Don't peek, we're feeding

Busy commuters have been known to munch burgers at bus stops, slurp soup out of a cup and otherwise eat on the go.

But they've got nothing on Mum, Sonny and their mobile feeding operation. It has really boosted our willingness to get our more: These days, the refuelling service has become so slick that folks can stroll right past without realising that it's in progress.

Sonny's attacks of the hungries often happen when we are out and about. We could, of course, start hunting about for a little cubicle marked "Nursing room". But that takes time, and thanks to Mum's stock of nursing attire - which allows for discreet baby-to-breast plugging-in - a convenient alternative beckons. Mum will first seek out the nearest quiet corner or - in a crunch - get Pa to provide a few seconds' cover. Her practised fingers move aside certain folds of cloth and Sonny is raised to the right height. He 'docks' and the milk begins to flow.

Seconds later, we're again strolling past the shops, or exploring the alleyway, or whatever it is we were doing before. To casual observers, all that can be seen is a mother cradling her baby close to her chest, with the infant's face turned demurely towards Mum. There's never a glimpse of anything that might offend anyone's sensibilities: Everything is modestly undetectable, unless someone leans in very close indeed. If he does so, and he might just hear the sucking sound of Sonny greedily feeding.

Mum didn't used to be quite so nonchalant about providing in-the-open dining facilities. At home, she's still careful to keep key curtains drawn so that Sonny eats in privacy. And if we're in public and there's a nursing room within easy striking distance, she is likely to head there. But Sonny has shown fiendish cunning in striking up a ruckus when we are midway through an interesting exploration, or running out of time to complete a survey of a given locale. At such junctures, the on-the-go refuelling service makes things marvellously simple.

It must be said that, if someone who is deliberately looking out for that sort of thing, it's probably possible to spot a mobile nursing mother. But any such person is probably some sort of pervert, or at least someone terribly ill-adjusted to living in society. We don't see any reason to have such characters - if they exist - crimp our style.