I remember the first time I saw a woman nursing a baby in public, to be honest it grossed me out beyond a point, I just couldn’t understand why this woman would want to whip it out in public or why she couldn’t go somewhere or cover up so that everybody else didn’t have to see it.
Then I became a mom, I have to say I am now a follower on the la leche league pages, when I had Loghan I used to call the la leche league ladies breast feeding Nazis, I thought they were crazy housewives who had nothing better to do than hate on woman who couldn’t or chose not to breast feed their infants, I was and still am very much for freedom of choice with regards to feeding and birthing I believe whatever the mother decides she has the right to that choice however having said that if anything goes wrong they must then take responsibility for that choice and what I mean by this is woman who choose to home birth when they have been expressly told that they are high risk and shouldn’t etc.
When I fell pregnant with Loghan I knew I wanted a ceaser, I also wanted to breast feed and use cloth nappies…. Well cloth nappies went out the window very quickly and unfortunately I had no support as far as breast feeding was concerned, my mom chose not to and I was to young and stubborn to seek professional help so I struggled terribly to breastfeed Loghan, I distinctly remember trying to feed him public once while out with family at a restaurant, but Loghan hated the cover over him and I was so uncomfortable I never did it again. Unfortunately at 4 months we were told that he was lactose intolerant and that I would need to take him off my milk and put him onto soy formula which I did and never looked back, it was way to easy to give up, I didn’t have to worry about expressing at college anymore or where/ how I would feed him when we went out.
Then when Gabriel came along I decided to try again, although pro-choice in regards to feeding I have always felt that if you can breast feed it is the cheaper, easier way to go and you should try it, health wise it also has so many benefits which formula does unfortunately not provide but if you cant then you cant. Anyway he came just before my separation and of course living under the same roof as someone that you are resentful of and separated from doesn’t help things and I only managed 3 months with him, I never tried to nurse in public and he was basically a bottle baby from day one.
With Jesse things haver been somewhat different I am not much older but definantly somewhat wiser, this time I really wanted to breastfeed and I am happy to say that I am currently standing at 9 months and 6 days of feeding and I have loved for the most part every part of this journey, I don’t sleep and Jesse is far more attached to me comfort wise than Lo and G were but it is so worth it…. It’s a bit selfish to be honest I love it because that is our time and no one can take it from me, it is also a comfort that no one else can offer him and I just love it.
This time I was also somewhat braver having come to my senses I now ask for advice and help when I need it and the la leche page has become a big source of help for me, it has also made me realise that a baby needs to eat, there is nothing disgusting or horrible about breastfeeding in public although I would still prefer not to see boobs hanging out all over the show and this is why I use a cover, if another woman does it that’s her choice and there is absolutely nothing wrong with it, there are just a lot of perverse people out there and assholes so personally no thank you.
The first time I fed Jesse in public I was so uncomfortable and worried about the people around me now I just do it and it is so liberating knowing that I don’t have to resort to feeding in a disgusting public toilet or have to carry bottles and such everywhere, I can just whip it out under a cover and I have a happy baby in an instant and to be honest very few people actually know what you are doing.
If you are against breastfeeding or feeding in public I encourage you to look at it this way, breast feeding is natural the most natural instinct and bonding process between a m other and child, there is nothing sexual or dirty about it, besides that it is also cheap and easy for baby and mom, maybe the mom cannot afford bottles or formula and before you jump on the band wagon of well then she shouldn’t have had kids… shit happens and you do not know that womans circumstances.
Why should woman who breastfeed in public be treated like they have the plague if you are uncomfortable don’t look, why should a poor innocent baby be forced to feed in a public toilet surrounded by crap and filth, why should a mom be forced to stay at home and become a recluse just because you have a problem with this very natural process, on that note not all babies will take a bottle, Jesse still wont take a bottle from me he knows he can get from me without it, and it is not for lack of trying believe me I tried before he went back to crèche as I was worried he wouldn’t take the bottle from them and would go hungry.
Lastly Breast milk is sterile has so many health properties and contains all the nutrients that a baby needs for FREE, formula is expensive especially AR or soya formulas, life is already so expensive why make it worse, so if you have a problem, just do yourself a favour and think for a moment about these points there are so many more but I think those are enough, have some compassion what if that were your child, or your wife would you want them to be treated like outcasts or to have them feel dirty and embarrasse, being a mom especially a 1st time mom is already so stressful so why make something so beautiful so ugly!!!!
I’m glad no one has said anything to me cause I would klap them one shot lol, but it has taken me a long time to get to this point! Ladies don’t let anyone make you feel bad for your choices as a mom, you can only do what you feel is best and you should not apologise for it!
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