High school teachers...would you BF in front of your students?

[Bena]

Ok...here's the context! My colleague has asked me to bring in my LO in January to he Child development class. The class is only 75 minutes long, but I'm betting on my LO needing to nurse during that time. Would you nurse in front of the students? Go to the back of the class? My office is pretty close to her classroom...would you go there?
BTW, this is a grade 11 class, so the kids are 16-17 year olds, guys and girls, and I know most of them for having had them in my class. I'm pretty confortable NIP, but somehow this feels different.

[HoosierDiaperinMama]

I teach piano to students who are a bit younger than the h.s. students and I just cleared it with the parents first, then the students to make sure it wouldn't be uncomfortable for them. Most of the mothers have breastfed and were totally cool with it. Not one person had an issue. I'd say as long as you are covered it shouldn't be a problem. They probably pass by women NIP in restaurants, malls, etc... Why should this be different?

[annekh23]

Given it's a child development class, I probably would, but make sure it was discussed first, not in a way that requests their permission, just in an informative way, though it would allow you to judge from the responses if it might really be easier to go to your office.

I'm actually struggling to recall what I did, though my students were older, some of them older than me as I was teaching a grad course that I'd taken myself at the youngest possible age and had a baby not long after. As 18+ students there was no parental issue and though I always had someone to care for the baby, sometimes for scheduling issues this ended up being at my house house whilst I taught in another room.

I know I tried to avoid nursing but that was because of my ability to teach whilst doing so, not to avoid nursing in front of my students and I definitely did nurse in front of some of them at other times.

[A&A]

No, I wouldn't!

[jenneology]

I would! I think they need to see it. We have a courtyard playground in our backyard and the only time when I go inside to breastfeed the baby is when its cold outside. I have had some good opportunities to "normalize" breastfeeding for the children (up to teenage) in our neighborhood. Also as someone qualified to teach child development courses, I would want my students to see the healthy, normal practice of breastfeeding because it may be the only time they see it before they are facing the situation where they will be breastfeeding for the first time.

Thinking politically however, I would discuss this first with the dean (or whatever they are called now) of the school and the teacher in whose class you will be visiting. You may find that getting an administrator on your side is what you need in the case of an uproar from parents or students (because it could happen).

[HollyBaby]

I agree with Jenneology. When it's made to be some shameful thing, then it will be viewed that way. Only by treating it as the normal, natural thing that it is can we help make breastfeeding acceptable again.