Several weeks have passed since you brought your little one home, and the two of you are ready to leave your messy nest and venture out into the real world. Your diaper bag is packed: enough onesies for a month, check; diapers and wipes, check; soother, check; wallet, keys, phone, triple check. You eye the lightweight poncho your mother-in-law gave you ?for modesty purposes,? and although you fully plan to breastfeed openly?free the nipple, baby!?you throw it in the basket of your stroller. Just in case.
Step 1: Find a very public space

Before you?re ready to breastfeed in the middle of Christmas Mass, you opt for a different kind of new-mom church to begin your adventure: The mall. It?s perfect?it has air-conditioning, family washrooms and plenty of comfortable places to sit. Even better, you can hunt for new clothes, since your maternity clothes are too big, but your pre-preggers wardrobe is still too small. Off to shop you go!  .related-article-block{display:inline-block;width:300px;padding:0.5rem;margin-left:0.5rem;float:right;border:1px solid #ccc}@media (max-width: 525px){.related-article-block{float:none;display:block;width:280px;margin:0 auto 2rem}}

5 tips for breastfeeding in public with complete confidence

Step 2: Find a place to sit

You?ve timed the trip around baby?s nap, so you should have ample opportunity to scope out an empty armchair in the bookstore, grab a Harlequin novel and wait for your little one to stir. But baby has other plans. The second you ...