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Comment by Julie

June 27, 2007 @ 7:15 pm

Well, when we were in DC in April, I nursed Danielle on a bench out in front of the Lincoln Memorial. It was a cooooold day, so she was extra bundled up. I also nursed her at the Air/Space Museum as well as on a bench in front of the souvenir shop at the Jefferson Memorial. I did receive many encouraging comments, and only a few negative glances.

Comment by Tara

June 27, 2007 @ 8:15 pm

I nursed last week while hiking at Estes Park, CO. I actually did it with the baby bjorn loosened up to allow for her to “hang” lower (and moved it to the side) while hiking. I learned this from another mom in a parenting class. Worked really well. I also hung my hooter hider around my neck to cover myself up. I received a few glances from passers-by, but hey, this is Colorado and I was in nature!

Comment by Sara B.

June 27, 2007 @ 10:04 pm

I can’t really think of any place especially unusual and thankfully I have only had supportive things said to me. A few times at church I *gasp* did not go to the nursing room.

Texas is a great state for nursing babies and moms! We have the right to nurse anywhere we are authorized to be.

Comment by alice

June 27, 2007 @ 10:36 pm

**Please read hearing my indignant voice**

The strangest place I nursed Micah was behind the NURSING SCREEN in the “Newborn Care Room” at Fellowship Bible Church here in Little Rock. The room is set up so mother’s dont’ have to take their nursing, wining, crying, burdensome babies into the main worship center, so they don’t disturb other worshipers.

The room has a TV screen where you watch the entire service. But no one sings along. No one passes an offering plate, or communion plate (I assume- I didn’t go there on a Sunday communion was served- or since- I might add). Since husbands are encouraged to worship with their wives and newborns, there is further separation for nursing.

I’m sure I don’t need to further explain why this is the strangest place I’ve nursed, but it will be good to get it out of my system.
1. Fathers of newborns shouldn’t be embarrassed by other even only-somewhat-modest nursing mothers.
2. I took my cues from the other moms (who had husbands with them- I didn’t) in the room so feeling obligated to ursing behind a screen does not promote an atmosphere of modesty. Rather I felt ashamed of my body and isolated from those who should have been a surrogate family.

On another note, the happiest place I’ve nursed was under a tree by the Arkansas river at the base of a mountain on a sunny, yet cool spring day.

Comment by Erin Morgan

June 28, 2007 @ 7:50 am

I can’t recall any strange places I nursed Andrew… maybe the truck stop somewhere south of St. Louis while on our way to interview there for residency. It wasn’t so strange b/c I was in the car. I’ve nursed Corinne at NRH2O, North Richland Hills waterpark. I covered her up with a blanket and had it wrapped shawl-style around me. I got a few glances but no one gave me disapproving looks. I’ve never had a bad experience nursing in public, but I could just be blocking it from memory!!

Comment by Stacey

June 28, 2007 @ 9:35 am

I am a friend of Christy’s from grade school that now stalks her blog….:) My daughter is now almost 11, but when she was first born, I was at Collin Creek Mall and sat on a bench to nurse her, covered with a blanket and the Security Gaurd actually came up to me and told me that I would have to stop or go somewhere else because there were teenage boys walking by and it was not appropriate for them to see my breast exposed…which it wasn’t. I was 23 at the time, and maybe he thought I looked younger than I was, but it really did make me mad. I have nursed several places, including at the table at Chili’s and never had anyone be as rude to me as this man was.

Comment by Shannon

June 28, 2007 @ 4:06 pm

Oh my. I’m not sure what to say about that little nursing area. Part of me wants to appreciate the effort they have put forth but I’d pick a bench in a not-so-busy corner over that any day.

I can’t think of any strange places I nursed my kids, though I’m sure there were plenty. I guess some would say the train at the zoo would be one. Or at church during the service. Or my cousin’s outdoor wedding. But being on my fifth year of nursing (not all one child!) all those places don’t really seem that strange to me anymore. I tried to be modest but I’m sure I unintentionally exposed myself more than I really want to know about. But I got tired of “hiding” in another room every time my babies were hungry so I had to figure out a way to feed them in public.

Yet I still cannot think of anyone who has been rude or asked me to leave. I’ve found out later that I’ve made people uncomfortable, but no one said anything to me at the time. Hmm, well, there was the 6-year-old neighbor girl but she just made me laugh more than anything. She was at our house one day while I was feeding H on the couch. She came around the corner and gasped “WHAT are you doing? Is she EATING you? …. Well, WHAT is she eating? …. How does MILK get there? …. Well, why don’t you let her eat your, uh, uh, FINGER instead of THERE?

Comment by Christy

June 28, 2007 @ 7:47 pm

Wouldn’t it be easier if we were able to stick our finger in their mouth to nurse. It certainly does not make anyone uncomfortable with our modesty.

Comment by Amy V

June 28, 2007 @ 8:50 pm

I once answered the door to receive a package from a delivery man while nursing. I was modest, but I’m sure the story made it back to his buddies.
I also nursed JG in the corner of a wine bar at 1-2am when he was 11 weeks old. Great place for a nursing mom, huh?

Comment by Anne Maddox

June 29, 2007 @ 8:37 pm

These comments are CRACKING ME UP!!! I keep waiting for someone to say something to me when nursing, just so that I can tell them to bug off! Bring it on!

Here are some of my weird nursing places:

-standing in outside in the parking lot at MDO while chatting with Christy. I did not use a cover.

-on a road trip to colorado (while mitch drove). I laid down in the back of our rented minivan and nursed P while we both slept. she was cutting her molars (at 9 months old) and it was the middle of the night. it was the only way both of us could get some sleep. (I know…totally unsafe)

-nursing while walking around the state fair. i used the sling.

I’m sure I have more stories, but I just can’t remember them. I have become a lot more brazen with baby #2.