Recently, I saw a Luvs commercial on YouTube. Yes, I'm talking about the diaper company. I couldn't have described the differences of breastfeeding my first and second kid any better.
Did you see how awkward she was trying to nurse under the blanket? She seemed nervous and uncomfortable as I'm sure the baby was too.
I hate to say it but I feel like my first kid is an experiment. I have read dozens of books about parenting but nothing could have prepared me for having a baby except, well, having a baby. I remember when my daughter (my oldest who is now nearly three) was only a few months old. I had gone to an amusement park with my family. It was the middle of the summer in Missouri which is basically like trying to live your life under boiling water. There I was trying to nurse my tiny baby with hundreds of people milling around me in what felt like a sauna. Honestly, I had a hard time nursing her in the comfort of my own home so trying to nurse her under a blanket, on a hard bench, in the heat, where all those people could see me was not going to happen. It is not an experience I wish to repeat. But I'll never have to because I will never be that uncomfortable nursing again.
My son is six months old now and I am a completely different mom than I was that day at the amusement park. I can nurse anywhere anytime and not give a second thought to it. I don't use nursing covers. He hates them anyway. I understand. I hate them too. Most of the time the people don't even notice that I'm nursing. I usually nurse with my shirt pulled up and my undershirt pulled down so very little skin is exposed but he doesn't have his face covered. I actually don't mind pulling a boob right out if I have to. I have long ago forgotten what it was like for my breasts to be sexual objects. But I have been told some people are uncomfortable with seeing a bare breast in public.
Here's the deal with that: I am going to feed my baby when he's hungry. I am not going to wait until it won't make others uncomfortable. And I'm not going to cause him heat exhaustion trying to nurse under a smothering blanket. Nor do I want to take the time to deal with an awkward nursing cover/blanket. I mean, I have 2 kids under age three. My top priorities involve sleep, make sure my kids make it through the day, make sure I make it through the day, eat, and shower (well maybe showering is right up there on the top). Point being the easier the better. I wouldn't have said that with my first. I was only concerned with what I was supposed to do and what was proper.
I actually really enjoy nursing. Especially with my second kid. I get a few minutes to sit down when I'm usually going 100 mph. I am glad I had the opportunity to nurse both my kids and that I'm comfortable doing so, even in public.
