I think I would have appreciated an occasional smile or wink or "Good for you" from another mom.

If a guy was walking by, smiling and winking at me during my bf-ing moment, I think I would have been creeped out, though! LOL!

feeding an infant in public whether it was breastfed or bottlefed.  Struggling with an infant in public is hard when you're new at it. I remember once struggling to change liza in a public restroom and a nice older woman say "oh honey you're doing great, it will get easier!"  I've never forgotten that.  I'd give a nice smile to any mom no matter how they were feeding their child.

A friendly smile is usually the option I take.  But about a year ago I was boarding a very full flight and they were limiting the last few boarders to one carry-on.  I sweet-talked my way through it as my bags were small, but the woman behind me nearly started crying as she explained that one bag was her laptop, and the other was her breast pump.  They tried to make her choose and so I stopped and explained/bs'ed that the breast pump was a medical device and as such they couldn't take it from her -- it would be like taking a diabetic's testing supplies and insulin.  They let her get on with both.  

--R

here.  A few years ago I asked the same question to a message board and got both "smiling is good" and "don't even look at me when I'm nursing" answers.   Some women feel good when people say "hang in there" and others want you to mind your own business and pretend they don't exist.  

I say do whatever you want.   Although I would stop at the "sit next to them and shield them" answer because I don't think we ought to shield ourselves or run and hide when we're feeding our babies.  

A lady at playgroup was complaining that there were only 2 nursing rooms at Disneyworld when they visited recently.   I said "anywhere you can sit down is a nursing room in my opinion".   Of course, anything flat is also a change table in my opinion.   And anything non-plastic can be used as an ashtray.  

and sometimes I might just casually say "what a beautiful baby".  

cover themselves, whilst holding a toddler with one hand and getting baby-latched with the other, I think its okay to offer some assistance.

If you have a pal that is a new BF Mom its nice to go with her when she BFs. I spent a lot of time in dressing rooms, bathrooms, ladies lounges, parked cars with my friends so we could still keep socializing and she could taker her time.

or whatever.  Sometimes I'll just make a point to comment on the cute baby (ask the age or whatever)...not specifically mentioning the nursing but having a "normal" conversation.

Othertimes, I'll say "They eat ALL-THE-TIME, don't they?  My 5 month old still nurses every 3 hours!"

When I'm struggling, I prefer to be left alone so I can figure things out.  When I'm not, I'm open.  Since you have no idea when a stranger's preferences are, I say do what you want.

My problem is, since I've been nursing a long time, I know a lot of great nursing spots.  Spots I would have loved to know about when I was a new mom.  Sometimes I want to tell a struggling nursing mom I see sitting on a bench about them, but I don't know if "There's a marvelous nursing lounge!" might come off as "Um....there's a marvelous nursing lounge."  Make sense?  

so I smile at most moms anyway. I do feel solidarity with breastfeeding moms, but I get all warm and fuzzy at seeing a bottle-feeding mom, too. I'm also likely to pipe in and talk to a fussy child in the grocery lines as well, though. Kids are usually so shocked to hear my accent that they'll usually quit the fussing for a least a couple of minutes. Funnily enough, Jess is aping me on that - the other day, we were in front of a mom with year-old twin boys, and both were kind of niggly. I was cooing and waving, and Jess goes "don't worry, little fellas, it's going to be oooooo-kay." We all just about died laughing.