[be11ydancer]

I love reading about nursing in public experiences, especially positive ones. Also, with Jasmine being almost 1, I'm kind of expecting for people to think it's odd that I'm still nursing, thus, I want to nurse in public every chance I get. I thought it would be fun for us to mention where we have nursed our babies and toddlers lately.

Thursday, I nursed her at the mall playground. It was super busy. There were even some men there with their wives who kept staring. They were gross but whatever. When Jasmine's hungry, she gets fed regardless of gross men in the area.

Friday night, I nursed her at Half Price Books. There were people everywhere. No one seemed to care. I love that store. I found their Babywise books and hid them

.

This morning we went to the Fort Worth Water Gardens and I nursed Jasmine there. Once at the bottom of the stairs in the huge waterfall fountain. The water kind of surrounded us but we were dry on our little perch. She was a bit distracted but it was great. I would have given a million bucks for a picture of that moment. There were people everywhere. It was so empowering.

So is anyone as obsessed about nursing in public as I am. I don't even flash people when I do it. I'm as discreet as I can be without a blanket.

 

[zoebugsmom]

Yesterday I nursed dd at a street fair. I didn't receive a single comment or funny look. The very first time I NIP was at the same fair last year.

I haven't ever gotten a negative comment or even a look for NIP. Last year I was in town listening to a local band play in the park and a woman sat doan next to me and told me how wonderful it was I was nursing dd and that I didn't need to cover up if I didn't want to and should just put the silly blanket away.

It was awesome.

 

[be11ydancer]

Oh, I love when people comment on it positively. And I try to do the same when I see a mama nursing. I was at a renaissance faire last month and there was a woman nursing her two year old out in the open. I told her how cool that was because you don't see that very often. She mentioned that she has nursed four of her own kids and three kids that weren't hers! More power to her!

 

[Peppamint]

I have always NIP when/where needed unless for my own comfort (a couple of times I have sat in the car in the A/C when it's hot type of thing). I do think it's empowering and I hope women see me and maybe it influences them.

I haven't ever had any rude comments/looks that I know of. I think maybe sometimes when a mom is unsure the mean ol' vultures can tell. KWIM? I don't look approachable enough for some stranger to come and offer parenting advice.

Unfortunately, that may also keep moms from approaching me who are pro-bf.

 

[Camellia]

Yesterday I nursed my 7 week old at our towns central park. The playground was super busy, and there was a wedding going on on the grassy area next to the playground.

My dd nurses constantly so most of the time my ds was playing and I was visiting with my friend, dd was latched on! No one even looked at me twice that I noticed and people commented on how cute she is while I was nursing.

I think I am lucky to live in a town that is about as good as they come as far as being pro-breastfeeding.

Good idea to have a postitive nip thread!

 

[iamama]

I nursed my 2.7 dd at a wedding...also a women nursed her baby in a sling as she spoke during the ceremony. I didn't hardly notice and thought it was so great to see I think this coulpe is on the road to being AP they just don't know it yet!

 

[thedevinemissm]

I have to say that I have been truly blessed in my BFing relationship with DS. I have been supported by family, friends, & strangers alike. I can't really recall strange looks or comments. I agree that perhaps the fact that I feel confident in my decision & prepared myself for people's reactions has made me a not-so-easy-target for negative feedback.

The other thing I have been pleasantly suprised by is the older women who did not BF, tend to tell me how they wish they had "been able to". (most share stories of how their peds told them that formula was superior, didn't have the resources to pump, etc). They all comment on how "well-behaved" DS is and how he "minds" me. :2toddler:

To be honest, lately I face more questions or critical comments from family than strangers. Especially now that I'm pg. The "when are you going to wean" questions are becoming more frequent.

Sorry, does that really answer your question?!?!?!?

 

[thirtycats]

Bellydancer,

I live in Fort Worth too! Were you talking about Hulen Mall and the Half Price books on Hulen???

