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How many of you still nurse toddlers in public ? - Page 2

post #21 of 67
6/7/06 at 2:30am
Still NIP with a 26-month-old. Even tho I don't always want to.
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post #22 of 67
6/7/06 at 3:05am
I nurse my 19mo pretty much everywhere. He has started wanting to NIP a lot more lately, I guess as a comfort thing? I'm fine with it. I've never had a negative comment but have had a few positive ones (and I am in a community where nursing is not super common). Today when I did it on the bus the old lady next to me told me she'd nursed until she was 7.
post #23 of 67
6/7/06 at 3:42am
Hmmm....interesting. I live in WA state and I nurse my 3 yr. old in public. She can pass for 4 since she's tall for her age and so far, I've not had any negative comments. (That I've noticed anyway.) I nurse sometimes at the mall where there's a play area. Usually in front of the Victoria's Secret.

I lived in TN for awhile when I didn't have kids and I might have felt a little weird in some areas there NIPing.

When I am in MT, I feel a little more self-concious, but usually not too bad. Although, a year or so ago, my younger brother asked me not to nurse at lunch when we went to a restaurant. He asked before we left the house. That kind of ticked me off, but it ended up being a non-issue.

I have felt a little awkward at some folks' homes if I don't know them that well but the only time anyone bugged me about it, but my own uncle. He asked when I was going to stop nursing DD - and I don't even think she was a year old! This was in MT, but he lived in Minneapolis for 30 years.
post #24 of 67
6/7/06 at 4:09am
DS will soon be two and if he needs to, we NIP. Although, it doesn't come up that often. If you count the airport and airplanes, then I do it regularly, since we fly every single month.

I tend to ask him to wait till we're in the car if we're at the grocery store or just running errands around town, but there are times I can tell he doesn't have the capacity to wait, so we just sit down and have some milk.

I don't think there's any big deal to it and I've personally never had any reactions. Usually, he just wants a quick nip, I guess maybe just to see if I'll let him, I think, and then he's on his way again. Or he's hurt and NEEDS it. I would never refuse in that instance - in fact, I'm the one offering before he asks then!
post #25 of 67
6/7/06 at 4:51am
i nurse my 18 month old whenever she asks .... unless im eating dinner, then she has to wait
post #26 of 67
6/7/06 at 8:29am
Quote:
Originally Posted by anniej
Usually, he just wants a quick nip, I guess maybe just to see if I'll let him, I think, and then he's on his way again.
My ds is the same.
post #27 of 67
6/7/06 at 12:04pm
We NIP, when we were at the Seattle aquarium last month DD fell and skinned her knee pretty bad so we nursed in front of pikes place.
post #28 of 67
6/7/06 at 12:08pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by tasbaby
I nurse my 15 month old in public once in a while. He's so busy now that it just doesn't come up as often as it used to. It doesn't bother me yet although I never see mom's NIP here. QDB, it's funny you say you were less nervous in WA state. I live in WA and sometimes I feel like no other nursing moms go out in public. Everytime I go to the mall, EVERY baby there has a bottle!

Tina
Tina,
Where do you live? I live in Spokane and NIP. I see lots of babies NIP but the only toddlers I ever see are my friends and we are all more on the edge. WA has some of the best NIP laws in the country. The way the law is written you can nurse totally topless and it is considered acceptable.
post #29 of 67
6/7/06 at 1:13pm
maybe I was less nervous in WA b/c I had more mama friends so felt more supported?

I am often guilty of looking back at my time in WA with a *ahem* rosy glow so...perhaps hindsight is not 20/20 in this case

My husband is more nervous now that ds is older - he tries to block us with his body - most of the time tho I don't think anyone even notices - ds is pretty quick about it these days.

Someone is more likely to hear him say nipple than see mine
post #30 of 67
6/7/06 at 1:25pm
My DD will be two next week and we NIP quite a lot. She is requesting it quite a bit more because she has a new brother who is nursing all the time.

I do find myself looking for private places to do so -- like a chair or a bench off to the side somewhere -- more than I used to.

The weird thing is I had no reservations NIP-ing DD before DS was born but for some reason I'm having slight feelings of awkwardness now when she asks. I think maybe it's just because most people around here have no idea that tandem nursinging is even an option so we're definitely getting some interesting looks.

Also...I don't have a whole lot of support for tandem nursing in my extended family (they are trying but it's just so far outside of what they are used to) and people make little comments about my DD's behavior (she's been struggling with the adjustment of sharing me - not a big surprise) or things like 'I hope they'll be some left for the baby' etc.

So....I guess my issue is not feeling uncomfortable nursing a toddler in public...it's tandem nursing in public.

