Another first

So I breastfed Ian for the first time in public yesterday. I must say it was a bit of a humbling experience. I am not a shy person (or a very modest one) by any stretch of the imagination, but I was surprised to find that I was nervous about peeling off my top in a restaurant. Before I had Ian, I had always said that I would have no problem breastfeeding in public, and I have to admit to being a bit judgmental about those that were shy. But, like many things, it's completely different in reality. I wasn't concerned so much about exposing myself, but I was a bit worried that someone would say something negative. I had a receiving blanket to cover up, and I kept checking to make sure it was in place. Of course it was a bit of a juggle to get Ian latched while keeping the blanket in place, and then to hold him up without a pillow. I ended up propping him against the table! Ian, bless his soul, was completely unaware that anything different was going on, and ate his lunch like a pro.
I'm sure it's one of those things that will get easier with time. I bet after a couple more outings, I'll just whip those puppies out whenever Ian get hungry. But now that I've experienced public breastfeeding, I will definitely be more sympathetic when another mother expresses concern about it.