Moms Share…Nursing in Public Stories

Nothing can stop a determined mom (and perhaps even more determined kids!) from nursing, any time, anywhere, as these moms prove.

I have breastfed my eldest daughter for 3 years and I’m still breastfeeding my son who turned 1 year old last January. Breastfeeding is such an amazing experience! My most memorable breastfeeding experience happened last year in a place far up north where most of my lovely childhood memories were built. After waking up to a hearty breakfast of Ilocos longganisa, the family walked the dusty road behind my grandma’s house that led straight to the river. Because it was an impulsive, spur-of-the-moment thing, I wasn’t able to bring my nursing cover with me…just a bimpo and a baby sling. As my daughter splashed around in the river, my son demanded his milk. I breastfed him there as I enjoyed the lovely scenery of the river and the mountains behind it. While I was breastfeeding, a calf came running to its mom, which was standing a few feet from where we were. The calf wanted milk, too! It was a surreal experience breastfeeding “together” with the cows, and I swear the mommy cow looked at me as if telling me we were in the same boat! Here’s a link to my pics which I posted on my blog last year: http://baduday.wordpress.com/2009/09/09/gotta-luv-the-milk - Tricia Faustino, mom to Zoe, 5 years old, nursed until 3 years; and Phoenix, 1 year 5 months, still nursing. 

I have no qualms breasffeeding my babies in public as long as I have something to use for a cover. I've done it almost everywhere: buses, taxi cabs, churches, restos, malls, airports, beaches, and even in Hong Kong Disneyland!! But one of my most memorable moments happened in my elder son’s preschool trial class, when I also had to bring my younger son, who was only six weeks that time. I couldn't leave the room while the class was still on-going as my first-born might look for me and cry. So there we were–me and my baby–in one of the corners of the classroom, only covered with a nursing bib. One of the youngest girls in the class approached me and asked what I was doing and I told her “my baby is taking my milk.” Curious, she even asked if she couldsee my ‘bottle’! - Marie Bustamante, mom to Inigo and Theo

My daughter was about a month old and I was going stir-crazy at home. My husband and I decided to take the kids (we also have a 3 year old) to one of the quieter malls in the area. After arriving, I needed to nurse. I sat down at one of those middle-of-the-hallway coffee shops, settled down with our little girl. My hubby had bought oreo cheesecake and peppermint tea, set it up for me and went off to entertain our son nearby. I sat alone, enjoying the quiet while my daughter nursed contentedly underneath my nursing wrap. Nothing out of the ordinary, since I nurse her in public whenever she wants.

I was interested by the occupants of two tables beside mine. They were conducting job interviews and it was amusing because the applicant would approach one table, and if the guy passed her interview he’d be surprised with, “Are you available for a second interview right now?” Then he’d be shown to the older boss-looking gentleman at the next table. It was funny and I couldn’t help watching,

Later, as the boss sat alone, he caught me looking at him, and we smiled and nodded. He pointed and cradled his arms asking, “Is that a baby?” I smiled, nodded and lifted the wrap to show her feet. He stood up, came over and started chatting me up about how his daughter was having a baby soon, and he was excited for his 1st grandchild. “I hope you don’t mind, but why are you covering her up like that? Won’t she have a hard time breathing?”

I explained that the material was light and there was a special hoop in top that allowed me to see her and allowed for air to circulate. I told him she would not have a difficult time breathing at all. He nodded, half-understanding. “And I’m breastfeeding.”

He turned several shades of red, took off his glasses and looked away. “Oh, I’m so sorry… I didn’t mean to… I mean… I’ll go na…” I laughed and told him it was fine, I didn’t mind at all and that showed how useful the wrap really was.

He regained his composure and smiled. “I think you are doing a really good thing, miss. Most mothers would try to hide thier babies in bathrooms and other places like that. Good for you! I’ll talk to my daughter, she’s already bought cans of formula!” We chatted for a few more minutes and soon he had to excuse himself and to go back to his interviewing.

