The other day at the break table at work, there were about 8 of us women (most of us were moms) chatting about babies and sleep. Two of the moms said they never let their kids sleep in their beds. One other mom said she had her kids sleep with her (DH was in the military, etc) and so she wouldn't feel like the odd one out, I chimed in and said we still have DD in bed with us. I never mentioned BF, but I hinted that it sure made things easier for me not having to get up a bunch of times during the night.
To that, one woman, a mother of 6, said, "You're not still doing that are you? GROSS! THAT'S PORNOGRAPHY!" etc. I was shocked at her reaction. I know she didn't nurse, but to say something like that about my family? I never expected to ever have someone, especially not in the liberal city I live in, say something like that. She said how she went to a LLL meeting and how there were children lifting up their mom's shirts and taking a sip, and how women were in there topless and she felt uncomfortable. I calmly explained to her that there are good reasons to nurse past infancy (I didn't go into it much) and that usually people who nurse older children aren't so open about it and that's the exception more than the rule (carefully choosing my words as I don't think there's anything wrong with those LLL mamas' behavior and didn't want it to come across that way). In disbelief, I wrote what happened to my sister for some words of comfort and support, and told her that I wouldn't ever talk about nursing my nearly-one-year-old at work ever again. I hated that feeling I got when that woman said those cruel things.
Her reply said exactly what I needed to hear. Her response: "I hate ignorant people. Perhaps they haven't heard the pediatriacian say that it is best to nurse exclusively for six months, and continue to nurse for AT LEAST one year, preferably longer. What an ignoramus she is. Besides the fact that the pediatricians say to do it for health reasons, there is the added benefit of it being very low cost. Formula is so expensive! I bought a can of it the other day to mix with cereal and I bought the cheapest one and it was like 15 bucks! And also, let's not forget Lacy's milk allergy...you're not nursing her just because you want to bare your breast. There are so many reasons that are good, important reasons. Not only should you not be ashamed, but those ladies should be ashamed of themselves for degrading breastfeeding like that. It's one of Satan's best tools--to make something good and wholesome look bad. Satan is definitely working hard these days!"
I never expected to hear that out of the mouth of my very mainstream sister (although she has nursed 5 babies so she knows a thing or two about breastmilk). She renewed my pride in my nursing relationship with my almost-one-year-old.
To that, one woman, a mother of 6, said, "You're not still doing that are you? GROSS! THAT'S PORNOGRAPHY!" etc. I was shocked at her reaction. I know she didn't nurse, but to say something like that about my family? I never expected to ever have someone, especially not in the liberal city I live in, say something like that. She said how she went to a LLL meeting and how there were children lifting up their mom's shirts and taking a sip, and how women were in there topless and she felt uncomfortable. I calmly explained to her that there are good reasons to nurse past infancy (I didn't go into it much) and that usually people who nurse older children aren't so open about it and that's the exception more than the rule (carefully choosing my words as I don't think there's anything wrong with those LLL mamas' behavior and didn't want it to come across that way). In disbelief, I wrote what happened to my sister for some words of comfort and support, and told her that I wouldn't ever talk about nursing my nearly-one-year-old at work ever again. I hated that feeling I got when that woman said those cruel things.
Her reply said exactly what I needed to hear. Her response: "I hate ignorant people. Perhaps they haven't heard the pediatriacian say that it is best to nurse exclusively for six months, and continue to nurse for AT LEAST one year, preferably longer. What an ignoramus she is. Besides the fact that the pediatricians say to do it for health reasons, there is the added benefit of it being very low cost. Formula is so expensive! I bought a can of it the other day to mix with cereal and I bought the cheapest one and it was like 15 bucks! And also, let's not forget Lacy's milk allergy...you're not nursing her just because you want to bare your breast. There are so many reasons that are good, important reasons. Not only should you not be ashamed, but those ladies should be ashamed of themselves for degrading breastfeeding like that. It's one of Satan's best tools--to make something good and wholesome look bad. Satan is definitely working hard these days!"
I never expected to hear that out of the mouth of my very mainstream sister (although she has nursed 5 babies so she knows a thing or two about breastmilk). She renewed my pride in my nursing relationship with my almost-one-year-old.
