Welcome to The Breastfeeding Cafe Carnival!
This post was written as part of The Breastfeeding Cafe’s Carnival. For more info on the Breastfeeding Cafe, go to www.breastfeedingcafe.wordpress.com. For more info on the Carnival or if you want to participate, contact Claire at clindstrom2 {at} gmail {dot} com. Today’s post is about nursing in public. Please read the other blogs in today’s carnival listed below and check back for more posts July 18th through the 31st!
Nursing where? Anywhere. I am not a breastfeeding mom yet (still have six months to go in my first pregnancy), but I feel very involved in the breastfeeding world. I am surrounded by friends and family that have made breastfeeding the norm for me. Given their positive experiences, I can’t wait to experience it myself. I know I will breastfeed in public: it seems unavoidable unless I want to stay in the house for six months. And why should it be avoided? Unfortunately, I can’t help feel a little nervous of getting my first stare, or perhaps even glare. I want to be proud to nurse my child in public, but even more I wish I didn’t even have to think about it at all. It shouldn’t be an issue.
The more women breastfeed in public, the more normal it will be. I want to feel comfortable doing it and that has to come from me. It will be my attitude and confidence, knowing that I am doing the right thing, which will help me get over that first stare/glare.
I’m a shy girl. I don’t like attracting attention. But neither of these traits will deter me from breastfeeding in public. I’ve been giving nursing shirts as baby shower presents for years. I hear again and again stories of how discreet and easy a simple shirt can make this process. My friend Caro, one of my lucky gift recipients 
, was at her husband’s softball game with her six week old son when she ran into a friend. “She didn’t even realize I was nursing while talking with her” my friend Caro was telling me the other day. There are other accessories for breastfeeding that encourage and facilitate breastfeeding in public as well; I am obviously partial to nursing shirts. I think we should do whatever it takes to get us out there, nursing in public. I believe it should be normal, although apparently it’s not as there is news everyday of women being asked to leave places because of breastfeeding. That has got to stop.
Here are a few great links supporting the cause:
http://www.milkforthought.com/tour
http://www.infactcanada.ca/Breastfeeding_Rights.htm
http://www.waba.org.my/index.htm
- Sara @ Momzelle
Here are more post by the Breastfeeding Cafe Carnival participants! Check back because more will be added throughout the day.
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