Thursday, February 24, 2011

i need some thoughts

again...my CRAZY mind is running around like a chicken with its head cut off. so today the topic is: nursing in public. this is how my mind got roaming...stay with me its connected in a few ways.

soo...i love planning trips. ESPECIALLY to disneyland. i was hoping that we could go soon but it looks like we'll just wait another year and go for dyson and i's bday seeing how they're only like 2 weeks apart. (yes i turned 25 and didnt blog about it which one day i should) anywho---so i was thinking ill probably have a newborn the next time we go and so that'll be cool cause they just kinda lay there and be good and you can take them on every ride thats not a rollercoaster which actually is alot more rides than you think. and then i remembered when we were at disneyland there were ALOT of nursing moms. of course they were fully covered but you know when you see a mom sitting on a bench on a hot day with a blanket covering her upper body, something is going on. and i'm totally cool with that. i never nursed out in public like in the middle of a restaurant or in the middle of a theme park, but i would in the car and at friends/familys houses but again everytime i had my special HOOTER HIDER.

so last sunday i was sitting in relief society, and the woman next to me had an almost 18 month old and he was playing and running around and totally being good. but then towards the end started to get a little fussy so the mom grabbed him sat down, whipped out her boob and started feeding him. NOT A BIG DEAL. but its hard to focus on anything going on when i have a naked boob (thats not my own) less than a couple of inches next to my arm. no cover, just the kid nursing away. i truly, honestly wasnt upset or mad that she did that because i understand as a nursing mom you gotta do it when its time to do it, but it got my mind thinking: is that a bad thing? it was in a room full of woman most of whom have had children. i just never have done that NOR would i feel comfortable doing that without a cover. know that my opinion is: i think its ok and i dont feel awkard about women nursing in public it just makes me think cause i know other people/husbands feel that it is.

so my thought/question is: do other woman do that? do they feel comfortable enough to nurse in super public places like a restaurant or theme park with or without a cover?

6 comments:

Michele said...

I don't mind if I'm tucked in a corner and not in full few of everyone (like in a booth) but really it depends on the circumstance. If I can get the car or a designated nursing location, I will always choose that option first. I'm not a fan of nursing in public and I don't go anywhere without the blessed hooter hider. I don't think it is appropriate to do it in the middle of relief society (covered or not) simply because that is what the mother's lounge is for. But every woman has different comfort levels so I don't get upset about it either.

Geevz said...

I think if you are covered, you should be able to do it anywhere you feel comfortable. My friend worked at a movie theater and they asked a fully covered up mom to do it somewhere else. I think that is out of line because, seriously people, that's what boobs are there for. They don't ask girls to leave if I can see all their boobs despite their shirts.

Now without a cover, I can understand people being uncomfortable with. But I don't have a problem with another woman who is ok popping wherever. Sometimes I think we'd have less problems with pornography if boobs were seen doing their job more often and not just associated with sex.

That said, I prefer as private as possible myself. And now I'm off my soapbox :)

Mom of four said...

Since you asked :)

I admit that I'm probably more comfortable nursing in public than your average mom. I nurse everywhere I go. I nursed my twins everywhere I went. I've never used a Hooter Hider. It's too "Hey everyone, I'm nursing over here!!" for my taste.

If I'm at a place where I'm along/not having a conversation/not with people I know, I usually don't use a cover. But if I'm with people, particularly males or people I know would feel uncomfortable, I use a blanket just to cover up the latch-on and then just the back of baby's head (not up over my shoulder -- again too "Don't look over here!!" for me.

I have nursed in sacrament meeting/relief society before. But it was when the baby was really young and pretty much needed to nurse constantly. And when he was a lot more subtle. But now that my baby is six months old, he's on-off-on-off. And he's loud. I'm sure it's distracting to others, so I go to the mothers room for sacrament meeting. But I'll sit in the back of RS and nurse, so that I'm not distracting everyone behind me.

I will always nurse in family-friendly settings, like the library or McDonald's. Kids should see their moms nursing and know that it's normal, not something to hide.

My twins nursed until they were 4. We stopped nursing in public when they were 15 months or so. They can wait. But I did nurse them in front of family with and without a blanket when they were older. When my brothers complained, I said, "Grow up. Or go to the other room."

Seriously, this isn't porn!!

But, like I said at the start, I'm probably more open about nursing in public than most moms!

Luke and Megan said...

Somehow I knew Marilee would comment on this. She is wise in the nursing world....Love ya Marilee....

Jacob and Sheena Lee said...

I am totally cool with women nursing in public...you just need to be covered up. Out of respect for yourself and your husband. And is there any news I need to know about? :)

Jami said...

I am a BIG fan of covering while nursing in public. The fact of the matter is, women might WANT their boobs to be less sexual while nursing. BUT men don't see it that way. Being a lady is caring more about how the people AROUND you feel, then how you feel. So do the world a favor and COVER!