Breastfeeding in Public

So I am caving. I am going to buy a nursing curtain - I mean cover - so I can feel comfortable nursing in public. Yesterday, Keith, Cole and I went out to eat in New Paltz with my dad. After about an hour and a half in the stroller, Cole woke up just as we were enjoying tea (me) and coffee (Keith and Dad) at the Water Street Market. It was time for Cole to eat of course, so off we went looking for a private place to nurse. I was not about to sit in the Gilded Otter parking lot and nurse in the car while they stood by. So we found a nice private bench off the rail trail that faced the Wallkill River and they sat with me while I nursed Cole.  It would have been so much nicer and easier if we could have stayed there and I could have put nursing cover on and just done it discreetly in public. I say discreetly because I just don't feel comfortable whipping out my boob in public. I know that in New York State I can, but I don't want to. And I don't want to have to hide either.

While shopping online for the right nursing cover - the one I found is called- get this- Hooter Hiders - I also found a pumping bra.  These pictures are just two of many hilarious pictures of a woman doing something while pumping. My father and Keith couldn't get over how strange it was to see a woman with bottles of milk coming out of her bra. But I thought - how perfect! While I'm pumping at work (I need to pump during my two free periods) I can actually do things instead of sit there and waste tons of time - my paid time no less. I am picturing myself grading and planning while pumping. The bra got rave reviews, so I'm pretty sure it will be a good fit. Speaking of the reviews - while reading them I came across one where someone said she used it to pump while driving. So my doula's friend is not the only one who does this!

In other news, I found two new mom groups - one in New Paltz and one in Kingston. Both meet at the same time on Tuesday mornings, so I am going to alternate between the two. The one in New Paltz is called New Baby, New Paltz and the one in Kingston is called Club Mom. I'm meeting up with my classmate from our childbirth class this week as well. I am also on the prowl for a babywearing group, since I can't seem to find the right carrier that Cole likes. We got the Beco Carrier, but I don't think Cole likes to be confined in it and the infant insert is pretty confining. He has fallen asleep in it a number of times and I'll keep putting him in it just to get him used to it, but, overall, I think he will like the Beco once he gains more weight and doesn't need the infant insert. I also have the Wrapsody and Cole will sit in it but will whine until he falls asleep. I've read in a few places that slings are actually better for infants because they can be in a semi-reclining position and not as upright as the soft structured carrier (the Beco). However, slings go over one shoulder and I have too many shoulder problems to speak of so I need to figure out how to get Cole in a comfortable position in the Wrapsody. There is a Babywearing "bonanza" at Waddle and Swaddle on Thursday, and I might go to that to get some more tips for different positions using the Wrapsody.

Today, on Cole's one-month birthday we took him to Middle Grey Studio for the first time for some baby photos. He was amazingly quiet and mostly happy during the photo shoot. I think it's because of the new space we introduced him to. There were lots of black and white colors in the studio, which meant a lot for him to look at. Keith will also be posting a bunch on his blog so I'll link up to that once he posts them. In the meantime, here is a picture Keith took of Cole on our couch. Look at those long limbs!