What If You're Okay Nursing Around Complete Strangers, But Not People You Know Like Your Friends Or Your Parents-In-Law? This situation just happened to me a few days ago.
I was sitting in the living room of my former college roommate and her husband when my baby, Ella, started to fuss around a bit.
Out in public, I wouldn't have hesitated to discreetly initiate nursing inside my baby sling, knowing that no one would probably be paying me any attention, anyway.
But in their living room, I knew I wouldn't just "blend in with the scenery.
" Plus, I'd left my nursing sling out in the van.
I really didn't want to miss out on our conversation.
And, there was a good football game playing on the big screen in front of me.
So, I simply angled my body away from my friend's husband, moved Ella into position, reached through my nursing shirt and latched her on.
She calmed down immediately and I relaxed myself.
I don't think my friend's husband had a clue as to what I had just done.
In fact, even if he had noticed, I don't think I would have cared.
There was a time, however, when I wasn't this confident nursing in front of friends or family members, whether it was in my own home or not.
I felt uncomfortable and awkward.
So, I came up with a few strategies...

• Stand up & walk around with your baby to see if a change of position will help.
  
• If moving around doesn't help, head down a hallway to a bedroom or bathroom and latch baby on.
  
• After a quick check in a mirror to make sure everything is in place, confidently & nonchalantly re-enter the room and take up where you left off.
  
• If it's just not possible to make a brief exit, you can usually say something like, "My baby must be hungry.
  She's nursing, so can you excuse us a minute?"Then, turn your body away to show your need for a little privacy.
  Once baby is started, turn back to your family members or friends and resume what you were doing.
  

Remember, your body language and relaxed attitude toward public nursing go a long way in showing others just how normal breastfeeding really is.
And, like anything else, the more you nurse your baby in public, the easier it becomes.
Also, you might want to keep in mind that some people just don't know too much about the exquisite benefits of human milk.
So, tell them, if you feel like it.
Oftentimes, you'll end up in the middle of a fun conversation!