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I don't nurse in breastfeeding rooms. Never did. Never will.
Don't get me wrong. I laud the malls' program to put up breastfeeding rooms. In a country where malls spread like mushrooms and where malling has evolved into a national pastime, providing rooms where moms could breastfeed in relative peace is indeed commendable.
But I don't nurse in breastfeeding rooms. And my decision has nothing to do with their location, size or cleanliness. (Considering how bad I am with directions, B might already be howling in hunger by the time I find the breastfeeding room.)
It's about promotion. As an advocate of breastfeeding, I've been religiously writing blog posts about it. I talk to my friends and colleagues about it. I even wrote an article about my experience as a full-time working and breastfeeding mom in a local newspaper! But I know that nothing beats seeing a breastfeeding mom in action.
So when I'm in the mall, I don't nurse in breastfeeding rooms.
I breastfeed in cafes.
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| While nursing B in a cafe... |
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| Guess who passed by less than 2 meters away from me? |
I breastfeed in restaurants.
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| Breastfeeding while waiting for our food. |
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| I love this red breastfeeding boncho! |
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| Look how stylish it is! |
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| With the SaYa carrier which doubles as a breastfeeding cover. |
Come to think of it, I have nursed practically anywhere as long as there is a chair I can comfortably sit on.
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| Hmm, I think this was in Tree Top, Subic. |
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| At a hotel-resort. (I just pull the boncho a bit to make sure that B can breathe properly.) |
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| By the beach. |
Besides, breastfeeding in public places has become an opening (no pun intended) to a number of interesting conversations. One lola, seeing me breastfeed B, said that B is very lucky. Why? Because he's drinking breastmilk. She said that her apo drinks formula because her daughter-in-law is a working mom. Aha, you could probably guess where our talk led to.
I understand that there are some moms who may feel uncomfortable nursing in public, what with so many prying eyes. But there are a number of ways in which moms can breastfeed in public discreetly. Here's an informative post on nursing in public.
I do not know what really happened. But somehow, formula-feeding became the norm. Ask yourself. When you are in the mall, how often do you see babies and young children drink formula from bottles? Now, how often do you see moms breastfeeding their babies and young children?
More than ever, our generation needs to reclaim what has been lost. We need to send the message that breastfeeding is as natural as breathing. We need to educate the younger women that breastfeeding is normal and is not something to be ashamed of. We can only do that if people begin seeing moms breastfeed their young ones anywhere and everywhere.
For in the end, actions speak louder than words.
And this is why I don't nurse in breastfeeding rooms.
*Please read the breastfeeding stories of other gorgeous moms here:
Three Ways I Promote Breastfeeding by Example by Dainty Mom
A Simple Breastfeeding Campaign by The Lazy Mama
I Am A Breastfeeding Mom by The Painter's Wife
On Promoting Breastfeeding by ImPerfectly Created
Breastfeeding Promotion Tips from a Formula Feeder by The Fearless Formula Feeder
The Low-Milk-Supply Mommy Did It! by The Odyssey of Dinna
Milk Mama Diaries 3 by Benz Rana
Breastfeeding Mama by canDIshhh
I *heart* Breastfeeding by The Mum Side
Spreading the Word on Breastfeeding by Mommy Kwentos
A Breastfeeding Formula-Fed Mother by Soprano Mom
Breastfeeding: Promoting It Even If I Didn't Get Lucky The First Time Around by Glamma Momma
Taking Breastfeeding Further by Mec as a Mom
On Promoting Breastfeeding by ImPerfectly Created
Breastfeeding Promotion Tips from a Formula Feeder by The Fearless Formula Feeder
The Low-Milk-Supply Mommy Did It! by The Odyssey of Dinna
Milk Mama Diaries 3 by Benz Rana
Breastfeeding Mama by canDIshhh
I *heart* Breastfeeding by The Mum Side
Spreading the Word on Breastfeeding by Mommy Kwentos
A Breastfeeding Formula-Fed Mother by Soprano Mom
Breastfeeding: Promoting It Even If I Didn't Get Lucky The First Time Around by Glamma Momma
Taking Breastfeeding Further by Mec as a Mom
I am your breastfeeding friend by Chrissy
Breastfeeding Promotion - A View from a UK Doctor by Dr Sarah
Thoughts of a Lactating Counselor: Breastfeeding is More of Psychology by Handy Mommy
Celebrating my Magic Milk by Denise Gonzales (@deelirious)
Breastfeeding Sisters by Isis Evasco
And a post by one really cool DAD:
Why It's Easy to Support Your Breastfeeding Wife When Your Favorite Sport is Basketball! by Jonathan Adam Roxas
Thoughts of a Lactating Counselor: Breastfeeding is More of Psychology by Handy Mommy
Celebrating my Magic Milk by Denise Gonzales (@deelirious)
Breastfeeding Sisters by Isis Evasco
And a post by one really cool DAD:
Why It's Easy to Support Your Breastfeeding Wife When Your Favorite Sport is Basketball! by Jonathan Adam Roxas
Hi, Fritzie! I, too, have never used those breastfeeding rooms. They're just too tucked away and hard to find. And I like breastfeeding in public, when I need to, because it's convenient AND it needs to be seen so that people can get it into their psyche that "breast is best."
