Breastfeeding Babies in Church

[_KimberlyAnn]

They're discussing breastfeeding over on RfM and it reminded me of my experiences breastfeeding my children in the ward building. I've related these stories before on RfM so I won't get into a lot of detail about them, but I was asked by the Relief Society President not to breastfeed my daughter during Sacrament Meeting, even though I was very discreet. She felt it was a distraction and that my baby might throw her blanket off and expose my breast. I believed then, and still do, that the RS Pres., Sister Busybody, was acting at the directive of the Bishop.

She privately asked me to nurse only in the nursing area of the women's restroom. I felt like my child should be able to eat away from the always filthy and full-of-smelly-diapers wastebasket in the women's restroom. Not only did the nursing area stink, it only had two chairs and they were always full and I very often had to nurse my babies while standing.

So, I decided to rebel. I wasn't generally rebellious, but the bossy Relief Society President had crossed the line, in my opinion, so I started nursing openly in Relief Society. I didn't use a blanket, either. There were only women present, and I was still discreet, but it was a tremendous irritation to Sister Busybody, who took it upon herself after about two Sundays to remind me again to only nurse in the nursing area of the smelly women's restroom. So, I polled some of the other women to see if it bothered them that I nursed my child in their presence. Guess what? None of them had a problem with it! Only Sister Busybody had a problem. Well, I decided she was just jealous of me because she had tiny, floppy breasts so I continued right on feeding my baby in the Relief Society room, wickedly rejoicing in her icy stares. She would sigh heavily as she walked by me, roll her eyes and otherwise behave rudely toward me. Everyone noticed her behavior, but no one said anything to her, much to my dismay.

I was later called into the Young Women's program, where I continued right on nursing my baby in class.

I've nursed all four of my daughters in public - whenever they were hungry, they were fed, no matter where I was at the time, but never was I asked to stop except at church by the Relief Society President. And though most of the other women in class were aware of her snotty behavior toward me, not one of them backed me up by telling Sister Busybody they didn't mind my nursing in their midst. It was disappointing.

It seems to me that a church which promotes having as many children as possible would also actively promote breastfeeding for those women who choose it by giving them a clean, comfortable, roomy and non-smelly place to to nurse and also promote the option of breastfeeding anywhere in the church building. With the individual preferences of each Bishop and RS president, a directive from Salt Lake is probably necessary.

Of course, not every woman has a busy body for a RS President or a Bishop who is terrified of a flash of breast showing in Sacrament Meeting, or a tiny, smelly nursing area with only two chairs, but some women do. Hence, the need for some direction from Salt Lake. But I doubt that will happen anytime soon, with Salt Lake directives being given only by old men who've probably long since forgotten what breasts are for.

KA

PS - This nursing post will probably sink like a rock on this male-dominated board, lol!

[_Jersey Girl]

Okay, I'm gonna get really snarky here so just beware...

So what you're saying is that according to old Busybody the women in the LDS church who have perhaps THE most important job ever of bringing children to this world (think celestial polygamy here folks) and thus creating eternal families have to feed their (now earthly) spirit children of Heavenly Father...

in a smelly toilet area?

[_Hoops]

If it's you Kimberly, You can do that any time any where.

[_asbestosman]

Breasts are for many things:

18 Let thy fountain be blessed: and rejoice with the wife of thy youth.

19 Let her be as the loving hind and pleasant roe; let her breasts satisfy thee at all times; and be thou ravished always with her love.

(bold mine)

I think the problem is an unfortunate cultural one. I'm not sure I've heard of the problem being widespread enough for an official announcement from SLC, but I don't think it'd hurt to write them about it. I could be wrong, but I think there was a woman nursing her baby during Sunday School a few weeks ago. I didn't stare so I can't be certain. It only bothers me in the sense that I feel like I must avert my eyes so I'm not seen as a perv. I certainly don't feel like the mother should care 2 cents about that though. Mostly it's those darn cultural issues where our culture has gone overboard in the obsession with breasts.

[_barrelomonkeys]

I breastfed in Church when I attended. No one raised an eyebrow. I even had one man come up to me after the service (he was elderly) and tell me he remembers the days when all the women would feed their children and that he was glad to see me continuing the tradition.

It only later occurred to me that he might be lecherous. Not sure. Anyway. No one ever said anything to me about it. I was always incredibly discreet.
.

[_barrelomonkeys]

If it's you Kimberly, You can do that any time any where.

Oh! I think I found the dirty old man in this very thread!

[Guest]

If it's you Kimberly, You can do that any time any where.

Oh! I think I found the dirty old man in this very thread!

What makes you think I'm old? & dirty? & a man?


Seriously, though, while my previous comment was slightly tongue in cheek, I really thing women should be able to breast feed their children pretty much where ever they wish. I just don't see it as a big deal.

Any church that would make that big a deal about it is wound a little tight - and everyone knows LDS are free and liberal.

[_barrelomonkeys]

If it's you Kimberly, You can do that any time any where.

Oh! I think I found the dirty old man in this very thread!

What makes you think I'm old? & dirty? & a man?


Seriously, though, while my previous comment was slightly tongue in cheek, I really thing women should be able to breast feed their children pretty much where ever they wish. I just don't see it as a big deal.

Yah, I bet you do!

[_Hoops]

What makes you think I'm old? & dirty? & a man?

Seriously, though, while my previous comment was slightly tongue in cheek, I really thing women should be able to breast feed their children pretty much where ever they wish. I just don't see it as a big deal.

Yah, I bet you do!

See, now I try and serious this up and you go and write something like that. I am truly a nice guy who never leers at women - as far as they can tell

[Guest]

Never mind.. blathered a bit...