Nursing. When I had my first child, I did not give it much of a try. It hurt, and I quit. Then it hurt even more!!! By time I matured some and got to my third child I gave it a much better go. I nursed Bailey for the first 6 weeks of his life, and then I went back to work, and daddy would feed him a bottle RIGHT Before mommy got home, he also slept through the night and so I was only nursing 1 or 2 times a day and I just stopped doing it.
Hannah though, my last. My baby. I wanted her to stay a baby forever. I also stayed home for the first 4 months of her life. I also read up quite a bit on why nursing was beneficial and I worked harder at it. I even got a breast infection and still nursed! In fact my baby girl was nursed until she was almost 2. Which meant I was an EXTENDED nurser, by today's standards.
I nursed in public, when she had to be fed. I normally used a blanket, I am very shy, or my breasts are anyway. Sometimes being discreet is not so easy, especially when your baby is old enough to know where they are no matter what or when. I remember being in Wal-mart once when she was about 18 mo and thought she needed a "sip" She tried pulling a tit out of my shirt while I pushed the cart. Yeah. That was fun. It was then I set some limits for her. Heh.
So even though she was stuck to my boob for the first nearly 2 years of her life I would not change it. I had a bond with her that I did not have with the other kids. I could help her feel better, I was making her grow, I would look at her chubby thighs and know that was all my doing. It feels great, to be a food source!
So along the way I formed some pretty strong opinions about nursing. I think every mom should nurse. Do I judge or look down on those that do not? No. I dont. I did not nurse my first 2 longer than the week after they were born, and they turned out just as healthy, smart and happy as my last 2. Its a choice for the mother to make, but I can have the opinion that it is the best choice, regardless.
So I am not normally a very opinionated person. I try to keep them to myself, because I know what opinions are like and I do not want to be one. But the other day, at work, I was an opinionated mommy, instead of a waitress.
A woman came in with her baby, about 6-8 months old I would guess. She was a peanut but she could sit up. The baby was super behaved, never cried nothing. At one point when I went over to her table she was holding baby, very low and I noticed from the bottom she had her shirt hiked up and baby was having some lunch with mom. Big deal. In fact this made me happy inside. I get a bit sad when I see bottles with ick in them being stuck in babies mouth.
So after helping her with her refill I went to another table, Shawn, a regular who likes to listen to "Rush" On his Iphone looked to me and said in a disgusted tone "Is that woman over there nursing her baby???" Yes, yes she is I said to him... Trying to give him the I'm on the mom's side so shut up look, as politely and professionally as possible. "My GOD" he says "She should have herself and the baby COVERED with a blanket at the least!!!" I know I should have kept my mouth shut, but it popped out anyway "Well then, when I bring your pizza, would you like me to bring a blanket out too, so you can cover your head, while you eat?"
The look on his face was really worth the possible complaint email to the boss. Really it was. It felt good. Voicing how I felt. I mean really. The woman did NOT have her breast out. It took me a moment being right there at her table to even realize what she was doing... BIG DEAL.
So he still left me a tip, and he has since been back. I guess I did not offend him too much. Maybe I gave him a new view on things as well? One can only hope. Changing the world, one customer at a time. HA!
Hannah though, my last. My baby. I wanted her to stay a baby forever. I also stayed home for the first 4 months of her life. I also read up quite a bit on why nursing was beneficial and I worked harder at it. I even got a breast infection and still nursed! In fact my baby girl was nursed until she was almost 2. Which meant I was an EXTENDED nurser, by today's standards.
I nursed in public, when she had to be fed. I normally used a blanket, I am very shy, or my breasts are anyway. Sometimes being discreet is not so easy, especially when your baby is old enough to know where they are no matter what or when. I remember being in Wal-mart once when she was about 18 mo and thought she needed a "sip" She tried pulling a tit out of my shirt while I pushed the cart. Yeah. That was fun. It was then I set some limits for her. Heh.
So even though she was stuck to my boob for the first nearly 2 years of her life I would not change it. I had a bond with her that I did not have with the other kids. I could help her feel better, I was making her grow, I would look at her chubby thighs and know that was all my doing. It feels great, to be a food source!
So along the way I formed some pretty strong opinions about nursing. I think every mom should nurse. Do I judge or look down on those that do not? No. I dont. I did not nurse my first 2 longer than the week after they were born, and they turned out just as healthy, smart and happy as my last 2. Its a choice for the mother to make, but I can have the opinion that it is the best choice, regardless.
So I am not normally a very opinionated person. I try to keep them to myself, because I know what opinions are like and I do not want to be one. But the other day, at work, I was an opinionated mommy, instead of a waitress.
A woman came in with her baby, about 6-8 months old I would guess. She was a peanut but she could sit up. The baby was super behaved, never cried nothing. At one point when I went over to her table she was holding baby, very low and I noticed from the bottom she had her shirt hiked up and baby was having some lunch with mom. Big deal. In fact this made me happy inside. I get a bit sad when I see bottles with ick in them being stuck in babies mouth.
So after helping her with her refill I went to another table, Shawn, a regular who likes to listen to "Rush" On his Iphone looked to me and said in a disgusted tone "Is that woman over there nursing her baby???" Yes, yes she is I said to him... Trying to give him the I'm on the mom's side so shut up look, as politely and professionally as possible. "My GOD" he says "She should have herself and the baby COVERED with a blanket at the least!!!" I know I should have kept my mouth shut, but it popped out anyway "Well then, when I bring your pizza, would you like me to bring a blanket out too, so you can cover your head, while you eat?"
The look on his face was really worth the possible complaint email to the boss. Really it was. It felt good. Voicing how I felt. I mean really. The woman did NOT have her breast out. It took me a moment being right there at her table to even realize what she was doing... BIG DEAL.
So he still left me a tip, and he has since been back. I guess I did not offend him too much. Maybe I gave him a new view on things as well? One can only hope. Changing the world, one customer at a time. HA!
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