Nursing in Public
Lately, so many of my friends have had issues breastfeeding their newborns. I feel lucky, that not only was I able to breastfeed after all the breast surgery I’ve had, and that he didn’t have a latching problem, my supply was OK etc, but also, that I didn’t lose my supply because of the miscarriage or the 4 days away from him recouping.
Perhaps the reason I had an easy time of it at the beginning was because I’m lazy and all I wanted to do was curl up with him and cuddle and breastfeed. I was paranoid about nipple confusion, so didn’t try a pacifier until 6 weeks, at which point he didn’t have any interest. Oops. I was also terrified that I wouldn’t have a good enough supply, so breastfed on demand – which ended up bring CONSTANTLY. Seriously. I think Monkey was 3 months old before I could make it through a shower without him losing it.
With my first baby, I had just turned 16. The nurses had no patience for me, nor for him. He was screaming constantly, and despite being tightly swaddled, could nearly flip himself in a fit of anger from day one. He had absolutely no patience for breastfeeding. I had no knowledge and no support. I remember the nurse coming into my hospital room, saying nasty comments about teen mothers not-so-under her breath and grabbing my boob and telling me that I was just not being forceful enough. She shoved it in his mouth. He screamed. I wanted to scream. The in-laws in my room at the time cringed. Then she gave up and left as abruptly as she entered – only to try again once more before I was released the following day. The nurses started giving him bottles of sugar water to quiet him. He decided he liked the bottle, and refused to stay latched on. I was devastated.
With my second, he nursed like a pro from the beginning – until he was about 8 months and he got a horrible case of thrush and decided he wasn’t nursing or sucking on anything. At all. I was, once again, devastated.
With my third, he also nursed like a pro from the beginning. Because I had a 2 and a 4 year old and no help, I ended up suplimenting fairly early on, but he nursed until he lost interest just over a year.
Carnival of Nursing in Public
Monkey is 16 months and shows NO sign of giving it up. 
Yay!
It always makes me sad to see women hiding their nursing babies. Disneyland has a babycenter where they offer diapers, baby food, formula etc for sale – as well as a small little room in which moms can breastfeed in private. Out of curiousity, I checked it out. Tiny little curtained off areas where mom’s can breastfeed. And ALL the moms I saw in these tiny little curtained off areas had blankets over their babies. Seriously? In the happiest place on earth. In the most amazingly decorated place on earth, on a beautiful day. You all are hiding in a box AND putting a blanket over your babies heads? Just to be clear, NO ONE at Disneyland asked me to cover up.
I’ve never been shy and have no problem breastfeeding in public. Some of my favorite places:
- Disneyland – Mainstreet.
- Disneyland – On It’s a Small World. Perfect length even!
- The Plane. Every take off and Landing. It’s cruel not to.
- Outdoor concerts. Puleeze. If that fluuzy can show BUTT cleavage, I can feed my kid.
- In the car (um, no, not while driving)
- At the park
- In the grocery store
- While talking to my financial adviser. Yes. In person.
- At every resturant I ate at until he was 6 months old
- At half the resturants I ate at since he was 6 months old
- At the opening weekend of UP! and Star Trek. He was nursed/slept through both movies.
- At family gatherings. “Hello Oldests Son’s New Girl Friend. Why yes, These are mah boobies”
- At a business meeting with local Dominatrixs. Monkey has some HOT aunties!
- On public transportation
- At both his AND my Dr’s office
- At the dentist. While getting my teeth cleaned. Yes. Seriously.
- While getting a Mani/Pedi
- At the fair
- At a wedding
- At several baby showers
- At a birthday party
- At several major league baseball games
I think this would be a good week, no matter what your reasons are for covering up while nursing, to nurse, in public, uncovered. Of you don’t – The Kardashians Win! And we can’t have that.And really. I would rather show off my boobies then my new post baby muffin top!
Now go check out Nursing Freedom!
Yes! Although I've weaned Z because of her anemia and growth issues, I was always in favor of nursing wherever, including the twins. But sometimes, I will say, my kids required being covered because they would be so interested in wherever we were that they wouldn't eat unless I eliminated all visual stimulation. Nursing through It's A Small World sounds really great, though!
Yeah, Monkey has definitely needed a little help focusing if there is Anything At All going on. Lately, he seems to treat the boob as a drive though. I'm assuming that is a sign that he is getting ready to move on which makes me sad.
But there is a big difference between covering a kid to help them focus, and being forced to cover a kid to appease those with a Victorian mindset.