*As part of our series with Bravado Designs to help normalize breastfeeding anytime, anywhere, we asked Well Rounded readers to share their stories and photos of breastfeeding in public. Below is one of the beautiful stories we received, but check out more here, and keep on sharing your stories on Instagram using the hashtag #thisiswhereibreastfeed.

Breastfeeding is the reason we have breasts. We have them to feed our babies! Yet so many women are scorned and treated poorly if they breastfeed their children in public. “Cover up”! “My husband/son etc doesn’t need to see that”! “OMG that’s gross, can’t you do that somewhere else…like the bathroom”?! These are just a few of the things that moms hear when they are trying to feed their hungry little one in public.

I am currently breastfeeding my 3rd baby. She is 6 months old and exclusively breastfed. I breastfed my first baby for 12 months and hated breastfeeding him in public. I felt like I was doing something wrong and should cover up (my ex-husband also didn’t like me not using a cover in public so I felt like I had to). Have you ever eaten under a blanket? It is NOT easy! Not to mention it’s hot under there and if the baby unlatches while your milk is letting down you can’t see and end up spraying them with milk.

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When I had my second baby I was a little more adventurous and stopped using the cover, but still felt like I was doing something wrong. Now with my third baby, I will breastfeed anywhere, anytime and I dare someone to say something to me.

Being a new mom is HARD! Babies don’t come with an instruction manual and the last thing a new mom needs is to feel ashamed while feeding their baby away from home.

So many new moms tell me that they are scared to breastfeed in public, that they have

anxiety over it. That is awful. No mother should have to feel that way! It makes me happy to hear that I inspire them to not be ashamed to nurse their babies in public. It hurts my heart to hear stories in the news about strangers hassling moms for breastfeeding.

To all the mamas out there breastfeeding your babies, I want to tell you that I’m proud of you! I support you! Keep up the good work! Breastfeeding is beautiful and amazing and making milk is your superpower!

Brandy Bright is a work-from-home mama to a blended family of 7 kids! She loves that she gets to work from home with her kids and never miss a moment! She is passionate about a natural, holistic lifestyle and clean eating. She loves helping others on their journey to a natural, healthy lifestyle and helping other mamas learn how to work from home. This essay is adapted from a post on her blog about breastfeeding. You can read the full post here.

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