Influencing the next generation

[minkajane]

How are you a good influence on the next generation re: breastfeeding?

Here's my story:

I took my neices and nephew to see Shrek 3 today. At the end, when Fiona was preparing bottles for the babies, I looked at my 6-year-old neice and said "Do you know how Fiona SHOULD be feeding the babies?" She nodded. I said, "How?" And she pointed to her chest and grinned. I thought that was absolutely adorable and cool, especially considering that all the babies she knows (except DS) have been exclusively formula fed, except her cousin, who was BFed partially for about a month.

Share your cute/funny/inspiring story about influencing the future breastfeeders of the world!

[bellymama]

by breastfeeding in front of them....thats why i was so into bfing, because i had never seen a woman FF until i was an adult, but i have seen a lotta babies on the boobie !

[bdavis337]

I tell my boys (who were both ff'ed from just a few weeks of age) that Mommies are supposed to be where the milk comes from. And that most Mommies have the milk for their babies. I tell them that my breasts didn't make enough milk (I had a reduction), but that most mommies don't have that problem, so they breastfeed. Only Mommies who have breasts that don't make milk properly give their babies formula.

My kids are 6 and 2. They don't need more than this yet, but if/when they do, I'll provide it.

[angelcat]

I wasn't able to nurse past 10 days, but when my 2 yr old points at my breasts, I tell her they are breasts, and are for feeding babies, and that that's how she ate when she was really tiny. She'll see lots of people nursing as well, as most moms do nurse.

[momma2libby]

The week after next my ffed cousin's kids are coming to the zoo with me and my family. The 4yr old girl hides behind her mom and makes comments about me breastfeeding my daughter. "Mom, look at what she is doing!" or "that's gross!" or my favorite "My little brother doesn't eat like THAT". These always lead to a discussion of breasts are made to feed babies and this is how I feed mine. She's 4 and has never seen someone breastfeed besides me so I understand that she is uneasy about it at first. My cousin said that when their kitten had kittens the girl would watch every time they ate. So she is infatuated with it or something. I am almost positive I can make her think it is cool sooner or later. I am looking forward to seeing how this next weekend at the zoo with her works out!

[kalynnsmom]

I have a 4 yo and I nurse in front of her all of the time, to show her that nursing is just a normal way to feed a baby. One day, she asked me "Who nursed you when you were a baby?" I thought that was pretty cool

[timneh_mom]

I nursed DD in front of my niece and nephew today... they are both teenagers!

[Momma2SoSweet]

I babysit my sister's kids (3 and 4 yo girls and an 11 yo boy) every other week. I breastfeed in front of them all the time. At first they asked what the baby was doing but after a couple explanations of bfing, they totally get it. My 3 yo niece even 'nurses' her babies now. My 11 yo nephew isn't even fazed by it- he knows it's totally natural.

[eviesingleton]

My friend's mother-in-law gave her daughter a "play bottle" to feed to her doll. Instead of taking it away, my friend showed Hannah a program about animal rescue and told her that she should use her bottle to feed her stuffed animals.

p.s. The program she showed them was called Growing Up Tiger:

http://www.tigercreek.org/animalplanet.html

[isra1986]

When all of my female friends get together everyone breastfeeds. All of the kids see it.
My mom had my sister when I was 16 months old and she said I used to try to breast feed my dolls because I saw her feeding my sister.

[nikihodges]

i nip and in front of my family who haven't had any children to bf since my grandma fed her middle child, the last 2 were ff....i wish i could do more any ideas...my boys do understand that breasts are for feeding babies and they see my one friend bf her son and the seem non-pulsed by it...the 4 y/o (ds)tries to bf his dolls

[jsaunt]

This weekend my nephew won a stuffed pig at a carnival. My DSD and him were playing with their animals, I said, "Jackson, put your pig to sleep." He immediately lifted his shirt and "nursed" the piglet to sleep. We thought it was precious.

[napua]

I BF anywhere and everywhere. I don't cover my child or make it look as though it is a private affair....it isn't, he is just eating. My dd is almost 6 and she knows that babies are meant to be BF and sometimes people truly can't and that is where FF should come in. She BF her babydolls, it is really adorable.