Huh. Guess I better explore these feelings a bit more.
post #31 of 67
6/7/06 at 1:28pm
Quote:
My husband is more nervous now that ds is older - he tries to block us with his body - most of the time tho I don't think anyone even notices - ds is pretty quick about it these days.
That's funny. I notice my mom does this too. It kind of bothers me though. Like I feel like it just adds to the whole awkwardness factor to have her trying to shield us from view while she nervously looks around to see if anyone is looking....which near as I can tell most people are clueless and couldn't care less what I'm doing.

Very interesting thread.
post #32 of 67
6/7/06 at 1:34pm
I also live in WA and, though I know this area is a lot crunchier than where I used to live in GA, I don't see as many nursing moms as I thought I would. If I see other nursing moms, it's usually because we are all out together as part of an AP playgroup or babywearers group.

Like another poster said, I think I get more stares because of the fact that I am 34 weeks pregnant than the fact that DS is nursing. Well, he likes to hike my shirt up, rub my tummy and play with my bellybutton while he nurses.
post #33 of 67
6/7/06 at 1:40pm
I don't usually nurse ds2 in public anymore because he just doesn't need to nurse while we are out. However, if he does need it we nurse. I NIPd at the zoo last weekend and probably will NIP again next weekend when we fly.

Quote:
Originally Posted by QDB
I feel more nervous about it here in KY rather than when I lived in WA state and I do try to not be noticed but...when ds wants to nurse he wants to nurse so...
Don't be nervous NIP in KY, we have a law to protect us now!
post #34 of 67
6/7/06 at 1:52pm
Yes!! The new law makes me feel so good.

Now we just gotta work on homebirth, right?
post #35 of 67
6/7/06 at 2:04pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by dharmama
The weird thing is I had no reservations NIP-ing DD before DS was born but for some reason I'm having slight feelings of awkwardness now when she asks. I think maybe it's just because most people around here have no idea that tandem nursinging is even an option so we're definitely getting some interesting looks.
When my SIL had her third baby, her 2yo ds was still nursing. This kids was huge. Easily the size of a 5yo (he's 14 and 6'8" now). They were eating at Old Country Buffet (yuck), and sil was nusing the newborn. The toddler was throwing a fit, so she handed the baby to her dh and nursed the 2yo. With the stares and gasps of horror she got you'd have thought she was letting her husband have a taste.

Another story... My sister used to own and run a children's book store in Seattle. One day she was working in the store, she was 9months pg and sat down to nurse her 2yo. A customer asked in a horrified voice, "can you do that?"

So yeah, I think you're right. Even in cities where babies NIP is common, tandem nursing is seen as pretty weird.
post #36 of 67
6/7/06 at 4:16pm
I NIP my 3.5 yr. old. I have also tandem nursed in public. I had to the other day at the zoo and I felt like I ought to have my own exhibit- "tandem nursing mother, a rare species from North America". When I NIP my 3.5 yr. old I make sure my shirt comes all the way to the edge of his face, which I'm not as concerned with when nursing my 5 mo. old. Also I usually ask him to wait until we get home but sometimes he just can't or I know we won't be home for a long time.
post #37 of 67
6/7/06 at 4:32pm
I nursed my 25 month old this monday in line for the teacup ride at Seasme Place, (also sitting down on a bench). She is def. starting to get too heavy for standing and nursing though! Other than that we nurse at the playground in our neighborhood all the time. We are going to a big extended family gathering (in-laws) this weekend, and I'm wondering if I will feel odd about it/get any flack. So far I've never not nursed in public when she's asked, and I have never felt any negative attention from anyone. I am curious about what the summer will bring.
post #38 of 67
6/7/06 at 4:44pm
I rarely NIP my 2.5yo. The last time was last month at the airport and on the airplane. Unless he's hurt we don't have much need to NIP, but I admit I don't like to because I dread a rude comment or stares. A good friend of mind NIPs her 2.5yo regularily and so nonchalantly, I love it.

This wasn't public, but for the most part I don't talk about nursing ds1 with my ILs much less nurse in front of them. They made a few rude comments back around his first birthday and weren't really interested in learning the benefits or why's of EB, so dh pretty much told them it wasn't any of their business. Anyway, we were at MILs the other day and ds1 fell pretty hard was crying and saying "I need nigh-nighs!" As I was walking out of the room to find a private place to nurse him, they were all laughing commenting how cute that he wanted to go to bed (thinking nigh-nigh meant night-night). Dh casually said "Oh no, he wants to nurse, it'll fix him right up." So I guess my cover's blown! Oh well.
post #39 of 67
6/7/06 at 4:45pm
My 26 month old is usually too distracted in public to ask for nursing, but I have a strong suspiscion I'll be NIPing when we fly in a couple weeks.
post #40 of 67
6/7/06 at 4:48pm
I am still nursing my 20 month old daughter. I would say that she too is way to big to nurse standing up she weighs 29 pounds! We nurse in Public and I have never had anyone say anything to me.

I don't pull my boob out for the whole world to see but when my baby needs me I am there.

Most of the time she doesn't think about it unless she gets scared or nervous.

How long do most of you plan on breastfeeding?
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