Letter to Hooter Hider - Page 4

[yogafeet]

Originally Posted by littleburtsmom

I am the proud owner of several hootie hiders. I own them for myself and I think I have a different outlook then most in this thread. I personally am uncomfortable breastfeeding in public without a cover so the hootie hider is very impowering to me. I purchased my covers and received some as gifts in fun bright patterns. They do not blend in with my outfit - but they do allow ME to feel comfortable breastfeeding where ever I see fit. Several people have commented on my covers or asked me about them and this has given me plenty of opportunities to teach others about the benefits of breastfeeding and my desire to allow my son to decide when it was time to wean. These conversations would not have taken place if I was in the mothers room- where I personally would feel more comfortable with out my cover. So I look at it as a conversation piece that leads to education. No harm done by bebe au lait.

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[annakiss]

Originally Posted by littleburtsmom

I am the proud owner of several hootie hiders. I own them for myself and I think I have a different outlook then most in this thread. I personally am uncomfortable breastfeeding in public without a cover so the hootie hider is very impowering to me. I purchased my covers and received some as gifts in fun bright patterns. They do not blend in with my outfit - but they do allow ME to feel comfortable breastfeeding where ever I see fit. Several people have commented on my covers or asked me about them and this has given me plenty of opportunities to teach others about the benefits of breastfeeding and my desire to allow my son to decide when it was time to wean. These conversations would not have taken place if I was in the mothers room- where I personally would feel more comfortable with out my cover. So I look at it as a conversation piece that leads to education. No harm done by bebe au lait.

Originally Posted by yogafeet

:

It's not the owning of these things that is the problem. I said that explicitly in my letter and it's been reiterated throughout the thread, if you read correctly. The problem is in how it's marketed. The name of the product itself is also problematic, though the marketing was the main point I complained about. Women should not be made to feel as though they need to make others feel comfortable by not nursing or hiding.

[TCMoulton]

Originally Posted by honeybunch2k8

I'm sad there's even a market for this.

Why? You really shouldn't - there are some moms that are very self conscious about breastfeeding around other people - if this allows them to feel comfortable breastfeeding in the company of others and allows their breastfeeding relationship to continue then this is definitely a needed product.

[JeDeeLenae]

did they ever change the description? I can't seem to find their site with the actual marketing on them.

[SunShy]

I used one! My son went through a stage of being easily distracted and having the hooter hider allowed him to nurse more peacefully without being overwhlemed or overstimulated. It was a gift that someone gave me at my baby shower...and it doubled as a great blanket.

Having said that, My son is now almost 2 and has no problems NIP so we do so often and without any covering. I never used it with thought to how other's felt about nursing...It just made nursing my hyper stimulated, busy baby much easier for a breif time.

I COMPLETELY agree with your letter and your position on their function. If they encourage women who would normally not feel comfortable to nurse in public then "HOORAY!" but if they are marketing their product to women by pointing out that the act may offend others then they are pretty low in my book.

[Romana]

I don't see the original language you complained about, but from the "about" page, it's clear that the assumption is you absolutely have to cover up if you're going to breastfeed in public. Not if you need it to feel comfortable - it is just a necessity that every nursing mother obscure the act of breastfeeding.

When Claire Ekelund gave birth to her second daughter in 2003, she was proud to be an active nursing mom but recognized that, once again, nursing in public was going to be challenging. Like many nursing moms on-the-go, Claire was quickly reminded of how difficult it is to gracefully feed a wriggling baby and hold a blanket in position. She searched high and low for a solution, but found that nursing covers on the market at the time were clinical, impractical, and difficult to find. Leaving the room to feed Baby in privacy seemed the only alternative, yet this was not always an option.

First Steps.
As a modern nursing mom, Claire became increasingly convinced that there was a way to cover Baby and Mother with ease and style allowing Mom to breastfeed whenever and wherever she needed to.

That says to me, "You can only breastfeed in public or "on the go" if you cover up.

[annakiss]

I originally sent the letter in March. I encourage you to address the language you found on the website today by writing a letter. If I have time, I'll do the same.

[limabean]

Originally Posted by annakiss

It's not the owning of these things that is the problem. I said that explicitly in my letter and it's been reiterated throughout the thread, if you read correctly. The problem is in how it's marketed. The name of the product itself is also problematic, though the marketing was the main point I complained about. Women should not be made to feel as though they need to make others feel comfortable by not nursing or hiding.

I don't think the posters who are complaining about feeling judged for using a cover are addressing you specifically -- you were very clear that your problem was with the marketing, not the fact that the product exists or that some moms choose to use it. You wrote a great letter and got a pretty great response, IMO!

I think people have a problem with comments like this:

I always cringe a little when I see some mama draping a blanket over her baby.

My friends mom just bought her one. She opened it at her shower. She loved it, everyone loved it, and I cringed.

I'm sad there's even a market for this.

Posters who said stuff like that seem to have a problem with covering in general, not just the way the HH product is marketed.

[jesrox]

Originally Posted by sg784

Ive seen Moms cover themselves and the baby with a giant blanket at LLL and I just cringe. OF ALL PLACES! PLEASE! I cant wait to have this baby so I can just whip it out confidently and just let the baby nurse. maybe it will make others feel less self conscious!

Everyone has their own comfort levels...if they care enough about breastfeeding that they are going to LLL meetings, it shouldn't matter if they want to cover with a blanket. Maybe they are modest, maybe they have past body-image concerns...whatever the reason, I would rather have a momma breastfeed and cover up than switch to formula!!