Nursing in public

12/15/2008 - This is a post I started back in mid-Oct. I keep meaning to add a couple pictures to it...since I STILL haven't done that...I thought I better just publish it! :-) I'll post the pics later, when I get a chance to grab them off my camera! And since this was written, Peter has started nursing acrobatics...making public nursing more difficult! But we have still had a few public moments...just yesterday I nursed Peter to sleep during church. I'm so grateful I live in a community where feeding your baby is acceptable! I get so many "looks" from other mothers taking a trip down memory lane...it is truly a beautiful thing!

With Rebekah, I timed everything just SO so that I rarely had to nurse her anywhere but home. With two, you can't really do that!

I've nursed Peter at church, hospitals (not just when he was a new born), doctor's offices, restaurants, stores, parks, the YMCA, the zoo ... a pumpkin patch! I think this is my favorite place of all!

We went to the pumpkin patch and of course were there for several hours. Peter got hungry just as we were going out to the field. Last year, there were benches in the middle...so I figured I'd sit on a bench and nurse while William and Rebekah went hunting for the perfect pumpkin.

This year...there were no benches!

What does a mom do? I plopped myself down amongst the pumpkins and weeds and nursed away. I did try to go where there weren't a lot of people. I wasn't very successful at that...an entire family walked passed me. They looked at my quizzically at first, and then quickly looked away as they realized what I was doing! COMICAL! Doesn't bother me a bit.

Another time I was at a mall, nursing Peter. A security guard approached me. I was ready for a fight, expecting him to tell me I couldn't nurse there. I was ready to tell him it was Kansas state law that I can nurse anywhere I pleased. I had the entire conversation in my head. What he actually said took me by surprise. I don't think I could have prepared myself for the comment. "That's one lucky baby! I wish I was a..." and stopped there. I must say, I was relieved he stopped there. He continued walking along his merry way, whistling.

Lately, Peter has not been happy nursing under a cover. He barely will nurse laying down (unless sleepy!). So nursing gymnastics, here we come! Of course this make it more difficult to nurse in public. This last weekend my friend came to visit. I did ask her if it would make her feel uncomfortable to nurse in front of her, to which she replied "No, as long as you are!". I am. I am because I've had a lot of practice! (I did make Peter nurse laying down!)

I have two pictures of me nursing Peter. I love them both. The first I took myself at a park. The second William took one afternoon playing with our new camera. I'll let you figure out which is which. ;-)