When I see a mama NIP....

[MamaFae]

I want so badly to walk up to her and tell her what a wonderful thing she is doing by giving her child the best food made and by showing others that it is not something to hide!

But of course I don't because I am afraid I will make her uncomfortable and disturb the nursing moment.

I wish there was something I could hand out a card or something that shows support and thumbs up for what the mama is doing....

Do any of you ever say anything when you see a mama NIP??

Blessings,
N~

[HelloKitty]

No but I always want to as well! I would love it if someone did say that.

The only stranger I've ever had comment to me was a nurse - I was getting surgery done to have a cyst on my breast removed and the doc had wanted me to wean first but I didn't. As I was getting wheeled into surgery he started giving me grief for it - after he walked off the nurse winked at me and said "Don't listen to him. You are doing a great thing - you keep nursing for as long as you can hon, don't let anyone tell you to wean before you are ready!" I thought that was so cool.

[annettemarie]

I always try to catch the mama's eye and smile.

[chersolly]

When I see another mother NIP, which is rare, I get all giddy! I want to run up to her and tell her how awesome she is, etc., but I don't because she'll probably think I'm a big ol' freak. A few times I've given a thumbs up or smiled. I want to respect her space and privacy but at the same time I want to throw her a party.


(Conversely, when I see a mother giving her baby a bottle of formula, I get really sad.)

[Vermillion]

Originally Posted by MamaFae

I wish there was something I could hand out a card or something that shows support and thumbs up for what the mama is doing....

Here you go!

http://www.attachmentscatalog.com/gifts/advocacy.html

Edited to add that I have never even seen another mother NIP so I don’t know what I would do!

[NoraB]

I usually just smile if I catch her eye.

[veganbaby]

I've had people say WTG! I've only had 2 unpostive NIP expereinces. One was the manager yesterday acting on part of the family and another one was one woman covering her son's eyes. One time I was nursing and a woman turned around to look at Desi (we were at Cirque du Soeli) and I put my hand to shield my part of the breast that wasn't covered. She said, "Don't cover up its a great thing you're doing!" Another time I was nursing at Best Buy and sitting down. A woman came up to me and said that she was happy that I was BFing and it was a great thing.

[ShelleyMom2in2]

Ive never seen anyone NIP....Ive only seen one person nurse EVER.

I would feel slightly embarrased if someone gave me a card/note or thumbs up....but I would totally appreciate it!!

[MommytoTwo]

Well its only happened like ONCE but I get all giddy and excited. LOL I am such a dork. I dont do anything though because I am afraid she would think I am crazy. I would *love* it if someone gave me a card or something.

[MamaTT]

There was some other card that you could print yourself that I used to see. It had something about, "thank you on behalf of the women that come after us, that they may see nurturing as normal. Thank you on behalf of our grandmothers who were lied to about bf and missed that opportunity...Thank you for helping create a better world" etc, etc.

I'd really love to find that one!

[boosmom]

I get all excited too but I try to play it cool and always try to meet their eye and say hi. I just want it to be a "norm"- so I don't want to freak anyone out.

[philomom]

I smile and give her the thumbs up sign.

[Past_VNE]

Yesterday, for the first time since I had my son, and for the second time ever, I saw a lady NIP. We were at TJ Maxx and her son was 3.5 months old. We had just spoken briefly about ages and weights of our boys and as she walked away, I saw her getting him latched on. I felt like a dork, but I couldn't stop myself. I had to go up behind her and say something.

It was to the effect of, "I think it is really cool to see you out nursing him in public. I never see anyone doing it and get people giving me weird looks all the time, so I just had to say something."

She said nobody ever gave her weird looks or at least she didn't notice them.

We spoke for a moment more and I should have congratulated/thanked her or something, but I felt silly enough as it was. Oh well....I'll do better next time.

The first time, only other time, that I saw someone NIP, I was newly pregnant and not showing. A lady was nursing her babe, about 6 months old, outside a Mexican ice cream shop. Instead, I just stared, hopefully subtley. I wanted to convey that I appreciated it, but instead she probably thought I was a freak.

If I do even better next time, I will be getting somewhere.

[susannella]

I know how I feel when another woman smiles at me while I'm nip- appreciated, supported. I don't think I'd ever think a woman was a freak for approaching me, no matter how clumsy her effort was.

I think it's reallly important to acknowledge breastfeeding in a positive way. Most of the time I feel invisible while nursing, while at other times, strangers flock to the baby.

I'm trying to think about times I've seen women nip. Other than my new lactating buddies, I can't think of any. Except once last summer- I was hugely pregnant, looking maybe 9+ months at 7.5. I think it was some sort of nurse-out. I was waddling through a neighborhood arts festival, and saw a whole bunch of mamas with mostly toddlers nursing on a corner. I commented, maybe even pointed and smiled and rubbed my belly, so excited for the day when I'd nurse my babe.

I feel like I need to do my part to help get breastfeeding more a part of childrearing culture- normalized. As militant as I may feel, I know that approach will only push people away. Still, am I going to act like I don't see another woman breastfeed, ignore her? No way!

Phew. I think I had something to get out!

[fluffernutter]

I try to make eye contact and give a big smile.

I saw cards somewhere, but I can't remember where.

[MamaFae]

Here you go! http://www.attachmentscatalog.com/gifts/advocacy.html

Thanks! They are sold out though! I was thinking of making my own and finding a way to post the file. I like the wording on the one from the above link, but I want something a little more concise. Any ideas?

Oh and I am glad I am not the only one that gets all giddy inside! I have been fortunate to live in two very breastfeeding friendly cities, Austin, TX and Portland, OR, so I see a few more than average NIPing moms.

Just two weeks ago I was at the Dublin, CA St. Pats festival and we sat down to eat near a mama NIP. I did catch her eye and smile, but I so wanted to say more! And last week, we were eating out at a In and Out Burger near San Jose and there was mama there nursing her nearly newborn I was so proud to see it! My DH even gets proud when he notices other mamas NIP. Sometimes I think he is more of a Lactivist than I am!

Thanks for the comments!

Blessings,
N~

[mom2savannah_grace]

I've commented to people three times about how great it was to see them NIP. Two out of three times we ended up talking for awhile about bf and our kids in general. I am just so happy to see moms NIP that I want them to know they are doing a great job, especially since I don't know that a minute before I came along they could've received a negative reaction.

[mysticmomma]

email me,... I have some

[mom2jack]

Just wanted to say that someone did give me a card one time when I was nursing in public I think I was in the Seattle airport and I was nursing my son who was around 18 or 19 months old. After he finished I got up and was letting him wonder around, when I came back to my seat there was a card on my stuff. It said something like - nursing a is wonderful gift whether you do it for 2 days, 2 weeks, or 2 years. I was a bit embarrassed at first but than it made me feel really proud. It was a great boost of confidence since I was never a big NIP person - but what can you do in an airport :LOL

[MoMommy]

I don't see it very often but get very excited when I do. Two times (once at a restaurant and once at a play) when I saw another mama NIP, I nursed dd as well. That way, when people look around, they see not only one nursing mama, but two! How much more normal can you get?