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Alicia's Story:
I was on a plane, en route to Denver, when my daughter, Brooke, started to get
fussy. We couldn’t just walk the aisle with her, since the flight attendants
were serving beverages and snacks, so I put her in a sling and went to stand in
the back of the plane where there was a small space near the restrooms. That
calmed her down for a while but when she got upset again I had to nurse her. I
was getting everything “situated” when a lady in her 50s came out of the
restroom. She looked at me and I figured would look away with that incredulous
look I had seen in others before. Instead she simply said, “It is so nice to
see someone doing that. No one does anymore. I nursed all my children when
they were babies.” Then she returned to her seat. I figured my time would come
when people would say horrible things to me about nursing in public, but
happily, it never has. I’ve received looks, but no one has ever said a
word.
Patti's Story: “There
were a few times when I actually sat in the stall and nursed the baby while
sitting on the toilet. I’d just put down a lot of toilet seat covers - a lot of
them! - and sit there and nurse with my clothes on.”
Joan's
Story:
I didn’t feel particularly comfortable
nursing in public. Maybe that’s because you just don’t see that many nursing
moms in public. At least I don’t. Whenever I had to nurse when we were
out, I was ultra discreet, trying to cover up with a blanket or something. I
feel more comfortable about it now, though. I think part of it is being more
experienced, bumbling around less, and having an easier time with the whole
thing. Another part of it is feeling more and more strongly about breastfeeding
being the right thing to do and being ready to be obnoxious back, if anybody
made an obnoxious comment to me. That never happened. I’ve heard stories
about women nursing in a car and being told that they couldn’t do that. After
reading stories like that, I was ready to be militant, but I never encountered
any problem at all. I heard someone talking about how it’s interesting that we
allow people to smoke in public but we’re offended when people nurse
in public.
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Janet’s Story:
When my son was about 10 months old, my
mother and I visited a favorite aunt, who I hadn't seen since before Alex was
born. My sister was due to arrive shortly after we did. I took out my nursing
bib and my aunt said, "Oh, you don't need that. It's the most natural thing in
the world." My uncle said, "Yeah, you don't need that, I'll be in the other
room." I had rarely, if ever, felt so comfortable about nursing in front of
people.
Within a
few minutes my sister arrived. She saw me nursing Alex and said, in a disgusted
tone, "I can't believe you're doing that in front of people. I think it's
weird." It was so strange to see these two extremes, from total acceptance of
"the most natural thing in the world" to total lack of acceptance of something
"weird."
Ida's Story:
After Grace was born, maybe
about a month old, I decided that I really
wanted a rocking chair. I was having
trouble finding rocking chairs I liked so I
think I nursed her in every rocking chair that
was for sale in Columbia, MO. I would say,
“Well I have to make sure they’re comfortable
for nursing.” and I’d take her with me and give
them a test ride. I think the sales people
really wanted to make their commission so they
weren’t going to say anything about me nursing.
We found a rocking chair. I still like it.
It’s worked quite well for us.
Niesha's Story:
“When Alvin was
about three weeks old, I went to Walmart or Target. I was nursing him in the
baby section and one of the managers came up to me and trying to be as nice as
he could, said, “Excuse me, Ma’am, could you go to the bathroom?” He said there
were male customers in the baby section shopping with their wives. I felt
offended but went out to my car. Now I wouldn’t do that. I’ll stay right where
I am. There are people who walk around stores half naked and me feeding my baby
is nothing different. If they don’t like it, tough. I’m sorry. My baby’s
hungry.”
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