Interested in opinions regarding a "nursing room"

I don't get it. You're supposed to sit on that bench???

Maybe there wasn't space on the sign to write "Diaper changing area" so they figured the shorter "nursing area" would be convey something close enough that it would be ok? (She asks hopefully.)

You're right. It's a nice diaper area. Just needs a mirror next to the changing table.

I don't see a need for a sign--- w/the pull-down diaper changing table its pretty obvious.

I don't see how they could think an attached bench was convenient to nurse on. I would support it if there were a rocking chair or something and a sign that said that nursing mothers got "dibs" or something, lol, but I'd nurse outside!

what?! that's basically a bathroom, IMO. gross. i wouldn't nurse my little guys there either! i've noticed that a lot of places now have benches in the bathrooms for nursing... i refuse to nurse anywhere there are toilets, period.

on the upside, i was at a mall in milwaukee, WI a month or so ago and they had a low-lit nursing room with toys, pretty artwork on the walls and a FAUX LEATHER-UPHOLSTERED rocking chair. i was very impressed. i also love shopping at IKEA in shaumberg, IL... they have a lovely nursing room with TWO rocking chairs, toys and kid-sized furniture in the room... last time i went, there was another mama nursing too. it was pretty awesome.

Was this at Brookfield by any chance? We went (dh, ds & I) last fall when ds was 5 or 6 months old and I got nothing but nasty looks. We're going again in a couple of weeks and I challenge anyone to look at me askew...I'm lactating, I'm informed and I'm not afraid to tell them what's what. :

(And who wants to nurse in a stinky loud bathroom on an extra narrow, extra hard shelf/bench, anyway? I'll take the grass by the main fountain or a shaded bench any day)

Well, Em, do ya want to start a mini nurse-in? We're members and so can get an adult in for free, too.

Honestly, the outside benches were a whole lot nicer. I have to lean back a bit to nurse both boys, and so I can't figure out how the hell I even would have managed it on that little bench, even if I had wanted to!

Philosophically, I just don't like that nursing areas (even nice ones like IKEA's) open off of bathrooms. It says that it is something that society says *MUST* be in private, and that it is probably dirty, too. Fine, put it right next to the bathroom, even with another door to the bathroom. But it shouldn't be the only way to get in.

If anyone wants to send me pics of the nice nursing areas, I think I will write a letter thanking them for the thought, but strongly urging some improvements with decriptions and photos. Whaddya think?

it was called mayfair, i think... it was very upscale. not sure where. i want to say it was on the north side. we're not from milwaukee but were visiting some friends. they had a really nice changing area too, nice wide counter with a mirror, seperate from the bathroom. although... now that i think about it, it might have been an area for women to stand and powder their noses... :LOL whoops! oh well! the actual nursing room was small, but there was a really nice, large waiting room right outside with big comfy couches and stuff too. i actually nursed there as well when the room was occupied. if you go, you'll have to tell me how you liked it.

Interesting. It looks like a nice diapering area to me... a place for the older kids to sit, but NO WAY would I nurse there.
You know what gets me... when I had my dd 10 years ago, I was the only person I knew who nursed, and I would actually sit in bathroom stalls so as not to embarrass anyone by actually witnessing me feed my child. Then suddenly it hit me, dd must have beed 9 months or so, and I was just NASTY in the bathroom. And I don't have to eat in a bathroom. Bottle fed babies don't have to eat in a bathroom. People who chew with their mouths open or people who slurp, or drool or what have you aren't asked to sit in a bathroom to eat. Yet I was in the bathroom nursing my child! UGH, so I stopped and haven't done it since. And as nice as some of those nursing rooms are with chairs and toys and low lights, I refuse to HIDE myself because feeding my child makes some people uncomfortable. I mean I have seen people eat and it can be pretty nasty, but I would never in 100 years ask them to please eat in an area that wouldn't have to witness their "grossness".
How is BF going to be come a NORMAL thing if we have to hide out to do it? I mean, maybe feeding all babies whether breast or bottle, we should all have to sit someplace else? BUt I don't think that would fly. I mean imagaine telling a bottle feeding mom, "You are making people uncomfortable with that, could go go sit in a bathroom stall?"
Sorry it pisses me off!

H

See this is where I have the problem. When babies get to the "looky looky" stage, "we" generally do feel the need to hide away to nurse so others don't get a boob shot. I just find it very frusterating because we nursing moms shouldn't have to hide when we nurse. I mean if someone is looking that closely at your chest then they may get a boob shot and if it "grosses" them out then tuff titty! (LOL) I say. Why should we have to hide because others find feeding an infant from your body gross. How about the nasty slob who is woofing down the big mac and supersize frys and bleching and scratching his crotch? I wouldn't ask him to eat in a toilet, although maybe he should be!
Babies get wiggly and like to look around, I just wish society could just get use to it and we wouldn't need to hide out in "Nursing Rooms" unless we wanted a quite spot to help get our babies to sleep or something. Not someplace to hide away because boobs make people uncomfortable when they are used for their "other purpose" I mean I have seen more boob showing in some non-nursing women's clothes then with nursing clothes. I mean that Mother's wear clothing for nursing, heck I think you really gotta be trying to see breast tissue to see anything, yet just go to Gap or Old Navy or Guess and look at the clothes, boobs falling out all over the place. Yet no one askes these women to go sit in the bathroom, their boobs are bothering people.

OK So I have an issue!

H

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:LOL ITA with you, mamaofthree. it's weird how people have a problem with nursing boobies being out for just a few minutes as compared to other boobies being out there all day! i sort of came to this realization not to long ago and coming here and reading about all of you mamas not afraid to NIP has given me the shot in the arm i needed! i do really like a nice nursing room to take a break in, especially if one of the boys is cranky or both need a boobie at the same time. then, a nice comfy chair is wonderful.

I really like the nursing rooms at one of the malls here-comfy faux leather armchair, door, kid-size chair. I like that I can nurse ds and keep dd contained at the same time. No chasing her while trying to keep him latched (even with the sling, this is harder than I thought it would be). But whenever I'm there with someone else who can help corral dd, i would much rather stay in the middle of the mall, where they have the same kind of chairs, so i can people-watch instead of just staring at the walls. Plus, that's my one little rebellion now, nursing in a place other than where someone says I should. :LOL

I think that anywhere someone could feed a baby with a bottle without covering up, I should be able to nurse my kiddo without covering up. Show those teens in the mall how babes are supposed to be fed! But I know that there are some moms that aren't as in your face about it as i am, so I'm glad that they have made these rooms for them.