Breast feeding in church

[Tigger&Belle]

It was likely less distracting to feed the baby where she was sitting because by the time she made it to the nursery the baby might have been in a all out scream. At first wimper she can nurse the baby, she doesn't have an upset baby on her hands, and she can enjoy the service.

I can't say if I would have done the same thing, but I certainly wouldn't have looked down on her as long as she was bring modest.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Breastfeeding in church? OF COURSE NOT! God would surely be embarrassed.

I'm sure Jesus was breastfed.

 

[PaulaSue]

I see no reason not to. As long as you are covered. I have done it many times. Not to and moved would have make much more of a scene and bothered many more people trying to leave.

 

[DVCLiz]

Totally different opinion for the baby who is in the live nativity - he/she can be breastfed in church!!! All others, still banished to the nursery...

 

[Jeanny]

ok, so if a woman whips her b..b out in public to breastfeed, it's ok, but if she just whips it out in public or flashes someone, then it's lewd behavior right? what's the difference again????
Of course, it makes some people uncomfortable, but you can look the other way.

yeah, pass the buttered popcorn, because here we go again

 

[GEM]

ok, so if a woman whips her b..b out in public to breastfeed, it's ok, but if she just whips it out in public or flashes someone, then it's lewd behavior right? what's the difference again????

That's so ridiculous that it doesn't even deserve to be commented on, so I'll just skip it.

I'm seriously, seriously NOT getting drawn into another public breastfeeding debate here. This is my promise to myself. I will not revisit this thread. I will not revisit this thread. I will not revisit this thread.

So, before I go for good, I'll just say that if it's ok for the woman to BE in the church with her baby, it's ok for her to FEED her baby there. There's no reason it should bother anybody at all. If it does, that's really their problem, not hers or her baby's. There's no reason she should have to miss out on the service because of someone else's hangups.

I've never nursed my little guy in church (because we don't go to church), but I have nursed him absolutely everywhere else, and if we went to church, I wouldn't hesitate to nurse him there as well.

I say, good for her. I wish more moms were that brave. Then we we might not even be having these sorts of conversations any more.

 

[LoveWDW]

Totally different opinion for the baby who is in the live nativity - he/she can be breastfed in church!!! All others, still banished to the nursery...

 

[poohandwendy]

One would think a church would be the very last place a woman would be judged for breastfeeding in public...I guess not.

 

[LoveWDW]

ok, so if a woman whips her b..b out in public to breastfeed, it's ok, but if she just whips it out in public or flashes someone, then it's lewd behavior right? what's the difference again????
Of course, it makes some people uncomfortable, but you can look the other way.

yeah, pass the buttered popcorn, because here we go again

But breastfeeding doesn't have to involve exposing the breast. There are shirts that keep the whole area covered, and light blankets can be arranged very easily. There is no need to expose the area.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

ok, so if a woman whips her b..b out in public to breastfeed, it's ok, but if she just whips it out in public or flashes someone, then it's lewd behavior right? what's the difference again????

One is to nourish her child--and the other...well no opinion on it. I have no desire to go out and flash myself for all to see.

Mom has the right to nourish her baby how she wishes to do so--any incidental viewing is not considered "whipping it out and flashing". Mom isn't topless or flashing while doing it and that is not the purpose of the act. An infant has a right to eat and mom has the right to feed it and that is the legal and logical argument for while breastfeeding is permitted.

Debating the merits of whipping it out and flashing as an act of its own--is legally and logically an entirely a different topic.

 

[helenabear]

I see a lot since I am in the choir and face the congregation...

I've seen it, and no it doesn't bother me! I'd say most mothers are very good about "covering themselves" that most would hardly even notice what is going on.

It seems natural to me and just as "right" as when I see parents taking a bottle out for kids in the middle of the service. ​

 

[motherhen17404]

I see no problem with BF in church. I would have never done it though. For only 1 reason, when my son was BF he would make a kissy noise, not sure the preacher would enjoy that in the middle of his sermon!

 

[Kermit]

I breastfed my baby in church on Sunday. Actually, he's technically a toddler. I know that no one saw anything because I always nurse very modestly. And I hope that no one paid attention. It was during the song service as people were worshipping God by singing praises to Him. I'd think that people were too busy worshipping to worry about my son having a little snack.

Breastfeeding modestly is very possible. There are always people on these threads who claim that they've seen numerous women exposing themselves, but I've never seen that happen, and I have A LOT of breastfeeding friends.

I do attend a church where babies are always welcome. In fact, there is no nursery available for the song service. They dismiss children ages 1-9 who want to go to classes before the sermon starts, and there's a nursing mom's room with a speaker so you can hear the message for moms who feel more comfortable nursing in that room or for moms with babies who are being too loud to be in church.

 

[DisneyPhD]

I'm sure Jesus was breastfed.

Ok, the way I look at it God desinged our bodys. He came up with the whole how to reproduce, and how to feed them plan. I am pretty sure he is good on it.

I have breast feed my babies in church, if the occasion called for it. (We were in church, baby was with me, hungry and and starts to fuss.) It is a lot less destracting then carrying a sreaming child out of the church with eveyone looking and going "excuse me, excuse me" as you bump by people. Heck breast feeding them is a good way to keep them quiet and happy. Unless you were right next to me and was aware of breast feeding I think there is no way you would notice. It isn't like I was up front singing in the choir at the time. When I am breast feeding I always dress so I can do it very easily with not much showing.

Please, wiping it out. Um I don't think so.

Some people just need to get over it. Its a baby, it is how they eat. They don't wait like the rest of us.

GEM, I think you controled you self very well!

 

[Wish I lived in Fl]

I never breastfed, but am very supportive of women who do so--in church, in the mall, wherever. I look at it as nothing more than women feeding their babies, and since I bottlefed my ds in church, I'd certainly extend mothers who breastfeed that same courtesy and convenience.

I don't think i would bottle feed in church either. But i did BF on the ground in the middle of an Airshow of 50,000. I liked the Motherwear Nursing tops.

 

[kidshop]

ok, so if a woman whips her b..b out in public to breastfeed, it's ok, but if she just whips it out in public or flashes someone, then it's lewd behavior right? what's the difference again????
Of course, it makes some people uncomfortable, but you can look the other way.

yeah, pass the buttered popcorn, because here we go again

I take it you have not actually seen someone bfing...there is no 'whipping' anything out. The difference is context, bfing is NOT considered lewd or indecent under the law. Feeding a baby is really not a big deal and not staring is a good start.

I have bf in church. No one can see anything, I don't see the big deal, church is as good a place as anywhere else. If you can bottlefeed somewhere, it is equally appropriate to bf there. The next time this bothers someone, just think to yourself, "It's just a breast (that I can't really see), it's not a big deal" over and over and maybe that will help!

 

[Tigger&Belle]

ok, so if a woman whips her b..b out in public to breastfeed, it's ok, but if she just whips it out in public or flashes someone, then it's lewd behavior right? what's the difference again????
Of course, it makes some people uncomfortable, but you can look the other way.

yeah, pass the buttered popcorn, because here we go again

You've obviously never breastfed or you would know that it's entirely possible to nurse without "whipping it out".

 

[glass-slipper]

One would think a church would be the very last place a woman would be judged for breastfeeding in public...I guess not.

I agree

 

[Tigger&Belle]

Debating the merits of whipping it out and flashing as an act of its own--is legally and logically an entirely a different topic.

But the baby does have to pay for the food before eating it! Oops, wrong thread!

 

[Wish I lived in Fl]

But the baby does have to pay for the food before eating it! Oops, wrong thread!