Why I’m ditching the nursing cover for Baby #2

The first time I nursed in public

I was gifted a really cute nursing cover when I was pregnant with my first kid. For the two and a half years he nursed, I used it *maybe* five times. It’s a no-brainer that that sucker is sitting in the donation box right now. Here’s why I won’t even bother the second time around.

1. Nothing screams, “Hey, I have my boobs out!” like wearing a nursing cover. I don’t care how cute it is, wearing what is effectively a giant patterned apron around your neck with a squirming pile of baby buried underneath it isn’t exactly discreet (and I assume you’re going for discreet if you’re using a cover).
2. Scarves and blankets are far more convenient, stylish, and subtle. I have nursed countless times with either a scarf or a blanket without anyone being the wiser. Like, old ladies and grown men have ogled my baby while he was on my breast and they had no idea what they were witnessing. You can’t pull that magic off with a bulky cover.
3. You don’t actually have to hide anything unless you want to. Look, I’m not an exhibitionist. But our society is pretty f*cked up when no one blinks an eye at the raunchy objectification of women all over advertisements or Miley Cyrus twerking practically naked on national television, and then loses their sh*t over a little cleavage or side boob when a baby needs to eat. Breasts exist to feed babies. Let me say that again. Breasts exist to feed babies. So if modesty is important to you, grab a blanket, but otherwise, you’re doing future generations a huge favor by normalizing a practice that has kept our species alive since the dawn of time.

There you go. Delete the cover from your registry and add a few muslin blankets instead. They’ll likely get far more use. Happy nursing!