“NIP,” or nursing in public, is something that many breastfeeding mothers don’t even think twice about. Baby is hungry, baby needs to eat – end of discussion. So if you’re wanting to feel a bit more carefree about NIP, use these five tips:
- If you’re concerned about showing skin or being immodest, try practicing in front of a mirror. Then you can see what’s showing and what’s not. Remember as the mom, you can usually see much more of what’s going on from looking down, simply because you’re the one nursing. Most people can’t see a thing!
- Invest in some nursing clothes, or at least a nursing bra. I used to try to get away without nursing clothes, figuring that it was just a way for someone to make some money, but then I was gifted a nursing top. The difference was amazing!
- To cover or not to cover, that may be the question, but the answer may come from your baby. Perhaps you’re ready to NIP but your baby nixes your cover by batting it, crying when you put it on or refusing to nurse. It’s okay, figure out how to deal with it in a way that is comfortable to you and your baby.
- NIP in a group of supportive friends. This will help you gain confidence in your ability to NIP without the added pressure, not to mention the power of the human shield is a mighty one.
- Choose your spot to NIP wisely. See if you can choose a location to have your back towards the majority of people wherever you are located.
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We are honored to host a guest post today from Robin. Robin Elise Weiss, BA, CLC, ICCE-CPE, CD(DONA), LCCE, FACCE, is the author of more than ten books, her newest book is The Better Way to Breastfeed. As a mother of eight, one of her proudest accomplishments is nursing all of her kids, including a set of twins, through thick and thin! You can find her on the web as the Guide to Pregnancy & Childbirth for About.com (http://pregnancy.about.com) or at her personal site (http://robineliseweiss.com).
We are looking for more guest posts! Check out our contributor guidelines, and send us your story about normalizing breastfeeding, nursing in public, or breastfeeding advocacy (lactivism).
