Comments on: Two out of three moms ‘fear stares if they breastfeed’

By: Anya

Anya — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 04:51:53 +0000

Fantastic post – I can relate to almost every situation you described. I nursed my preemie daughter for 17 months and struggled with a nipple shield for the first 4 months, which made breastfeeding in public a messy and stressful event, but I still did it pretty often. I didn’t use a cover early on, so once I started she was old enough to swipe it away…

Thank you for keeping this important conversation alive…

By: Kathy

Kathy — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 12:15:45 +0000

I breastfed my first for 16 months and I’m in my 3rd month with my second.
I thought I’d be more comfortable nursing in public with my 2nd, but its still hard! Especially when they’re little and don’t latch well unless you guide them well.
I remember after my first had weaned I was in a restaurant and a family was escorted to a booth with the mom nursing her baby as she walked. Her baby was completely under her shirt so you really couldn’t see a thing! Yet the staff was snickering behind her back! I saw red, but didn’t want to make a scene because I knew my husband would be mortified. With peiople like that, no wonder moms are concerned about feeding in public!

By: Glenni

Glenni — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 02:46:15 +0000

I am an IBCLC who owns a maternity and breastfeeding boutique and nursed all 4 of her own children for at least 2 1/2 years each. I teach breastfeeding classes and have written a book for Christian mothers about breastfeeding. Obviously, I am extremely pro-breast.
However, I am also extremely anti-guilt! I couldn’t agree more with everything you said in your post. Many mothers do feel more comfortable with a cover. Anything we can do to support breastfeeding mothers is vitally important.
Would I like to see every mother I meet exclusively breastfeed? YES! If I support and encourage that mother who is struggling with her first baby and ends up weaning early, will she be more likely to nurse baby #2? YES! If I make her feel guilty and treat her like a bad mother for giving up, is she likely to seek my help with her next baby? Absolutely not!
All of us who work with mothers should recognize the incredible opportunity we have to make a real difference not only with the present baby, but with future babies. Guilt is a lousy motivator, but a little genuine support and encouragement goes a long way!
Thanks again for your great post.

By: Twitted by BestforBabes

Twitted by BestforBabes — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 02:36:22 +0000

[...] This post was Twitted by BestforBabes [...]

By: Tamara

Tamara — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 01:22:59 +0000

I am mom to 4 and breast fed all of them but only until about 4 months old. I always carried a blanket, not because I was ashamed of breastfeeding in public but because I think that it is common courtesy for those that do not want to witness the breast of another woman. I never had to find a place to “hide” and no one seemed to mind me doing it in front of them but they couldn’t or didn’t see anything they didn’t want to. Let’s face it, there are still perverts out there and I, myself don’t care to flaunt my breasts around. Breast feeding was just my preference and lucky for me, I was able to. There are a lot of women that are not able to breast feed and it bothers me more to hear moms being criticized for formula feeding.

By: Amy (@HappyMomAmy)

Amy (@HappyMomAmy) — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 01:11:27 +0000

I couldn’t agree more! Not every breastfeeding mom will be comfortable doing so without a cover. For me, I had zero issues with breastfeeding whenever/wherever I needed to, but it made me so much more comfortable and able to do that because I used a cover. Not because I was ashamed, but because I’m just a little shy about it. Being critical of that action is a backslide we can’t afford!

By: Mary

Mary — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 22:22:14 +0000

With baby #1 I was terrified to nurse in public even if I was covered. The baby hated having anything cover her face and I just preferred to sit in the car. After teaching childbirth classes for a year, and having a second baby, I could care less about covering up. In fact, I organized an outing for all my new moms so we could go and “practice” nursing in public, ensuring them that they would all be more discreet than I was… simply because I didn’t care anymore. As long as I can turn on the TV and see exposed breast used for something other than breastfeeding, I’ll happily expose mine to nourish my child. Thanks for a great post!

By: Twitted by RadicaLactivist

Twitted by RadicaLactivist — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 22:21:29 +0000

[...] This post was Twitted by RadicaLactivist [...]

By: Cassaundra

Cassaundra — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 22:15:07 +0000

While it is VERY true that we should support Moms in using covers if it helps them to feel comfortable, most babies reject covers and after fighting with them for a while, eventually most Moms give up on trying to cover. Unfortunately, for many, this means choosing between giving up going out and giving up breastfeeding. We need to recognise that covers ARE NOT THE SOLUTION. Putting time and energy into them is a complete waste.

Rather we all need to make a concerted effort to confront anti-breastfeeding attitudes EVERYWHERE that we find them. When someone is loudly and belligerently insisting that Moms need to be covered, that breastfeeding is disgusting and/or offensive and/or shameful, we need to loudly and belligerently confront them. Only when society as a whole gets the message to the extent that THEY are too embarrassed to do it, will they stop attacking Moms. It’s just like making racist comments. Once upon a time there were signs and laws and public opinions about the right “place” for a person of colour. Now however, everytime someone publicly uses the “N-word” they are publicly lambasted and quite often lose their job. We can’t change peoples attitudes. But we can work hard to change their behaviour. I think creating laws that address anti-breastfeeding comments and acts as the hate-crimes that they truly are is a required next step.

By: Darcel

Darcel — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 22:07:39 +0000

I think covering up with big blankets and nursing covers draws more attention to yourself.
I did that with my 1st or I would find a place to nurse and often times it was either in a bathroom, dressing, or a car.
With my 2nd I started out nursing with a cover and it made me very uncomfortable. Trying to get the baby latched on while keeping the blanket over my head, while trying to keep an eye on my oldest. It was annoying!

I started wearing those tanks with the built in bra under my clothes. I wore cotton nursing bras and I could easily pull them both down w/out any trouble lift my shirt and latch her on. I became very good at being discreet about it.
I also cared less if anyone saw, I actually hoped I made an impact on people.

My daughter is now 2 yrs old and I still use the same technique with my tanks. She mostly nurses at home now. If your in my house be prepared to see a lot of boob because I’m not so discreet in my own house.

Great post!