On breastfeeding

I had to nurse my baby in the doctors waiting room today. I normally wouldn't. It was a bit too public for me. It wasn't that busy, and nobody stared or muttered. The doctor stuck her head in to call a patient and gave me a very nervous looking smile, and then I definately saw her glance around the waiting room, checking out who was there, if the would find it offensive. This is why I won't nurse in public. No matter how much we are told it is natural, and best for baby, it is still seen as something that should be done in private, and it makes people uncomfortable. Those around the mother and baby, and the mother herself.

People won't say anything, if I ask first if it's okay they will always answer yes. But they will either stop looking at me, or keep staring at my face, afraid of seeing something they shouldn't. Part of the issue is that mothers don't nurse in public, so it is a new experience and people don't know how to respond. Mostly, I think, people do think that mothers who keep breast feeding after a few weeks are a bit odd. This is despite the publicity around breastfeeding, and despite the fact that mothers who bottlefeed are treated as pariahs by the medical community. They may preach this, but my doctor is uncomfortable when I breast feed in the waiting room, I've had midwifes insist I draw curtatins around the bed while I nurse, shoved me into rooms, keep it private! Again I am the last person to bare all in public. If I feel that someone is anyway uncomfortable about me breastfeeding I'll leave the room. This is as much for me as them. If they are uncomfortable, I'll be tense, baby will know and fuss.

When I was born, the nun's in the hospital were appalled that my mother was nursing, they thought it was unhygenic, that my mother was a dirty hippy (which she was, in fairness). There is still a taboo around breastfeeding, but it is not as bad as it was. Now it is more of a hidden taboo. We are a bit like transvestities, 'do it if you have too, but keep it at home.' Unfortunately, like transvestites, what's the point if you can't leave the house?