As a new mother almost five years ago, one of the things I felt very self-conscious about was breastfeeding in public. I remember having to go to the mall when my son was just a few weeks old and needing to nurse. I was really insecure about it and didn’t know what to do, so I ended up going back to the car and nursing him while sitting in the passenger seat.

I grew more confident over time. After a while, I felt less self-conscious and was able to nurse just about anywhere. Once in a while, I would get a funny look from someone, but it was no big deal. For the most part, I felt comfortable nursing my child in public.

According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, 39 states actually have laws allowing mothers to breastfeed in any public or private location. Washington and Idaho, however, are not among them. Both states do have laws that provide some protection for breastfeeding moms. In Washington, breastfeeding is exempt from public indecency laws. And in Idaho, breastfeeding mothers are exempt from jury duty. (A handy guide to breastfeeding laws can be found at www.gotmom.org – just in case you’re traveling this summer.)

I thought about all this while working on a story about breastfeeding and La Leche League International, which provides education and support to families who want to breastfeed their children.

From my experience, most people are very encouraging when it comes to breastfeeding infants. Some people, however, get a little squeamish when the baby gets older. My daughter is 2 years old and she still nurses about twice a day. My son nursed until he was 2 ½ years old. Some of my relatives and friends think that’s a little strange, but I often remind them that it’s actually the norm in some countries. I also tell them that some health organizations including the American Academy of Pediatrics encourages breastfeeding for at least a year, if not more.

What was your family’s experience with breastfeeding?

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