Dirty looks...

[mamadelbosque]

So, I've recently noticed that I really don get quite a few dirty looks when I'm NIP'ng, especailly if it happens to be around kids (ie tonight at Burger King...)... and the nurses at the hospital where DH is (and so am I thus, for like... 8 hours a day, told DH that I really must close the curtain while nursing because 'theres brain damaged men wandering around who will think bad things if they see you' :

And umm.. its just made me want to be LESS discrete about the whole thing. Am I the only one who feels this way?? I mean, really.. everytime I get a nasty look it just makes me want to flash them even MORE not less... I'm not entirely sure when. I guess its almost like me daring them to say something, you know?? Like, come on, bring it... Nobody, I might add has actually said something, to me, yet. I'm waiting. Anxiously waiting

ANYHOW, am I the only one who feels like this?

[carriebft]

I'm definitely not waiting for confrontation on this I figure if I am not harassed for breastfeeding in public, things might be getting better around here :

[Emmeline II]

I think that I got stares while nursing #1 in the BX food court. I would lay him on my pack pack on my lap, sip lemonade, read a mag, and nurse him, pretending I didn't notice anyone staring at me. I was right by the play area too Got to edgamacate the youngins 'bout nursin'.

[tuansprincess]

Ergonyer - I felt that way once. Actually, I still do at times. Unfortunately, someone(s) did make a fuss and it was an excrutiatingly aweful time. I try to focus more on my children and being normal and unassuming but open to positive comments. Make sense? I used to wish for the confrontation that I could dispute and soundly put the naysayer in their place. But it didn't quite work out that way. I have decided that my lactivism is best expressed through calm, unassuming normalization.



But dang it! I dare anyone to try and stop me!

[nikihodges]

yup i can clear out the park play ground with on tiny sliver of boob

[Zwillingsmama]

I honestly think I'd break out in tears the moment someone would confront me in a negative way. I don't know why, I'm just weird like that, I guess...
So far I've only gotten admiring looks and lots of smiling and nodding. I'm glad.

[rupiezum]

My thing was always to meet the glance of anyone who looked with a great big friendly smile. I never tried to hide, just had the whole attitude of "Yes, I am nursing, nope, you can't really see a thing, nope, I have nothing to be embarrassed about and neither do you, and isn't this a wonderful day?" Seriously, it worked wonders. I only ever had one incident, and that was from a cranky old lady who apparently had a problem with the whole world.

I just took the stance of, I'm doing something natural and wonderful, and if there's a problem here, it's yours and yours alone and you're going to be the one bringing it on. (Of course, anyone daring to bring it on would soon regret it! )

[sublimemommy]

Originally Posted by ergonyer

its just made me want to be LESS discrete about the whole thing. Am I the only one who feels this way?? I mean, really.. everytime I get a nasty look it just makes me want to flash them even MORE not less

ANYHOW, am I the only one who feels like this?

i feel the same way, not that i'd act on it, but i really really want to just pull aiden off and flop them back and forth screaming "boobies!!"

[gcgirl]

Originally Posted by Zwillingsmama

I honestly think I'd break out in tears the moment someone would confront me in a negative way. I don't know why, I'm just weird like that, I guess...
So far I've only gotten admiring looks and lots of smiling and nodding. I'm glad.

I know what you mean. I'm naturally reserved, and I don't like to make a scene. I'm passionate about feeding my baby wherever I want, but I'm nervous that I won't be able to handle it if someone DOES give me problems. I'll just have to deal with it, I guess.

[queenbean]

Luckily, my first experience with nursing in public involved an older woman coming up to me and asking why my baby was covered up. When I told her she was nursing, she said, "I can see that, but why is she covered up? Let her look around." Then we talked for a while about how she had such good memories of nursing her kids. That conversation gave me the strength to nurse in public with no cover (good thing, because soon after my daughter started fighting with any kind of cover) and not worry about it.

I have gotten my fair share of dirty looks. I meet their gaze with a pleasant smile and go on about my business. I think if someone said something negative to me, I'd politely tell them that I was doing what's best for my child. I don't think I'd have the same confrontational feelings that you're talking about. But if it hadn't been for that woman showing support, I do think taht I may feel the same way you do. I used to envision what I would do and say if it ever happened, and I thought I would feel like that. Occasionally the dirty looks do make me want to be really shocking, but for the most part, I realize that doing so would just make it worse for "our side."

[~Boudicca~]

Originally Posted by sublimemommy

i feel the same way, not that i'd act on it, but i really really want to just pull aiden off and flop them back and forth screaming "boobies!!"

Oh that is great

[earthgirl]

Originally Posted by Zwillingsmama

I honestly think I'd break out in tears the moment someone would confront me in a negative way. I don't know why, I'm just weird like that, I guess...
So far I've only gotten admiring looks and lots of smiling and nodding. I'm glad.

nak
know what you mean. i have the perfect responses in my head, but wonder what i'd really do. no one has ever said anything, though. of course, i live in boston where people don't speak to you about anything.

[Beckula]

Originally Posted by queenbean

Luckily, my first experience with nursing in public involved an older woman coming up to me and asking why my baby was covered up. When I told her she was nursing, she said, "I can see that, but why is she covered up? Let her look around." Then we talked for a while about how she had such good memories of nursing her kids. That conversation gave me the strength to nurse in public with no cover (good thing, because soon after my daughter started fighting with any kind of cover) and not worry about it.

I have gotten my fair share of dirty looks. I meet their gaze with a pleasant smile and go on about my business. I think if someone said something negative to me, I'd politely tell them that I was doing what's best for my child. I don't think I'd have the same confrontational feelings that you're talking about. But if it hadn't been for that woman showing support, I do think taht I may feel the same way you do. I used to envision what I would do and say if it ever happened, and I thought I would feel like that. Occasionally the dirty looks do make me want to be really shocking, but for the most part, I realize that doing so would just make it worse for "our side."

Oddly enough it was an experiance like that for me that helped too. I was at my Grandfather's wake and Davey needed to eat and honestly I was too tired and sad to care so I nursed him in my Grandfather's big chair in the library (victorian home) and our preist came up and looked down and said "lucky guy." I don't know why but I felt like that was so cool. Here was my family who probably thought I was being crass and the Preist was completetly laid back about it.

[velcromom]

Those nurses are full of it. You aren't responsible for what goes on in other people's minds, brain damaged or not. Sheesh.