I am currently 29 weeks into my second pregnancy. I bf the first child, absolutely loved it, and plan to do the same with this one.

it does take some getting used to...the worst part to me was random “letdown” aka, hearing other babies cry and becoming a leakfest. you learn how to wear sweaters in the winter so it doesnt show, and stay away from silky materials!

If you’re considering dieting I’d check out http://www.dietingbenefits.com/dietingwhilebreastfeeding

"Twenty-one states exempt breastfeeding from public indecency laws (Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin).” You should not have to go to the bathroom and if you are shy there are ways to cover yourself. But it is our right to do for the betterment of our infants and their future.

A local group is having a movie screening at the Byrd on 2/3 at 12:30 pm and I invite all to come. The issues raised here are congruent with the movie issues. Go to Eventbrite to get your economical tickets: 2 general with free to student ided people.Breastfeeding is natural and not something that should be seen as anything but that. Take care and come see the movie and the next one we do could be related to that.

I don’t think that nursing in public restrooms is very clean and good for the child

Laura,
The issues you raised—burping the baby, and the possibility of the baby spitting up and thereby causing your own gag reflex to kick into action—both also occur with bottlefed infants. In fact, bottlefed babies tend to spit up A LOT more than breastfed babies do.  So, following your own logic, you should also expect bottlefed moms to feed their babies in the bathroom.

Feeding a baby—whether bottlefeeding or breastfeeding—should always be a bonding experience.  There is not a need for quiet, dim lights, soft music, etc.  That is fine some of the time, but our babies live in the real world.  believe me, if a baby is hungry—especially an infant—noise, lights, or other distractions are not gonna keep him or her from eating.

I wish all women would feel free to nurse in public.  That is teh only way that public nursing will become more accepted. And it’s been shown time and time again that breastfeeding is best for the child and the mother.

mary.

I am currently 29 weeks into my second pregnancy. I bf the first child, absolutely loved it, and plan to do the same with this one.

it does take some getting used to...the worst part to me was random “letdown” aka, hearing other babies cry and becoming a leakfest. you learn how to wear sweaters in the winter so it doesnt show, and stay away from silky materials!

i have nursed in public restrooms before, but only because we were at a dinner with some of the men from my church, and i didnt want to embarrass them. other than that, i b-fed freely and openly. well, open enough. ive done it in movie theatres (which is a breeze if you have a quiet child) and pretty much everywhere else.

dont be embarassed. its natural. good luck with everything!

Lilia,

I read your post on July 17. That is an interesting comment coming from a nurse. Six months isn’t a long time at all. In fact, I’m aiming for a year, but we’ll see how it goes after I return to work from maternity leave.

Beth,

Thanks for your comment. You have a lot of good information to share! Besides being a mom to two kids, your work at the health department must expose you to a lot of different situations.

Thanks for the insight and the offer for help. You may receive a call or two once I get home with my new one and freak out.

Laura,

You have incurred no wrath. Thanks for chiming in.

I do wonder how many women choose to feed in the bathroom because of their personal comfort level, as opposed to feeling like they have to be in there instead of a more public place.

Like I said, I’ll have to experience it myself before I’ll know for sure how I will react.

But I think there is a disconnect between the information that expectant mothers are given, and the reality of operating in the real world.

For lack of a better way to put it, it seems that society is in love with the idea of pregnant women, trendy kids and the style of pregnancy. Have preggies and new moms ever received so much tabloid attention?

Many of the products that are marketed to new moms are all about mobility. We’ve got lightweight go-anywhere strollers, simple trendy baby carriers and nursing clothes that actually look like non-nursing clothes.

But how many public places provide a place for moms to actually nurse? If we embrace this mobility, do we end up stylishly standing in a public restroom?

Hi Nicole -
Wow, I have never gone to a bathroom to breastfeed.  I’ve breastfed two boys and am currently bf’ing a seven-month old This time, I was hoping to make it to twelve months (though my pediatrician said I could skip formula and start cow’s milk at nine if baby’s iron levels are okay). A job and a big move shortened my previous two ventures to six months.

