Do you nurse your baby in public? Why?
In honor of World Breastfeeding week I wanted to open the discussion Do you nurse your baby in public and why?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Amber-joy Tacey on -
I'll go first,
1. I think it's important to normalize breastfeeding why would a young woman choose to do something she has never seen
2. My baby no matter where I am is my first concern
3. It's easy and healthier to nurse my baby directly from the breast
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Permalink Reply by Laura Morales on -
yes, I nurse in public. I don't really have much choice in where I do it, if he's hungry then it's time to eat. I had to nurse in the dairy section at Walmart the other day, lol it was the closest bench I could find. I do cover up as much as I can, he has been known to push off the cover, but he seems to nurse better when he can't watch all the activity. I do it because I love nursing, its the healthiest thing for him to eat and it doesn't get any easier and it's free!
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Permalink Reply by Megan Seibert on -
My question would be "why not?"
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Permalink Reply by Patrice Nichole Byers on -
Yes. I eat in public, as well as just about everyone else on this planet at one time or another, so why shouldn't my baby?
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Permalink Reply by Samantha on -
Yes i nursed my son in public. When i first started to nurse i felt weird about doing it in public just because i was new to it, and since you dont see a lot of women nurse there babes i found that i had a lot of people staring at me. Which bugged me. But as time went on i didnt care if people wont to stare then i say let them. I doing what is best for my baby.
I also found as my son got older people really started to stare. My son has always been a big boy and so people always thought he was older. I had one women ask me why i was nursing a two year old my son was one. i was shocked. I told her i would nurse MY SON as long as i wonted and if you dont like it dont watch. She had nothing to say to that. I just cant believe that people think that they could say something like that to someone.
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Permalink Reply by Bonnie P on -
I do! If my baby is hungry than she gets to eat, no mater where I am. It's as simple as that! My husband and his entire family would prefer if I didn't; they're very modest people. They think I should go to the restrooms or the car when my baby gets hungry, but hopefully by breastfeeding my baby in public, more people will come to think of it as normal and future generations of mothers will feel more comfortable doing it. I always tell people that my baby won't take a bottle, but the reality is that I've never tried to give her one! She shouldn't have to try and eat from an artificial nipple when I'm always with her anyway!
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Permalink Reply by Rebecca H. on -
Yes, I nurse my babies in public, but I cover up. I think it's modest. I think it's best. Yes, the breast is the baby's lifeline to the baby's sustenance, but it is also a part of your body that the public should not see. The people around us have rights also. We expect that the public should respect our right to breastfeed, why not respect them in return?
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Permalink Reply by Amber-joy Tacey on
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mmm interesting point. Yes I think it is important to respect yourself and your body in public however since I don't show much skin while nursing my baby I don't consider my babies nursing habits to be a modesty issue. i do tend to be more modest and dress that way and am so discreet that even at work my boss has had whole conversations with me while I was nursing my son and not realized what was going on while we are talking. Just out of curiosity, in this country among young mothers there are a majority who choose to bottle feed to protect their modesty (among other reasons), how do you think we should ignite a passion in young women to breastfeed?
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Permalink Reply by Rebecca H. on
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The last part of your comment is completely unfamiliar to me. I can't imagine that young mothers would use modesty as one of their reasons to not breastfeed. Really? Wow. Do you suppose they think modern mothers are not supposed to cover up, so if they are uncomfortable with that they choose not to breastfeed at all?
Out of curiosity, where did you hear this? I would imagine that the majority of young mothers who choose to bottle feed do it for their own convenience, not a modesty issue. Or because breastfeeding is unfamiliar to them, so they are uncomfortable with the concept.
As far as igniting a passion in young women to breastfeed, that's a hard one. What first comes to mind is celebrities, as in the US they seem to really be the trend setters. Second is commercials and advertising, but just about the only companies that profit from breastfeeding are the ones who make nursing pads. :) So other than non-for-profit companies trying to get the message out in advertising, there aren't going to be many for-profit companies promoting it. The formula and bottle makers, however, will spend gobs to make their product seem to be exactly what you need.
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Permalink Reply by Laura Morales on
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I have heard of several young mother who choose not to bf because of the modestly issues, along with other things. Another reason I have heard, which I totally cannot understand is because they see breast as entirely sexual organs, which anyone who has breastfeed knows is totally untrue and just gross to think. But that line of thought had to come from someone in they're life. Actually a friend of mines mom told her to not bf because it was barbaric. Wow! I couldn't believe that!
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Permalink Reply by Alyssa Hult on -
I'm not really sure what's considered a "young mother" but I'm 21. I plan to try and breast feed. My entire life I've just been uncomfortable with the idea of it and just figured I would pump and save my milk instead of directly nurse my baby. I'm trying to be as open-minded as possible, and many other mothers tell me that after delivering a baby I might find myself feeling much more comfortable with the idea of breast-feeding.
I'm incredibly modest, but I've also grown up in a culture where breasts were only viewed as sexual. I can't exactly pinpoint the reason why I feel uncomfortable with the idea of breastfeeding. The only reason I'm doing my best to accept it and try it is because of the health benefits for the baby (I wouldn't want to give my baby less than the best just because mommy's culture doesn't value breasts for breastfeeding) and of course to save money.
A lot of young women work as well... I will be staying home and so it's not inconvenient for me to nurse. A lot of young moms (especially single moms) have to work full time and don't have professional careers that can allow them to conveniently pump while at work. Most of my peers who have children went back to work after 3 months and that's when they stopped nursing.
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