Today when I signed into MSN Messenger, this article popped up on MSN Today. Why do people have such a fit over someone nursing their child? I must admit, there is no way on God's green earth that I'd nurse my child out in public the way that these mother's are, but that doesn't mean I don't think they have the right to do so. For one thing, I'm not near as talented as they are. I show way too much boob when I'm nursing. I'd also have to expose my 'almost fat roll' in order to do this. I'm more protective of that than I am of my boob.
Why can't people just turn their head if they are that offended? Do they think that there is something sexual about it? Let me be the first to say that there isn't. I've been having plugged milk duct after plugged milk duct. Believe me when I say there is NOTHING sexual about it. Quite frankly, it hurts! It's also a huge pain in the ass when Jack and I are apart. I don't enjoy having to pump at work, but I'm doing what I feel is right for our children. That's not to say that I think formula fed babies have terrible parents. I only got to nurse Claire for 3 months before she was put in the hospital for the first time and I dried up.
Would people feel better about it if the milk came from our noses? I just don't get it I guess. Don't get me wrong, I don't want someone to pop their boob out and nurse their child in front of everyone, but you've got to do what you've got to do! It's not as though you're trying to cause a problem. We're just trying to feed our children. My cousin made this cool contraption which I think is great!
All of my kids have hated to be covered when they are nursing. Claire is constantly trying to 'find' Jack while he's nursing, so something like this would be great. My guess is that the people that complain the most about it are the ones that have never done it.
Any way - that's my two cents because it's my blog!
9 comments:
Shayla never did latch on so my pump was my BFF for months upon months.
Raena however did nurse and at first I was so shy about nursing her in front of family/friends. After awhile, I got over it and could nurse in front of anybody. Granted, I would never do it public...but if I was at your house or you at mine, it was fair game!
I nursed Onna for a year too. One of the baby gifts that I received was a nursing blanket. Since then, I've created my own version that I sew and give as baby gifts. Basically they are just a receiving blanket with a collar in it like a t-shirt. It works awesome because you don't have to worry about the blanket falling down. I agree that I wouldn't just whip it out anywhere, but I think there is a polite way to nurse in public. Plus I refused to sit on a nasty public toilet or in a cold car, just so that she could eat. So the blanket was a good solution for me.
I am with you 100%! What SO infuriates me is that this is coming from a society that completly accepts half naked women in every other 'public' venue! I mean come on, immodesty is admired and acceptable for sex appeal but for the natural purpose of feeding our children we are to be shamed??
Due to my smaller than average chest I was able to nurse all four of my kids in ANY scenario and never be noticed. I could put a blanket over my shoulder and walk around and no one even knew what I was doing.
It's yet another way that motherhood is undermined and devalued in America.
Kerrie,
I think Heidi Jo said it best. It is a very natural thing!!! I very much enjoyed nursing Kaitlyn. I nursed her where ever and when ever I needed to. When I was at Valleyfair when she was 4 months old and it was about 100 I just sat on a bench and away she went. I believe that society has to change it's views on the BREAST!! They have many different uses, but to me the best use is what it was made for - nursing!!!!
ps - if I had a boob like the nursing mom on the Baby magazine, I would be showing that thing off too!!!! That's why God gave me small boobs - he knew I would be showing everybody if I had em!!!!
I'm speaking as a mom who never had a chance to nurse. I FEEL INCREDIBLY CHEATED. I was so ready to do the whole nursing thing, but God said it wasn't meant to be. I didn't even get the chance to pump. (Well, I did, but I was as dry as the Sahara desert. Go figure.) I was depressed for a very l-o-o-o-o-ong time, right Linda?
Now, addressing the topic: I have no idea what the hangup is with some who find it offensive when women nurse in public. Maybe if more women do that, people will get used to the idea.
I agree with you too.
I wouldn't just do it in public either.
I nursed Megan until she was 13 months or a little longer. Unfortunately I only nursed Derek only a month or so. He was very sick as a baby.
I am with Heidi Jo. I am not a breast feeder, but I gotta give credit to those who are. And I don't know why something that is so natural, makes people so offended. There are way more things happening in public view that we should be concerned with, like "girls gone wild". Those people that are gripping about it are probably the same pigs that think that our chest was just made for their enjoyment!
AMEN SISTER!!!!!!!! Hey, I didn't know you were nursing! If you could use one of the nursing covers that I make, I'd LOVE to make you one as a gift and send it to you...let me know!!
Hi Kerrie, I breastfed all six of my children and did this in public as well as in private. I tried to never bared my breast outright because of what you said--trying to keep the fat rolls covered (haha). Maybe I used a blanket sometimes depending on what I was wearing, but my trick was simply lift the shirt up and keep everything hidden underneath rather than unbuttoning from the top down. Some women prefer unbuttoning their shirts, popping their boob right out in the open and flashing it out there for all to see. I'm not bothered by it, but I can't say that I get it either. The truth is, there are modest people out there who find it embarassing to see a stranger's boob flashing around in public--even though it's about feeding their baby.
One day I was talking to a brand new acquaintence. We were standing in someone's kitchen when her 3 years old daughter started banging on her chest, clearly (with full words) asking for... no demanding "milky." So she opened her blouse completely, popped her boob right out there and her daughter stood upright on the chair, sucking and pulling for a few seconds. She then started banging on the other boob to suck on that one. She proceeded to switch back and forth between boobs every two seconds for at least twelve times while we were trying to have a conversation (Do you think the mommy's milk is all dried up, or what)? Needless to say, I didn't appreciate the display. I'm all for public breastfeeding, but at the same time, some women don't seemed to have a tremendous amount of decency. I don't know. That's my two cents. I hope you don't mind!
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