Become a Badass Public Breastfeeder in 7 Days: Introduction

I spoke with hundreds of women before writing this e-course. It was the responses I got from these women that motivated me to make this course as extensive as it is. What angered me more than the rare story of harassment was the level of fear that many hold about breastfeeding in public. They cited fear of being stared at, fear of being verbally abused, fear of showing their body and even fear of being physically assaulted. Has our culture sexualized and demeaned the female body so severely that women live in fear of providing the only natural method of nourishing their babies? It seems so. These fears are real. These are not irrational women. These are women just like every other woman who has internalized the demoralization of the female body and experience. I decided to take this personally. As someone who Nurses In Public (NIP) comfortably and with never a negative experience I felt it was my opportunity to share what I think and feel about the issue. I want to help you put a plan in place so that you can begin to unravel those negative messages and understand how you can begin on a path toward NIP.

Nursing in public can seem daunting to a new mother. It can even be difficult and anxiety provoking for a veteran mother! I will help you navigate the world of NIP. I will cover everything from clothing to comebacks to give you the confidence and tools you need to NIP without fear. Practice makes perfect with breastfeeding in public. The first time might be terrifying, the second time nerve wracking, but soon it will become as second nature to you as being outside has ever been.

Before we begin I would like to say that you are a Badass Breastfeeder. Plain and simple. There is no divide, there is no competition. You are not more Badass for nursing in public than you are for nursing at home. You are not less of a Badass for using a breastfeeding cover. At the end of each and every day this is about breastfeeding our children. It is about being informed and making those tough decisions for our children based on that information. That is Badass. This course is for informational purposes, not to try to change you. You are already a Badass Breastfeeder.

 ***I highly suggest taking this course as if it is a true 7 day course. Please read each day separately for 7 days in a row.***

 TO START DAY 1 OF THIS COURSE CLICK HERE. 

Abby, The Badass Breastfeeder

Testimonials

“I have been following your NIP email series. This has been ….a subject which has brought me many tears over the last two months since my son was born. I have lost all but two of my friends and am not asked to family events any longer. In only two months. I hurt. I cry. I desperately miss the companionship of people. Why did it all go away? Because I breastfeed. The first few times people shrugged it off; I was using a cover. No big deal. But my son gets hot, so at Thanksgiving I opted to remove the cover. Everyone left the room. They sat down to dinner, and when I came in the whole table was full with no place and no chair set out for me. My significant other got me a plate and made a place for me, but the damage was done. I wasn’t fit company. A few weeks have passed and I was asked to a birthday party today. The first time anyone reached out to see me. So I went. I’ve been reading the emails about exuding confidence and reaffirming that what I’m doing by breastfeeding is good. Great even! But I want to feel free to do it. Part of the way through the party, my little man needed changed, so I excused myself to do so. When I got back someone from the family made the comment that he looked so much better full. I said he hadn’t eaten, I would never eat in a bathroom and he wouldn’t either. I then proceeded to feed him (with two shirts, one to pull up, one down) and enjoy the party. Every single person walked away from me. Everyone. I wanted to start crying. But then, one of the oldest and most respected friends of the family came over, sat down with me, and talked to me. This man, in his fifties told me how great of a thing I was doing both for nursing, and doing it in public. He lovingly told me about how his son (now 8) was breastfed until he was two and that it was only problems with severe biting that stopped them. Members of the family were starring and gossiping, not trying to hide it at all, and I suddenly felt proud. You and your series gave me the confidence to believe in myself and do what’s good for my son and society. I was rewarded by having someone they respect so much show them how dumb they were being. I want to tell everyone else to hang in there. It’s hard. It hurts. It makes you feel utterly helpless to deal with people. But if you hang in there, if you have faith and you follow this advice, it is more worth that tiny moment of the sweet and glorious victory than you would ever have imagined. Thank you Badass, for helping me.”

-Anonymous

“Thank you so much for this e-course. I generally don’t feel uncomfortable NIP, but I appreciate the tips and encouragement you provide! In the last week, as I’ve been NIP more frequently due to being inspired by your emails, my friends have commented on how brave and awesome it is that I’m comfortable nursing my daughter wherever, whenever. I truly believe that people like you (and every mother who happily NIPs) are changing the world for the better. Thank you!”

-Stefanie , Proud nursing mother 🙂

“I would like to let you know that your course has truly changed the way I feel about nursing my baby in public. I do prefer to cover with the clothes I’m wearing and I have nursed in public with people standing next to me talking to me and they don’t even know!! A cardigan, nursing tank and well placed scarf does the trick! It’s made life much easier for my whole family since I don’t always have to run off to a private place to nurse…nor should I feel obligated to! 🙂 thanks for the wonderful tips that have given me the courage to be a badass breast feeder!”

-Ashley

“Thank you so much for all of the information. I’m a ftm and have breastfed my son for four months now, I never was too timid about nursing in public but this helps me understand my rights. I fed my son in the middle of wal mart without a cover and it was amazing I felt like I changed the world just a tiny bit :). ”

-Anonymous

“I just wanted to thank you for the NIP course, and all that you do to normalize breastfeeding. I EBF my 7 month old daughter, and even before she was born I became a lactivist! The only thing I ever had trouble with was nursing in public. But after following your facebook page and taking your course and seeing all the photos you post, I was inspired to NIP! I have done it a few times prior, but always made sure it was in my car or in a quiet, empty area of a store where no one would see me. Well, the other day at church, my daughter wanted to eat. And usually I would go to the nursery to feed her. But I thought, “why don’t I just feed her here, right in the pew?” And I hesitated. Then I asked myself “Why are you hesitating?” and I thought, “Because people may see my boob and may get offended.” Then I had a long thought process of about how that isn’t my problem. And that I should not feel ashamed because feeding my baby isn’t shameful. It’s normal. It’s nothing to feel weird about. And even though some people think that, it shouldn’t stop me from feeding my child. The only way I can get people to think like I do about breastfeeding, is to just do it and normalize it. Which is why I decided to sit in my pew, unsnap my bra, pull my boob out and feed my daughter. I felt so amazing. The male ushers looked my way and just smiled. No one cared! And my daughter peacefully went to sleep as the music played. IT was a beautiful moment! One women (who had two teenage children) commented to me, “Aww how I miss that. How wonderful!” As I got up to leave, I also saw another mom nursing her toddler, and I was like “AWESOME!” Best.day.of.my.life. Now I don’t even think twice about feeding my baby in public.

THANK YOU!”

-Badass Jen