A really serious question, please help!

[a~...Mamacitaa~...]

I went a visited a friend at her work the other day, She works at a public school. The boys were playing with the other children and Mateo(1yo) can up and wanted to nurse, so nursed him, i was trying to be discret about it. I too applyed to work at that school. I guess a couple of parents and kids asked her what i was doing and they didn't apporve of it, Was i wrong to bfing. My friend say that maybe i shouldn't do that there since i am trying to get a job, I told her that in our state their is a law saying that i can BF anywhere i have a public right to be. We live in Cali

What is the differece i they saw me BFing in the store Vs. school. I obvisouly won't be bring my child to work. My friend says the kids asked questions, I told her then i would answer them and it would be a learning experience. And if their parents wanted to ask they can too.

am I right?

[Ruthla]

I think you're right- unfortunately other people might be more close-minded.

[PortraitPixie]

: :

[phathui5]

I think if anything, you should try to nurse around kids more. If people in our country saw women nursing as we grew up, it would be a "normal" thing to people.

[lactationmom]

would they say something to a mother who whips out a bottle? if not, and they did to you, that's DISCRIMINATION.

use THAT word and people start appologizing pretty darn quick.

children NEED to see what is natural and normal. now i can understand the kids being curious if you were nursing a classmate, HA, but not a one year old!

[a~...Mamacitaa~...]

Oh yeah I forgot to add that my friend said somthing about her job being jeopody, can that really happen?We live Cali, the liberist state there is!

[lactationmom]

isn't govenor swartzeneggar (sp?) doing something REALLY positive for nursing moms in your state? i remember reading something, but i can't remember what it was.


is your friend saying her job is in jepardy because you fed your baby???? that sounds like a really bad situation for the SCHOOL, not her.

[eckmannl]

I would have done exactly what you did, nurse your babe! I don't think there is anybody on this board who would tell you you shouldn't have
It would be a really sad state of affairs if there were any repurcussions from the simple act of feeding your child.

[JamesMama]

Wow...that would be a major issue for the school if they were to fire her because her friend bf'ed her baby (at 1 y/o they are still a baby)...**teacher voice** "Okay boys and girls! What does l-a-w-s-u-i-t spell?" seriously though...you maybe need to discuss this with your friend to see how your bf'ing relates to her job

[jakesmama]

Huh, something like that would make me so angry I might actually go back and do it again! I've often thought about bfing and the public school system (I'm a teacher). I've read about schools (not Waldorf but something similar) where teachers bring their nurslings along and none of the students really think twice about it because for them it has become second nature. How cool is that?
It's funny that our society talks about breastfeeding education but it only seems to apply to adults. If we want to facilitate a major shift in perspective (i.e. breasts=food not sex) we have to start with our children. Generations and generations have grown up with this bias and our children don't have to.

Keep up the awesome NIPS (nursing in public...schools :LOL ) and know that laws protect you, your nursling, and your friend. Who knows one of those curious students may end up bfing simply because she remembers seeing you do it.
to you, mama.

[Threefold]

What part of CA ? Some parts are really conservative stiil

I teach in a P.S. and I nurse when I am there with my dd (and did as well with my ds). It has never been an issue. Niether has pumping, though I have had to explain why I need time and why the bathroom is unsuitable.

What happened is wrong.






(Oh, and I can't imagine Arnie doing anything postive for BF )

[callmemama]

Originally Posted by lactationmom

children NEED to see what is natural and normal. now i can understand the kids being curious if you were nursing a classmate, HA, but not a one year old!

Nursing a school-aged child is natural and normal too.

Mamacita, is your friend uncomfortable around breastfeeding? I don't see how her job could be in jeopardy because you fed your child. Perhaps she just doesn't want you to? Just a thought...

[stockingup99]

Is your friend's job in jepordy because you visit, while she is supposed to be working? I would think that she may already feel that the visits are pushing it, and that BF'ing is just over the top.

If she feels that way, the visits are not appropriate, not the BF'ing.

I will use the if bottlefeeding is okay here, then you are discrimating against me lesson I learned today.

Why would BF'ing be inappropriate in front of children? I felt that way, but could not justify it, so I modified my outlook.

Thanks,
Sue

[ayme371]

I teach 4-5th grade and have been carrying my pump to and fro for the last yr and a half. I even brought him on a field trip once and nursed him and nobody even knew. Kids never asked much but did see a few pics of me nursing my son . Most didn't know what he was doing, couldn't see anything it was just the position he was in. One male student did pick up on it and asked me about it. He then went on to explain to the class his experiences with his mom nursing siblings. He told the class that it is the most natural thing in the world. We really had a great discussion about it and the kids were very supportive and wanted to share their own stories. These are inner city troubled youths. My point of telling you this is that kids can be much more accepting then some of their parents. The parents are the ones with the closed minds. Maybe their children can teach them a thing or two.

[findingMYway]

It is so strange that it can be uncomfortable... just the act of feeding a baby in this country. It is really surreal. I was once feeding my baby who was then just a few months old in front of some of my daughter's friends and two had no clue as to what I was doing. When they asked and I said I was feeding him they looked at me like I was so wierd. And then I said, "you know, the way all mammals feed their babies, just like kittens and puppies?" Then they said, "OH!" Like a light went on! lol! These were 8 year olds. I was quite surprised they had never seen a human baby eating the way humans were born to be fed. That is America for you!