I can understand how it is awkward for people who aren't used to seeing babies nursing - and it really is very, very uncommon to see a woman nurse in public. I've always been an advocate of breastfeeding - it's just what was done in my family - but even as an adult before I had kids, if a friend was nursing their baby in front of me, I felt awkward. I didn't find anything wrong with it (quite the contrary, actually), but I didn't know if I should look, or not look, ignore her, leave the room, etc.
I'm a lactation counselor now so I obviously got over that!
I'm truely looking forward to a time in our society when a person doesn't think twice when they see a baby nursing. We have a very long way to go, though.
And I've been that person on a plane - though I try to keep myself covered up in public. I don't ask if it's okay - first of all because it's my right to feed my baby and my baby's right to eat, secondly because what if the person says no? If I'm on a plane, it's not like I can go somewhere else and if a baby's got to eat, a baby's got to eat.
😉