NIP. Nursing. In. Public. Three little words making headline after headline thanks to a article in Glamour about Olivia Wilde’s recent photo shoot for the magazine’s September issue. The photo is notable only because she is nursing her son at what appears to be a restaurant table.

I know a lot of women who breastfeed. Some of them use covers, others don’t. Some use bottles, others ask first. Several joined in an NIP awareness effort just last weekend called the Big Global Latch On.

I wish I could breastfeed in public.

But not to make a point. I wish I could breastfeed in public because it would mean it was no longer a battle for my 8-month-old.

Olivia Wilde’s photo doesn’t bother me. But six months ago, before I accepted that calm, peaceful, glamorized breastfeeding* wasn’t in the cards for us, it would have sent me over the edge. Much like the beautiful photo on the front of the Le Leche League book I threw across the room after a particularly grueling “back to the breast” session.

Because that’s my breastfeeding reality. Maybe glamour is Ms. Wilde’s and you know what, if it is, more power to her. We all have our breastfeeding stories and mine is no better than yours is no better than hers.

*I think it’s important to note Wilde did say she of course doesn’t typically look like that when she’s breastfeeding, but she was proud to show that mothers can be sexy too.

Other thoughts worth reading: 

I am not Olivia Wilde’s responsibility

Why Olivia Wilde’s Glamour breastfeeding photo is a slap in the face

Olivia on why it feels natural to be photographed while breastfeeding