ReplyDeleteWere you at the BW2 meet? I think I saw you but didn't know who you were! Your face is so familiar!
And I can see you BF-ing there in Mary Grace Cafe in Trinoma, haha! I was just there yesterday, coincidentally, breastfeeding, too! :)
Martine
wow! seeing your photos breastfeeding in just about anywhere... i'm amazed. i tried it, i find it hard. i had the nursing cover and the boncho. the boncho seemed small for me. i don't know why. maybe because i'm big. but looking at other women wear them makes me wonder what seemed so difficult with it.
ReplyDeletei'm expecting my third and i don't know whether to breastfeed longer or not breastfeed at all. i'm working. i used to pump every 3-4 hours with my second child and it was difficult for me at work and at home. with the third baby coming next month, i still haven't decided to breastfeed or not.
reading your post made me think harder. thank you so much. will be following your blog from now on.
I nurse my son everywhere too. I even nursed him while riding the MRT during rush hour. As soon as I see signs of hunger in my son, I find the nearest available chair and we breastfeed. I find that people don't really leer (a concern that I had early on), most just glance and then look away. Some even ask questions. More often that not, I don't even use nursing covers. You can nurse discreetly even with just your baby's bib or lampin.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your post. I thoroughly enjoyed it and hope that more moms take your cue and breastfeed in public as well.
We share the same sentiments! When people invite me out to the mall, they always make it a come-on - "There's a breastfeeding room there!". And I always say - it doesn't matter. Doesn't help that the breastfeeding room is always tucked away in some forsaken corner of the mall anyway. Who wants to walk to the other end of the mall with a crying baby?
ReplyDeleteThank you for this post!
very inspiring post, atty! seems like these thoughts are all in my head and you were able to put them in the exact words. :)
ReplyDeleteI wish I could have one more baby so that I will do the same way! I could not consider myself fulfilled why it's because I have never breastfeed my 2 little ones!
ReplyDeletegreat post fritzie!! and you are right.. people seeing you breastfeed usually lead to interesting conversation which PROMOTE the advocacy :D
ReplyDelete"We need to send the message that breastfeeding is as natural as breathing. We need to educate the younger women that breastfeeding is normal and is not something to be ashamed of." You are so right about this! Lucky you, you have a lot of photos breastfeeding your kids... I should ask hubs to take more pictures :)
ReplyDeletejust like you, i breastfed(bf) almost anywhere. before i never knew there were breasfeeding areas inside the mall. but when i learned about it, i would use it if i feel the area is crowded. i breasfed purely up to 9 mo because sobrang konti nalang milk. now my daughter is 1 year 1 month. she just bf before she sleeps, maybe because she got used to it. i really feel bf needs a lot of dedication and commitment to all mothers. many women would say "wala ako milk". but i think they did not try hard enough. during the first week of my daughter even up to a month, sobrang konti ng milk ko. but i persisted on bf my baby kahit konti and after that dumami na kahit pano. :)
ReplyDeletemany women should be educated w/ breastfeeding. aside from personal commitment, the hospital, pedia and family members support you. i would always remember my sister in law would tell me, "kawawa naman ang baby mo, di tumataba" because i breastfed. i think she did not know that breastfeeding is best for babies because its natural and it has all the nutrients needed by the baby. and fatness never equals to a healthy baby. i was irritated by her comment. and every time she would see my baby, she always insist on feeding my baby thru formula. tsk! tsk!
ReplyDelete@Martine | Daintymom.com
ReplyDeleteYes, Martine, I was at the Babywearing Meet 2. And our family loves to eat at Mary Grace. Hope to see you in the BWM3.
@ambquezada
ReplyDeleteHi there. I'm also a full-time working mom. You may want to check my posts on the preparations that I made before going back to work (A Working Mom's Breastfeeding Story Part I) and how I manage to pump at work (A Working Mom's Breastfeeding Story Part II).
Cheers!
@ambquezada
ReplyDeleteHi there. I'm also a full-time working mom. You may want to check my posts on the preparations that I made before going back to work (A Working Mom's Breastfeeding Story Part I) and how I manage to pump at work (A Working Mom's Breastfeeding Story Part II).
Cheers!