Not due until november but have a question about breastfeeding?

I am due November 3rd with my second child. My husbands family has big family get togethers for thanksgiving and my baby will only be a few weeks old max if he or she is born on time(i went into my 42 week with my first so im expecting anything this time lol) My question is when I need to breastfeed my child should I ask to go into a different room or what? I would be comfortable just throwing a coverup on myself but he has a lot of family members that think breastfeeding is offending. When I had my first they came over to visit at OUR house and I was sitting on the couch fully clothed with a newborn(he was only like5 days old) nursing with a blanket over him and myself and she asked if I would go into a different room!!! By she I mean my husbands step mom. So going to teh family gettogethers will be a big awkward Im thinking, however I would still like to attend. Do you think that early after just starting to breastfeed would I be able to pump enough to satisfy her/him? with my son I couldnt seem to get more than an ounce or two pumped out for over a month yet I know he was taking more than that when I nursed lol what would be the "proper etiquette" for this situation? It will be at my father in law/step mother in laws house. They have two teenage boys & SOOO many family members over. what is the right thing to do at situations like that?

Hon by law you can nurse wherever you want. It's your right to feed your baby! Especially in your own home, if the woman had an issue with it she should've gone to another room, however I can see how you'd want to stay on good terms with your husbands family. So when you are at their house, excuse yourself to a quiet room where you can nurse your baby. You can also pump but don't offer a bottle too soon if you plan to breastfeed exclusively, it can cause nipple confusion. Within a few months of your baby actively nursing you can just bring bottles. The reality is this is their problem, breast feeding is beautiful, natural and never offensive, but I see how you want to keep the peace amongst the family. But please don't leave the room in your own home, if she's ignorant enough to have issue with it she can go elsewhere. Good luck!

"what would be the "proper etiquette" for this situation?"

You say something like, "Ah, it looks like it's time for nursing here," and pause, and go about starting a nursing session. Anybody who's bothered can easily leave the room.

my daughter..also born in November.. will not take a bottle so i nurse... i too ask where can i nurse and go into another room... but in my house i nurse her in her favorite place no matter who is there..if it bothers them they can go in another room ..great job on breastfeeding !!

In your own home you have the right to breastfeed where ever you please, but in their home it's a different story. If they feel uncomfortable, excuse yourself and go into another room.

I always ask "Do you mind if I nurse my daughter here?" If hey say no, then ask where you can nurse. Some of my friends feel more comfortable sending me to another room, and some are fine with me nursing wherever - I don't want to make anyone uncomfortable, but my daughter would never take a bottle, no matter what, so I had no other options other than never leave the house, which seemed silly to me.

Wow, how did she have the nerve to say that to you at YOUR house? Since, you won't be at your house, this is what I would do and have done at others houses. I just stand up and hold baby and make sure I say in a loud voice "Excuse me, I think this little guy/girl needs to eat. I'm going to go nurse her in the living/dining/bedroom. We'll be back in just a bit". Smile and walk off. Good luck!

Hi there,
I think that your step mother is incredibly rude. If she had a problem she should have left..no question.

I think that you know you have the right to feed your baby and your baby definetely has the right to be fed. This is a time for you to put your brave hat on and just get on with it. You will be proud of yourself for doing it. There are of course discreet ways to feed. For me the best was carrying my babies in a sling and feeding them underneath. I used to walk around town feeding them and no one would have had a clue. If people have a problem it is exactly that! Their problem! not yours.

Below is a site where you can watch videos of a woman breastfeeding in public and how she does it discreetly. Also, I have pasted a google return on baby-slings.

Good luck.

well i don't want to come off rude but heres what i think. just because YOU are comfortable sitting exposed except for the blanket/towel doesn't mean every1 else is-or that they have to be. would you expect to show up in a bath robe only and not offend any1? or expect to come into your own living room in a towel or robe only and not have your mil feel awkward?

you should always go into another room or out to the car to breastfeed around any1 besides your babies father/SO/husband ect. it is awkward and frankly rude on your part. i don't think your mil was beyond her rights or being rude to ask you to go elsewhere, especially in your own home when you have access to any room in the house. it wasn't her house so she wasn't going to just go to another room and sit.that what would have been rude. to just excuse herself to another room she didn't have permission to be in or ask to go into your bedroom ect. its comman courtesy no matter how well you know some1 that when they go to there home to wait to be invited in and wait to be asked to sit down.you don't say "excuse me please let me have access to the private areas of your home. i think she was within her rights to ask you to please move. as for thanksgiving, yes either pump or ask if you can go to another room or out to your car. its comman courtesy and if you know that people will be uncomfortable then just bring pumped milk and bottles.

and no, nipple confusion will not happen. my son couldn't breastfeed for 24 hours after birth b/c i was unconscious and his dad gave him bottles from birth, then he breastfed exclusivley for 7 weeks then formula fed him. he never "got confused" or any of this hogwash business people are telling you.

First of all, you shouldn't take a two week old to a family gathering like that. It won't have enough of a immune system developed to protect it from being around people.

As for etiquette, you have to go by the wishes of the host or homeowner. You should ask discretely, in advance, before you all sit down at the table.