want a blanket thrown over his head when he was eating. (Perhaps those who are uncomfortable should but a blanket over their heads.) He added that by covering the baby, you are excluding her from what's going on. He feels that many people just don't think of babies as people.

[sistermama]

Originally Posted by Pen

I just asked my husband what he thought. He said he wouldn't want a blanket thrown over his head when he was eating. (Perhaps those who are uncomfortable should but a blanket over their heads.) He added that by covering the baby, you are excluding her from what's going on. He feels that many people just don't think of babies as people.

Yay your dh!!! I love when men don't just support breastfeeding, but really "get" it!