Abstract: Various embodiments of the present invention are directed to a nursing shawl that can be worn by a woman to shield the woman's breasts while she nurses a small child. In one embodiment of the present invention, the nursing shawl is a one-piece garment constructed from a continuous piece of fabric and includes a top aperture through which a woman's head, neck, a first shoulder, and a first arm extend when the nursing shawl is worn. The nursing shawl wraps over the second shoulder, covering the second arm. The nursing shawl further includes two side edges that meet beneath the open first arm. The side edges can be fastened along the top portion, but are otherwise unfastened along the remaining length to provide access for attending to the small child beneath the nursing shawl and to provide a place for the small child's legs to extend.