On a recent shopping expedition Master 3 weeks was very vocal about his devastating hunger, yes I am being a little sarcastic, the poor darling had fed only 2 hours before!
Despite the fact that breastfeeding facilities are provided in the mall in which I was in, there was only one chair and it was already occupied. Instead I navigated my way through the busy food court to a bench that faces away from the food court, in a quiet and more discreet area of the mall.
Despite this, I felt a little bit uncomfortable and was waiting for someone to comment about the mothers room being located around the corner. I pulled out a breastfeeding apron, a snack for Master 2 years, and fed Master 3 weeks.
No, this is not a story about how I was rudely targeted. In fact, it was quite the opposite.
We only took up half the bench, and so we were soon joined by two older ladies. One rested on the bench alongside us while the other ducked into the nearby pharmacy.
The usual discussion followed. She asked about the ages and names of my children, at least the two she could see. She even uttered that well known comment: “you’ve got your hands full then,” but delivered in a much more wistful tone as though she was reminiscing about a similar stage in her own life.
We continued to talk for a few minutes before the second woman re-joined us. By this time I had Master 3 weeks over my shoulder, and I was trying to coax out his wind.
“Did you just feed?” She asked me. I nodded.
She paused and then asked. “Have you ever had anyone make rude comments to you about it?”
I shook my head. I haven’t actually, despite now breastfeeding my fifth child.
“It’s silly isn’t it? I mean, what else are you supposed to do?”
“That’s right,” agreed the other, “do you let them starve?”
“It’s completely natural,” the first one added, gazing down at the full and contented newborn on my lap. She turned back to her shopping and helped the older lady to her feet.
“You’re doing a good job.” She said as they made their way past our double stroller, stopping to say goodbye to Master 2 and suggesting he be a ‘good boy for mum’.
Breastfeeding is completely natural. And we need more people like these lovely ladies to accept the breastfeeding of babies and toddlers in public so that we don’t feel any discomfort when we need to feed our children.
Have you experienced any comments regarding breastfeeding when out in public? Were they positive or negative?
Originally posted 2016-07-07 03:21:35.