It was a funny little encounter, but it shows that we shouln’t be timid or ashamed of nursing in public. We just need a comfy chair and a good wrap. - Nikka Hugo-Yap

I am really thankful that a nursing bib was invented! It was my lifesaver when I travelled to the US last year. My daughter was around 4 to 5 months at that time, it was my first time to be away from my baby. My husband and I went to the US because it was my first time to take a break from my residency training. We had a very packed schedule since we couldn’t leave for a long time. I was breastfeeding exclusively until 3 to 4 months but I had to train my baby to drink from a bottle before I left. We went to different states to visit some friends from East to West coast, we went to theme parks (Disneyland, Universal, Magic mountain), we scoured different malls, outlets and that didn’t stop me from pumping my milk. I was able to do all of this with the help of my cover up and my portable pump. Getting awkward glances from strangers didn’t stop me from collecting milk, even if the glances turn into stares I didn’t mind it anymore! I was dead set on continuing my breastfeeding after I got back so I didn’t stop pumping my milk. Everything was very memorable for me because I even took home my milk frozen. I was stopped by different airport officials every time, no fail in every airport ( Las Vegas, Philadelphia, San Francisco). Everything was worth it in the end because my baby Sophia got to drink my milk when I got home. - Liz Medina

My most memorable nursing session with my second child, Rocky, was just this June. We got stuck in heavy traffic along the West Service Road on our way home. Since we just came from a Gymboree session which involved a lot of crawling, the boy naturally became very hungry. Yaya tried giving him a bottle of milk. He refused. I felt so helpless because I was on the wheel. After a good 5 minutes of crying, I decided, what the heck, I will just feed Rocky since we weren’t moving anyway. As soon as Rocky was in my arms, his crying ceased and he immediately started to nurse. When the car in front of me started to move, I just shifted to drive, and stepped on the gas, and then slowly stepped on the brakes to put the car to a stop again. In no time my son was all smiles again. Busog! - Denise Sanico

It was December 2008 and my family, together with my parents, my sister and my brother and his family went to meet my sister and her family in the US for the holidays. We went shopping at factory outlets and theme parks. My 4 month old baby got hungry and I did not want to hold everybody while I fed my son so my baby and I walked around the outlets and theme parks while feeding him under my nursing bib. You can never go wrong with a nursing bib. I felt more proud than embarrassed walking around wearing it. - Jade

My 10 month-old son got hungry while shopping in Greenhills tiangge. Since there wasn’t any breastfeeding rooms available and I didn’t want to nurse in the restrooms, I politely asked the salesgirl in one of the tiangges if I can borrow her monoblock chair so I can feed my son. She willingly let me borrow it and I nursed outside her stall. Expectedly, I got stares from the shoppers. There was this one guy who looked at me intently while feeding. Maybe he was trying his luck if he could get a peek of my bosom. But what the heck, my son was hungry and I needed to feed him. I am a feed-anywhere-kind of mom =) I have fed my baby in a train in China, around the vicinity of Ruins of St. Paul in Macau, in the plane, bus, church, etc., practically everywhere! - Ting Patriarca

My most memorable NIP experience was during my son’s christening. It was our first time to BF (breastfeed) in a church and in the restaurant. A week before the event, I prepared and we practiced how we would go about it. I wore an improvised nursing top but i also brought my nursing cover. No one in the chruch even noticed that I was feeding my son. But at the reception, my son got a little fussy so I used my nursing cover while feeding him because I thought he was having a hard time latching. The slits i made on my tube top were not so ok. So under the nursing cover he was able to feed quietly, it turns out he was so sleepy and he got overwhelmed with the guests. I’m so glad I was able to feed my son and he didn’t give me a hard time considering that it was our first time to BF in public. - Rosette Sacil

I exclusively breastfed my boy up until he turned 14 months old. I’ve breastfed anywhere from a public toilet, a plane, bus, superferry, a crowded hospital lobby and a super crowded beach…and yes, in front of anybody and everybody. It is somehow easier for me to breastfeed in front of strangers (who I will never see again) than in the presence of family and friends (who, I am afraid, will burn the image of me breastfeeding in their memory forever). The most memorable time for me was during my dad’s wake, when Jerard was just 5 months old. There’s this roomful of people – both family and friends, male and female, old and young. There was no hiding, even inside the small family room it was crowded with people. I kept covered, but was still very self-conscious. But I can endure self-consciousness and public stares better than I do a wailing infant anytime. - Dhing Segun