I am a demure bf’er, so, I always have a blanket on hand, lightweight for summer, heavier for winter.  I find that with each baby, it helps to practice with the blanket when you’re at home...my little “T-Bone” likes to play with the blanket and I was prepared to cover up when he gave it a good yank at Busch Gardens a couple months ago!

I had an interesting experience with a disapproving nurse.  You can read about it in my July 17 post at my blog, http://modernmomsmusings.com/.

Good luck and feel free to contact me when baby comes.  The first couple of months of bf’ing were tough with each baby but it is so worth it!

Lilia Dietz

At the risk of incurring the wrath of prospective, current and past BF moms across the blogosphere, thought I’d share a thought or two as a single woman who, at 44, has opted not to do the mom thing.

Perhaps the reasons someone chooses to breastfeed her baby in a bathroom stall are: one, out of her personal need for privacy, since breastfeeding seems to me to be not just feeding a baby but also a time for quiet bonding, and perhaps her baby is easily distracted and it’s difficult to successfully breastfeed in the din surrounding her table; and two, her desire to be considerate of other restaurant patrons who may, for a variety of reasons, not want to share in that particular experience, while at the same time not giving up her hope to be able to continue to have fun eating out instead of staying at home all the time.

I mean, I love babies. I also love pad Thai. If I was sitting at a nearby table and someone started breastfeeding her kid, I would think, That’s nice, but what about the burping part? What happens when my sympathetic gag reflex kicks in if baby throws up his or her meal? If I ask to move to another table, will I be scorned as anti-motherhood? I hope not--because I’m not. It isn’t about distaste and it isn’t about disapproval. It’s about your right to have your own space to do what you need to do--and my right to have the very same thing.

Ah, the old bathroom stall feeding. Isn’t it a shame that we have to retreat to the bathroom, an absolutely grotesque place to feed our most vulnerable children?

Now, I don’t think I am always confortable with my body, and BF is a daunting task, especially until you and baby get the hang of it. But to cower in a bathroom stall to avoid others’ looks of distaste and disapproval is unacceptable. Would any of us want to eat in a public restroom? One of the best signs I ever read about BF was “Don’t think of it as your right to breastfeed; think of it as your baby’s right to eat.”

It can make some women uncomfortable if they think their men are watching you, and some men have just been bred that it’s 1) a private matter that they shouldn’t have to be subjected to, or 2) breasts are “theirs” and how can you even DO that?! Some women feel the same way--they feel very awkward offering a child the breast. Others believe if that’s what nature intended...Humans are the only mammal that offer their offspring another mammal’s milk. While I am not a “diehard” BF person, I think it’s always worth a shot. It just can’t work all of the time. I only BF Jake 2 mos., Carys 7 mos.--my hormonal imbalance made milk supply a problem, and with Jake I was too young to know and had no support to keep me going.

It is my experience that BF can be more convenient--after you get through those first few weeks. It’s a learning experience for you and baby, and it takes time.

Things change (milk comes in, latch changes, baby has growth spurt at 2 weeks, etc, etc.), and perseverance and support are essential--way more essential than any cream, mother’s milk tea, or pads you can buy.

Nothing else in the baby’s mouth until she has imprinted on your breast, so no binkies or bottles for a few weeks at least. Then it will be time to start stocking up a reserves of the liquid gold via pumping, and Max can help out with some feedings while you get some “extra” ZZZs.

You will be worn out with BF (every 2-3 hours, since babies digest it easier than formula, and it takes time to get the hang of it), so get help with everything else you can. Have the baby sleep in a cradle or basket or something close--but not too close! I learned you will be SO exhausted that you may wonder where the baby is if you have already put her back to bed (that feeling of “I have rolled over on or dropped the baby off the bed!” will scare you to DEATH), so please be safe.

I’d love to talk more about BF with you--give me a call. I am a BF peer counselor at the health department, so call me any time if you have trouble, or if you just need someone to talk to during those nighttime feedings! Love you guys.