Uncovered Up

Doodle is probably the most social baby I’ve ever known.  On our flight to Colorado a few weeks ago, he was smiling, talking and desperately trying to get the attention of the business man sitting next to us and will flash his giant grin for anyone who talks to him.  And this desire for interaction does not go away when he feeds.  He often grunts to get my attention if I’m not looking at him and tries his best to look around as he feeds (he hasn’t figured out yet that his food supply is attached to his mommy and can’t move around with his head as he wishes).

I once read a statement that has stuck with me as a nursing mom, it said something to the effect of: If my breastfeeding bothers you, why don’t you put a blanket over YOUR head.

I have a ring sling I made when I was pregnant with Honeybun and I’ve used it with all 3 kids.  I love it because it’s comfy for carrying my babies close but it’s also great for nursing because I can use it to completely cover and it also helps support their weight so I can walk around while feeding and usually even have one hand free for doing whatever I need to do.

With Honeybun I always covered while nursing in public, ALWAYS, even when at friends’ houses or anytime someone outside my family was around.  With Sugarplum I became more relaxed and only covered in public places when I couldn’t find a corner to face.  She hated to be covered up so by the end of our nursing relationship I had decided to cover me with a small blanket or burp rag up to her nose, leaving her eyes out so she could still look around.

I still use my sling to nurse Doodle when out but really only to help support his weight since I don’t usually have access to a pillow or anything to put underneath him and he’s not yet big enough to sit on my lap and reach my breast. He doesn’t usually mind being covered but I’ve started minding having us both all covered up.  First off, Doodle takes after hubby and is an extreme hot body, a few minutes in the sling and he is a sweaty mess and I am too!  I’ve also become tired of obsessing over whether or not we’re covered and constantly having to pull up the sling to cover, it’s not like you can see anything anyways.  Doodle has a huge head, remember?  He covers all the “private” parts and most of the rest too (besides, there are women walking around with more hanging out than I am when nursing and no one cares about them!)

I’ve also become a little driven by a “screw you society” mentality.  I’m tired of being judged when I’m out in public with my children.  Judged when I’m feeding my infant, judged when my kids are “too loud,” judged when they’re “too rowdy,” judged when they cry, judged when my buggy is in the way, judged for simply taking my children out of the house. A little part of me even wants someone to say something about my nursing in public just so I can stand up for the rights of myself and my children for once instead of always feeling like I have to apologize.  I’m tired of having to feel apologetic for everything my children do and nursing (ie: nourishing my child) is something no mommy should ever apologize for.