I have found so many rude people when it comes to nursing my child, and I find it important to make this post so that moms and even dads can express the importance of feeding a baby. Back in early July, our family went to a local carnival that we usually go to but this time with our infant son who at the time was a little less than two months old.
Of course when I'm in public unless of course it's too hot or humid, I use my cover because I feel more comfortable in feeding him that way because of the looks I get even with a cover! It's beyond rediculous how this country thinks that the "normal" way to feed a baby is only with a bottle OR formula! I am not condoning formula as I fed my first two children formula but I have done a lot of research since 2014 and found that breastfeeding is truly what is best for babies and helps keep them healthy and it also forms a special bond between mom and baby.
While we were at the carnival, my husband took our older two kids to get us some pizza and soda and I was with the stroller and our son. Our son was hungry, so I got my cover out and sat down and discreetly fed him under it not showing anything but his feet as usual. Maybe 5 minutes into feeding him, this little girl was no older than 4 or 5 years old, and asked her mom "what is that baby doing, Mommy?", and her mom's response was "Oh, nothing important come on let's go".
I stood up and said "why would you tell that to your daughter, instead of telling her what babies do when they do not eat formula? Tell her he is eating mom's milk because not all moms want formula fed to their babies". She rolled her eyes, grumbled under her breath, and walked off. What's so taboo about nursing a baby? It's not wrong in anyway and is no different than if I had a bottle of my milk. I choose not to pump milk in bottle but once a day, because there is no need for it, and I don't want to.
It's important that you teach your children, both boys and girls about how babies eat; whether it's formula that you choose or need to do, or breastfeeding. There's no need to candy coat it. We let our kids know when they came to see me at the hospital with their baby brother that he won't be eating by bottle except once a day but even then it's mom's milk, and that he will nurse every time to eat other than that. It's normal for kids to be curious, but for the parent to just be down right ignorant about feeding isn't right at all.
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This is definitely a wonderful post. My kids are definitely aware when they see babies "feeding" ;)
ReplyDeleteI don't understand peoples' problem with breastfeeding. I don't have children but what business is it of mine if a woman is feeding her baby. No one should bother a woman who does that.
ReplyDeleteI agree, and it's frusterating. I don't see why they can't just mind their own business and walk on instead of be rude.
DeleteI have 5 kids and they have all seen me breastfeeding so this is normal and natural to them. I wish everyone saw it as normal and natural too.
ReplyDeleteI agree. I have 3 kids; 1 being almost 3 months old and my older 2 see me feed him all the time although I'm more discreet when they are in the room rather than when it's just baby and I because he doesn't like my shirt much. They know it's how some moms feed their baby.
DeleteMy son got to learn when he was four and I brought home his baby brother! One day I'll have to teach my toddler because he won't have that same introduction.
ReplyDeleteI find these types of attitudes rather disturbing and though I breast fed all three of mu daughters I never encountered any negative attitudes. I never used a cover up or any special clothing. I would simply make sure I wore a top I could lift and was always rather discreet. I also acted confident about my choice and always put my baby's needs before anything else. The only place I felt a little self conscious about breastfeeding was at church but that went away when my pastor reminded me to wear something I could breastfeed in comfortably and discreetly when I had my daughters baptized. We have breasts so that we may feed our babies. It's the most natural thing in the world, and it's a shame it has become the center of such heated debate.
ReplyDeleteI agree, and I do too and wish that everyone would either not say a word or just walk off, because the way that some people talk to nursing moms, not just me isn't right at all. Wic thinks it's rediculous too as I've asked if they have other clients with the issue, and they said they have had similar issues as I have with it.
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