Breastfeeding In Public: Your Rights & Advice

Feeling anxious or uncomfortable at the thought of breastfeeding in public is completely normal and expected for new moms. If you plan to exclusively breastfeed, you’ll likely need to breastfeed outside of the comforts of your home at some point in your breastfeeding journey. Here is how you can come prepared and be successful with doing so!

Understanding Your Legal Rights To Breastfeed In Public

In America, there are a couple of laws protecting breastfeeding mothers, lets break them down here.

Public Law 106-58, Section 647

This law permits any woman to breastfeed her child at any location inside any federal building or any federal property. (assuming they are on the property legally, of course!)

Patient Protection And Affordable Care Act

An amendment made to the Fair Labor Standards Act requires all employers to provide reasonable break times and a private space that is not a bathroom, for their employees to express/pump breastmilk for up to one year after the child’s birth.

**Please note: employers with less than 50 employees may be exempt from this law if their compliance would cause undue hardship on the company.

Navigating Cultural Attitudes Towards Public Breastfeeding

Aside from the legal enforcement, let’s talk about social stigmas. Socially, breastfeeding can be seen as gross or dirty, I experienced some of my peers looking at my milk as if it were gross or like it’s some dirty bodily fluid. It can feel demeaning and uncomfortable to be in this situation, even if these people never actually say anything, the social tension is enough.

So, what’s your recourse if this happens to you? Primarily, if you are at work, I would advise you to speak to your HR department if that is an option within your company. If it is not, I would go to your direct manager. If your manager is the primary point of tension, it may be best to seek out a consultation with an attorney and see if there is any room for legal recourse.

When you’re with friends or family, it can be a little different. Sometimes people feel comfortable saying some really unsupportive things to you simply because they know you. I would encourage you to lean into that confrontation and set a clear boundary from the start. I completely understand no one truly wants to start an argument or cause problems, but you do not need to be omitting your self esteem and confidence for someone else’s comfort,

Here are some direct and non-confrontational ways to set this boundary. You can say;

• “I’m not interested in speaking about this right now.”
• “I’m not looking for advice”
• “I’m just feeding my baby, let’s move on”
• “I’m not open to comments about how I feed my baby, thanks.”
• “would you prefer to listen to the baby screaming instead?”
• “This isn’t up for discussion.”
• “breastfeeding is normal. I’m happy to continue this conversation when we can be respectful.”

Can A Business Or Business Owner Ask You To Stop Breastfeeding?

In most cases, the laws are clear, it is not legal for any business or its owner to ask you to stop breastfeeding in their establishment. The laws vary by state, but in most cases the laws even state that the establishment can not ask you to stop, move, or even cover-up while breastfeeding. Some states even have laws that explicitly state that breastfeeding in public does not fall under the guidelines of indecent exposure and you are not subject to public nuisance laws.

A business can respectfully offer a more private location if you’d like that, but they can not force you to move or cover up. Under no circumstances would it be legal for them to ask you to leave the establishment, or call the police to trespass you. If this were to happen to you, I highly encourage you to seek legal recourse. Ignorance is not an excuse in the court of law. If they do not know the laws you can try to educate them, but if the conversation has escalated, it may be best just to leave and go seek legal counsel.

How To Breastfeed In Public With Confidence

Breastfeeding in public can be pretty daunting, especially if you are a first time mom! but don’t worry, I’ve got some tips to share with you that will help make everything go smoothly, and keep you from feeling embarrassed or exposed.

Breastfeeding a newborn in public can be tricky because they often pop off a lot, and both of you are trying to learn how to properly latch. In the beginning, I preferred using a breastfeeding cover like this one. My baby didn’t mind it early on, and it helped me to feel less exposed. I also often chose to sit in a back corner if we were eating at a restaurant or something like that, and this ensured there would be less foot traffic bothering us. It also helps a lot if you can position your body to have your back facing the general public, again finding a quiet corner is so helpful to this situation!

Practicing at home for a while and getting the hang of things is reasonable too! If you’re finding yourself already feeling tense or stressed about getting a good latch at home, it may be best not to add the social stress of trying to breastfeed in public yet, at least until you get a little more confident with it. It may even be beneficial for you to practice at home in front of a mirror so you can get an idea for what other people may see if they are looking at you. Your perspective from looking down at baby will be dramatically different from what someone walking by may see, so this may help you feel more secure and less exposed!

Nursing-friendly clothing isn’t necessarily essential, but it can help keep more of your skin covered if that is your preference. If you would like to hide more of your stomach, a shirt like this may strongly benefit you and provide you with some more confidence!

Make Sure You Come Prepared!

Spit happens! Be sure you are prepared for spit up or leaks by packing your diaper bag sufficiently! Always make sure you have an extra bra and shirt for yourself, and always bring extra breast pads just in case you need them! For baby, make sure you’ve always got burp cloths, wipes, and a fresh change of clothes! Coming prepared for emergencies will reduce your anxiety and ultimately save you if baby spits up or you leak milk all over your shirt!

Final Thoughts: Feeding Your Baby Without Fear

Breastfeeding is nerve wracking itself, but you don’t have to feel this way! With time and experience, your confidence will soar, and soon you’ll be surpassing your 6 month or 1 year goal. Then eventually you’ll be planning out how to wean your baby! Utilize these tips to not only remain confident, but to successfully make it to your breastfeeding goals. You can do this; And remember, you legally have the right to!