the only bf'ing mom in CA?

[chrissy.eew]

it's official, i am now the only mom i know (outside the internet) who breastfeeds.

i work full-time and can't make the LLL meetings in my area (why are they all AM weekdays???)

i feel like i'm on my own little boob island.

[buckeye_bebe]

No man is an island. But they didn't say anything about boobs. For what its worth, I've never seen anyone nursing out and about locally, just at the ob's office once, and a few at the children's museum.

[Bokonon]

I live in California and know lots of breastfeeding mamas, including myself. I met them at my hospital's breastfeeding support group, which has meetings in the evenings for working moms!

[cristeen]

Also in CA - and lots of BF mamas around here. What part of the state are you in? I know around here many of the official meetings are in the mornings, but some also have unofficial evening meetings. And one has a Sat morning meeting. And there are at least a half a dozen different LLL groups within half an hour of me, but I only go to 2 of them.

[chrissy.eew]

thanks for responding

i'm in the south bay area of los angeles.
i asked my LC if she could help me make friends LOL but nothing ever came of it. i know of bf clinics at our hospital, but not free support groups. i'll check it out.

[candelaria80]

I am in the South Bay (Torrance area) as well and feel the same way! Just yesterday I was at the OC swapmeet and I saw 3 babies younger than DD sucking on bottles being propped up on blankets in their strollers. I felt like a freak, DD in a sling, breeastfeeding with my boobie tent on walking around.

The South Bay is tough, I think a lot of moms do breastfeed, but not in public and most consider past 6 months "extended"?!

[Avani]

Yes that area is a bit different. I do believe many moms breastfeed there but maybe are just super discreet there. My cousins who live in that area both nursed for a very short time and then immediately got their boob jobs and liposcution. I live in Nor Cal and everyone seems to nurse here.

[candelaria80]

Originally Posted by Avani

Yes that area is a bit different. I do believe many moms breastfeed there but maybe are just super discreet there. My cousins who live in that area both nursed for a very short time and then immediately got their boob jobs and liposcution. I live in Nor Cal and everyone seems to nurse here.

Ha! I know a few of those as well. To each their own.

I have a friend who grew up in Santa Cruz and now lives here and she says the same thing. Public breastfeeding is simply the norm there.

I do have to say though, I have never gotten any negative remarks or stares BF'ing in public here. I simply think people don't really care. She is still pretty little though, we will see if that changes when she's a bit older. I have heard time and time again "if they are old enough to ask for it, they are too old to nurse".

[averlee]

I'm another neighbor to your North and I know several nursing moms, although currently my kiddo is the oldest nursling I know (she just turned 3!). Are there any mother's groups in your area? Anything at the YMCA, zoo, or library for parents and tots? Maybe you just need to find a new crowd.

[mommy212]

I don't see any outside of my LLL meetings. I see lots of people bottle feeding there babies, but no NIPing. Though, for all I know, they are bottle feeding EBM and I shouldn't judge! Or maybe their baby just isn't hungry... But either way, when I talk to other moms, they all seem to formula feed.

[lerlerler]

long beach here

Wanna see a 3.5 year old nurse WHILE trying to do gymnastics?

I'll invite you over!

[kismetbaby]

A BFing mom in Nor Cal here! I guess its not the norm, but in my city LLL has a lunch hour meeting specifically aimed at working moms. Not everyone could leave work for the hour and a half or so to attend, but it is a nice idea. Maybe you could contact your local LLL and suggest such a thing? Have you looked on the LLL website. . .they have all the meetings posted by city.

Anyway, I know it must be harder as a working mom, but are there any mom's groups you could attend on the weekends? Sometimes baby stores will host things or at least have info. Its so nice to know other BFing mamas! I know plenty, but only from mom groups and other moms that used my MW etc. If I didn't get out there and make the effort I could easily feel like you do. I don't see a lot of NIP. . .so unless I knew better I might think I was one of the only ones.

Hang in there.

[MamaPhD]

Maybe you should move up here to NorCal! I'm in SF bay area and when other moms find out I'm still nursing my 17 mo DD, I get the thumbs up. I see nursing moms everywhere in stores, restaurants, parks, etc. A lot of baby wearing goes on here, too. :-)