Wednesday, November 7, 2007

I Realize This Might Get Me in Trouble But. . .

I breast fed both my kids. The Princess was breast fed until she gave it up on her own at 11 months. My son was breast fed until almost 16 months. I'm a breast feeder. I breast feed in public and I usually do it covered up with a nursing bib. I understand what it's like to nurse your child and have to do it in public. I don't mind when women breast feed in public -- even if they do it openly. It's a food/drinking source and the baby should be able to eat/drink it in public.

However. . . today in my children's music class, a woman was sitting on the floor with her hands back. Kind of like this (I know it's a man, but this was the only image I can find):

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Her daughter walked up to her mom, straddled her, tilted her head and nursed. Now, the reason this was disturbing to me was because I believe that nursing is about being close to your child. I think you should cradle/hold your child while you nurse and it is a form of bonding. But the way this child nursed almost seemed dirty to me because it was in a position that you would see a man performing foreplay with his wife or something.

So there. I said it. Now I'm probably going to get hate comments.

8 comments:

Butrfly Garden said...

I totally know what you mean. I never breastfed, but I WAS going to and support those who do. But there is a fuzzy gray line that can totally be crossed in my eyes. I had a hard time totally opposing Myspace and facebook's rules on breastfeeding pictures because of that reason. Some are totally normal and non-sexual where some would make even me uncomfortable.

super des said...

Seems a little inappropriate.
I like your means, by "bonding" not foreplay.

Misty said...

Obviously there are nutrition elements as well, but like you I believe that it should be done as a means to connect with your child. How bizarrely inappropriate!

exskindiver said...

i agree.
and i was a breastfeeder as well.

DabookLady said...

hello again, ok I was surfing and thought that your blog looked interesting and like comments ...on the breastfeeding I support anyone who does but I agree with butrfly's post..I can feel a little uncomfortable with it too...

Stacey said...

Just curious as to how old the child was. I had a friend who breastfed her child until she was 3. When her daughter was about 18 mos and was hungry she would simply lift up my friends shirt in public. The first time it happened my friend was a little suprised and tried to explain to her child that she should ask mommy /let mommy know first. It took a couple of times but then her daughter learned.
I think when the child is older perhaps those rules should be established. The scenario you described is a bid odd.

OhTheJoys said...

I am thinking about the woman. She must have reached (for whatever reason) a point where she was just like, "Oh, WHAT EVER!!"

I am imagining her as one TIRED mama.

Jennifer said...

I think there is nursing etiquette/manners, this situation would make me feel a little uncomfortable.