7 Reasons I Cover When I Breastfeed and Why It Has Nothing to Do With You

By Breastfeeding Mama Talk

Mom and blogger Kristy Kemp of Breastfeeding Mama Talk lists the reasons she chooses to cover while she breastfeeds her son, and no, none of the reasons have to do with you.

I don't cover because I think breastfeeding needs to be hidden. I don't cover because I have shame. I don't cover because I'm trying to consider your comfort. Well, what other reasons would you cover?

  1. I cover because my baby gets easily distracted so to avoid the painful niplash I choose to cover so she can focus on eating. I wish my baby wouldn't get distracted over the littlest noise, but she does, so that is where we are at.
  2. I cover because it's what makes me feel the most comfortable. My comfort with covering is not because I'm afraid of confrontation or someone around me being uncomfortable, I just get really bad anxiety and I'm able to relax when I'm covered. A relaxed mama means more milk and a happy baby.
  3. I cover because on real sunny days it provides us with shade. It also helps during the colder climates to keep my baby warm.
  4. I cover because my baby covers herself. Sometimes my nursling will pull my shirt over her head and keep it that way the whole nursing session. If she wants to be covered then gosh darnit she will.
  5. I cover because it helps my baby fall asleep.
  6. I sometimes nurse in a bathroom because my baby likes the echo of a bathroom. I've fed him in the bathroom of a restaurant because he was hangry and that was the only place/way to calm him. Even if I'm home, I'll take him crying into the bathroom to calm him.
  7. I cover because my shirt happens to cover me on it's own and that works for us.

As you can see from the reasons listed on why I choose to cover or even at times nurse inside of a bathroom, I'm not doing so because I'm trying to hide the fact that I'm breastfeeding, nor do I feel like it needs to be hidden for other peoples' comfort. I don't cover because I think it's classier or because I think it's modest. I don't cover because I'm afraid of showing a little skin or side boob. I do it for the comfort of my baby and myself. Any choice I make regarding how I feed my child has nothing to do with you. I do not base my decisions thinking about how other people, complete strangers even, will feel about it. I cover because that's what I need to do for myself and my baby to have a happy and thriving breastfeeding relationship. Whether a mom chooses to cover or not they should be supported either way. Breastfeeding can get stressful at times especially when out and about the last thing a breastfeeding mom needs to worry about is trying to conduct herself in a manner she thinks will appease others. The only people she needs to worry about appeasing is herself and her baby. I don't cover for others, because I know whether I cover or not there will still be someone not happy about it.