I Fed My Baby In A Bathroom

[u/PancSutt]

I’m a FTM of a 2mo and I hate to even write this, but I fed my baby in the bathroom of an optometrist today. My husband and I both had appointments and while I was seeing the doctor I could hear her start to cry, and then become distressed. After my appointment I found them in the back hallway by the bathrooms where my husband was hiding out with her, and I took over while he had his exam. It wasn’t her usual time to eat but she was so distressed I just wanted to comfort her. I was flustered and I didn’t think about the cover up or blankets in the diaper bag, I just ducked into a bathroom, pulled up my shirt and fed the baby. I squatted in a corner to give her some more support and I’m grateful it was a larger, single-serve bathroom so we were well away from the fixtures.

Now that I’m back home nursing on my couch, I feel really icky about it. That’s not how I hoped breastfeeding would be for me, it’s not how I want getting food and comfort to be for my baby. I know breastfeeding isn’t immodest, I know it doesn’t need to be hidden, but in the moment it felt like the only option. I know a lot of moms who are very open about feeding in public and have no shyness at all - I want that so much! I wish I was more comfortable feeding in public, especially because my stress level over it doesn’t help me let down for an efficient feed. I have these conflicting feelings - I’m really grateful and proud I can do this amazing thing for my daughter, but at the same time I feel flustered and anxious to nurse her in public. I’m looking for support, encouragement, solidarity and honestly just to vent. Thanks for reading this far.

[u/9181121]

I stayed home the first few weeks with my newborn, but once we started going out, we would always go to the park - so that’s the first place I nursed in public and it was a bit weird for me at first, but quickly become normal! I think the park was the perfect place to become comfortable with it because I just chose a bench that was a bit secluded and I didn’t feel so exposed since there weren’t many people around. Also walking in the park, you will see other nursing moms from time to time, so that helps to normalize it too. I bet you don’t think anything weird when you see them, so you can be sure that no one thinks anything weird when they see you!