I wonder if we've ever seen each other....

 

[be11ydancer]

No, I go to a different location. Hulen is just too busy for me. I just replied back to your email.

 

[veganmamma]

We went for a hike up to Carlon Falls in Yosemite Wilderness and I was sitting on a rock nursing dd and an older woman came by and made a sweet face and said, "Oh, I miss nusring mine so much! It almosts makes me hurt to think of it!" And she grabbed her breasts a little bit. It was really sweet. My mom said she could swear she felt herself letting down when I nursed dd as a newborn, so I get where she's coming from.

Also I spent the weekend at a midwives conference and there were just lots of boobies and babies everywhere. Everytime I nursed dd I got loving looks from lots of people. It was utopia I think.

 

[party_of_seven]

In the 6 years I hsve been NIP I have never once gotten so much as a nasty look. I don't hide, and I don't use a blanket.

Recently I was at my mil's house. She had been watching my kids while I took my oldest to a doctors appt. (she was having a check up to make sure her broken arm had healed) By the time I got back my 3yo and my 1yo were wanting to nurse---BAD! It was obvious that neither of them would be patient enough to wait for the other to finish. So I sat down in the recliner and put them both in my lap and :tandem right there in mil's living room....in front of mil, fil, and sil! No one cared, and all mil had to say was, "now THAT's a picture!" She probably would have gotten her camera out too, but I'm sure her better judgement kicked in

LOL I love my MIL! She has been so supportive of my bfing relationship with all of my kids.

:LOL My own mom would have

if I had done that at her house.

Christina

 

[Peppamint]

T

Lauren! I like your siggie!

 

[mountain mom]

Last week my good friend that I job and childcare share invited dd and I to go to the zoo with her and her ds who is just about two. (My dd is just about 3).

Toward the end of the day both kids were getting tired and so were we so we sat down at a picnic table in a very busy area full of children with their caregivers and parents.

We both started nursing our toddlers.

I looked around and realized we were the only ones breastfeeding...there were lots of bottles out...lots of sippy cups...but no boobs but ours.

Needlesstosay we got some looks...some good some not so good. But it felt so good to just do that without even realizing it.

All these stories are so inspiring!

 

[veganmamma]

Quote:

Originally Posted by busybusymomma T Lauren! I like your siggie!

Thanks! It was a bumper sticker I saw in the parking lot at the CA Assn. of Midwives conference last weekend. It was my favorite but unfortunately not for sale, so I stuck it in my sig.

Just to be on topic I nursed dd at SIL's apartment complex pool today. On land and in the water. I have a pretty cool nursing swimsuit I got for $10 last May (it was from the year before on clearance) and even though it's a wee bit loose on the boobs it makes it a lot wasier. It's obvious I'm nursing but I'm not freaking people out. I don't want to turn people off to nip. It's a fine line I walk. Incidentally, at the conference I always had a big giant boob all the way out. It's inspired me to be less discreet.

 

[twopeasinpod]

I was nursing them both on a park bench horsey-knee-sitting, their legs flailing, both singing (making humming noises whilst drinking) and a pretty mama said "good job, mama" and smiled when she walked by.
It made my WEEK.

Maya

 

[Kari_mom]

At the baby pool last week there were three of us, totally unrelated, nursing our babies while the toddlers played in the water. One of the other moms commented that she wondered how she was going to nurse her daughter at the pool, then she saw me nursing Jack and just went for it!

This morning at the YMCA I spotted a toddler nursing while doing sideways jumping jacks. I seldom see NIP where I live, let alone toddler NIP. I wanted to run over and make friends, but I had to take my daughter to a class.

 

[veganmamma]

 

[nancg]

Right after I finished a marathon 3 weeks ago, I was nursing my 2 year old (who kept trying to push off my foil blanket - I wasn't trying to be discreet I was trying to be WARM) and a woman came by and said "Good for you". It was really nice of her, especially because I hate nursing in my running bra.

Nancy