[boobs4milk]

i get lots of negative attention. i think it's because we live in the smack-dab middle of the bible belt and i am nip a very active almost 2 year old.

oh, and many of the OMG stories take place at wal-mart

:

so, yesterday at wal-mart, i was nursing a very sleepy and frustrated natalie. i was walking down the main aisle by the front and pushing the cart. she was about 3/4 of the way asleep, when a woman oh-so-elegantly adorned in every face piercing imaginable strolls by and shouts "girl, you need to detach that baby!"

i turned around and shouted "girl, you need to mind your own D*** business!!!"

she just kept walking.

but guess who was two ahead of us in line? yup, spike (as dh calls her LOL) and she kept (LOUDLY) informing all of the other customers and the cashier that i had my breasts out and that i was feeding a kindergartener. the cashier just blushed furiously and tried to hurry them along. i had my 15 year old dd with me, and she kept asking if she could go pummel spike. my dd is 6' tall and 175lbs of muscle...but i explained to her that i wanted to portray bf as a gentle act, and i just smiled at spike.

needless to say, spike walked out yelling insults, and i just looked down at my sleeping angel and smiled. the cashier was apologetic and i just said "it's okay...my baby could be screaming and annoying everyone in here. instead, she got her ninnies and went to sleep."

 

[~Boudicca~]

: OMG! How incredibly mean-spirited and ignorant!.

People suck sometimes. A lot.

 

[Glaciers&Fossils]

That's nuts. I'll never understand why people are so concerned about random strangers nursing in public. At least it sounds as though the cashier didn't dignify any of it with a response. I don't know where you live, but if that had happened in our Wal-mart, Spike would certainly have left a negative impression on everyone within earshot.

 

[MKJA]

Sounds like she was the kind of person who has something to hide, so she points out what she perceives are flaws in everyone else before you can even blink. Gotta love 'em. Glad you handled it so well though, I know I would've pummeled Spike (okay, at least in my mind.

)

 

[IntoTheBliss]

What a sad person, makes you wonder what is going on in her mind that she has to worry so much about you feeding your baby. Maybe trying to focus on you instead of herself?

Hope you feel better after venting.

I'm sure there were plenty of people at Wal Mart that day that were GLAD to see you nursing, and so much more that probably didn't even notice! LOL

 

[boobs4milk]

Quote:

Originally Posted by IntoTheBliss What a sad person, makes you wonder what is going on in her mind that she has to worry so much about you feeding your baby. Maybe trying to focus on you instead of herself? Hope you feel better after venting. I'm sure there were plenty of people at Wal Mart that day that were GLAD to see you nursing, and so much more that probably didn't even notice! LOL

that's the thing...i've nursed her at times and people come up to oggle the baby and accidentally get a peek because they weren't aware that we were even bf!

thanks to everyone for the support!

 

[NewMama2007]

Mama, I am in awe of your patience and composure. Good for you! She must have a very sad life if she feels the need to scream and rant and rave about a little baby eating.

 

[MoonStarFalling]

That's awful!

I don't get what the facial piercings had to do with it though.

 

[Da WIC Lady]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MoonStarFalling That's awful! I don't get what the facial piercings had to do with it though.

My thought was that the person criticizing her was very outside the norm, and not in necessarily such a healthy way. While I fully acknowledge that not everyone with unusual piercings or body modifications have issues, most of the friends I have with lots of body mods not only have issues, they're the editor-in-chief. Given the tude and the play for attention with the way she treated the OP, I'd guess that to be the case. Poor girl. In any case, just because you're outside the norm doesn't mean that others stretching boundaries are going to be accepting of your choices.

Anna

 

[krystyn33]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Da WIC Lady In any case, just because you're outside the norm doesn't mean that others stretching boundaries are going to be accepting of your choices. Anna

That's what struck me--I tend to assume that folks outside the norm would have more compassion for others who are also outside the norm. Sadly, not always the case.

I'm sorry you and your little one were treated with such disrespect.

 

[boobs4milk]

yes, anna...that was my thought! how could someone who was so obviously and proudly displaying their individuality and need to live outside the norm make a spectacle of someone else who was doing something also outside the norm. where i live, it's unusual to EVER see a woman breastfeeding, much less see one breastfeeding an almost 2 yr old.

i've been a bf mama for over 15 yrs, so i know how to do so with enough discretion to not draw attention. the odd thing for me was that this woman was obviously trying to draw attention to herself with the body modifications.

ftr-i originally thought nothing of the facial piercings. i have piercings/tats myself and think that we should all have the right to express ourselves through our body art, if that's something that appeals to us. however, i also feel that if one expects our society to be tolerant of extreme body modifications, that same person ought to have a little tolerance for someone utilizing her body (for it's intended purpose) to soothe their upset and tired baby!

 

[Romana]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MoonStarFalling That's awful! I don't get what the facial piercings had to do with it though.

I thought it was interesting narrative detail. She didn't need to say that Spike was female or that she nicknamed her Spike, either, or that her toddler is a girl, or that she was pushing a cart while nursing, kwim?

 

[bandgeek]

Sometimes I wonder if many of the stories you hear about preteens still nursing aren't people over-exaggerating the age of the child. Now I know *some* kids wean much later, but they are the exception, and it's not likely that anybody but the family knows they are still nursing.

I mean, your baby is not even 2 and this chick said you were nursing a "kindergartener"???? Not that there's anything wrong with nursing a kindergartener, but next thing you know, when someone's nursing a 4 year old, somebody's going to say they say an 8 year old nursing and so on.

I think that's where a lot of this "omg, this woman my friend's cousin knows is still nursing her teenager" comes from. When the baby is only 3.

Makes us all look like freaks.

 

[tashantx]

haha what a jerk funny thing I know a gal who is tatted and pierced all up and is a very gentle nip type of mommy so that woulda shut er up eh.....

 

[baltic_ballet]

Quote:

Originally Posted by boobs4milk the cashier was apologetic and i just said "it's okay...my baby could be screaming and annoying everyone in here. instead, she got her ninnies and went to sleep."

I totally agree with your response; there is nothing worse and more annoying than a screaming todler whilist waiting in line to pay the cashier!

 

[boobs4milk]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bandgeek Sometimes I wonder if many of the stories you hear about preteens still nursing aren't people over-exaggerating the age of the child. Now I know *some* kids wean much later, but they are the exception, and it's not likely that anybody but the family knows they are still nursing. I mean, your baby is not even 2 and this chick said you were nursing a "kindergartener"???? Not that there's anything wrong with nursing a kindergartener, but next thing you know, when someone's nursing a 4 year old, somebody's going to say they say an 8 year old nursing and so on. I think that's where a lot of this "omg, this woman my friend's cousin knows is still nursing her teenager" comes from. When the baby is only 3. Makes us all look like freaks.

this made me LOL...because it's true! that lady probably went home and told this same story, only she probably told everyone that i was nursing a 7 yr old! and natalie is small, just barely on the charts at 32 1/2" and 22lbs!

 

[LittlePeanut]

I agree... People suck! Sorry you had to deal with that

LP