Breastfeeing in the parks

[Wendy*Darling]

I think for me the bottom line on this is that a nursing mother is LEGALLY ALLOWED to nurse her baby anywhere she and her baby are allowed to be. PERIOD. Nothing in the law says "discrete" either though I'm with the poster who said they haven't encountered a non-discrete nursing Mom. I've seen exactly one and that was in the waiting room of the pediatrician's office with a Mom who was obviously new to nursing and having a hard time holding baby, arranging her clothes and getting baby latched correctly. 99.99% of us who nurse our children in places other than our homes are very aware of being discrete and we do our absolute best to not let it all hang out. I myself have never used a blanket to cover up because all 3 of my boys were born in late spring/early summer and we live in the south so a blanket covering them on top of the skin to skin contact with Mom just made it too darn hot. I also felt like using the blanket drew more attention to what I was doing. It was like a flashing neon sign saying "NURSING MOM, right here!" I did, however, make sure I wore nursing friendly clothing that made it easier to stay discrete.

If other people have a problem with it, that's thier issue. You right to breast feed your child is protected by law. End of story. You have as much right to breast feed in the middle of a show at WDW as a bottle feeding mom does to whip out her bottle (no judgement here of bottle feeding either! one of my sons didn't thrive on breast feeding so we switched to formula).

 

[InnerStrength]

Ladies (and Gentlemen),

While I too was a little taken aback by the comment on the "mommybags", I try to put comments like that in perspective as it basically just shows ignorance.

I also hold BF near and dear to me heart, and agree that it is a personal choice, however please try not to take too much offense from those who feel the need to make unjust comments to mothers who BF their children. In the big picture, their comments mean nothing to me. I worked FT while I continued to nurse my children, and after a long day of work (and pumping during my lunch 1/2 hour), couldn't wait to get home to my baby to sit in the rocking chair and nurse her/him. That was how I unwound for the evening, and it was the best!

I think the OP was just looking for a few good ideas on where she can (discreetly) BF in the parks/in public, and was given them.

As far as the debate, we BFing moms did what we felt was the best for our children, and that is ALL that matters.

Have a wonderful evening

Lori

 

[heathriel]

Wow, people suck. (And not just those who are being breast-fed.)

I'm childless, by choice, and plan to stay that way. Personally, if I were to have a child, I'd do whatever I could to make sure that milk dried up as quickly as possible so I could be as comfortable as possible as soon as possible after childbirth. (See, I'm too selfish to have a child, hence the planning to stay childless.)

However... if a woman chooses to breastfeed, dude, let her. It's pretty annoying to carry around a breast pump all day, and I've seen friends and relatives of mine in severe pain from the pressure. So, forget for a minute that the little ones need to be fed - there is another issue entirely here.

Disney is supposed to be a fun place for everyone - if you are uncomfortable with something, you have every right to do something to make yourself comfortable, like by looking away from the breastfeeding mother, just like she has the right by easing the tremendous amount of pressure on her breasts and feeding her child.

 

[nemomama]

If you don't stick you mommy bags out for the entire world to see I won't look, discretly nursing is one thing but flaunting it like some moms do is another.

Come on. No one FLAUNTS nursing - that is ridiculous! How is that even possible? I can't believe you used those words either.

 

[snowy76]

I do have a problem with women that when in public "don't" cover up like I'm a member of her family. That is not something I need to see and don't want to see. It's rude to those around them.

That was more along the lines of what I meant in my earlier post. The woman I saw on TSI was just sitting there totally uncovered. No nursing shirt -- I mean, shirt pulled up to the neck! Didn't leave a lot to the imagination. Imagine if I had been a 13 year old boy rather than a 7 year old girl!

Now as a 28 year old woman with full D's today, whatever! But back then I was 7 and didn't even know what breastfeeding was. Here I was thinking that only daddies see naked mommies! My point was that you never know what other families' timetables are for talking about things. Case in point: My DD 9 (step) was at the doctor with her bio mom when the doctor said "so she knows about periods, right?" right in front of DD! Ugh, NO, she didn't, and thanks for taking away mom's right to decide when to have the talk!

BTW, DH and I are trying to have our first this year and I plan on breastfeeding. Just not on Tom Sawyer Island!

 

[EsmeraldaX]

Wow, people suck. (And not just those who are being breast-fed.)

 

[familyfirsttimer]

Wow. little sister, you really started some debate....almost makes you wish you didn't ask, doesn't it!

 

[nativetxn]

Just a quick reminder. This post should confine itself to appropriate places at WDW to breast feed an infant. The topic is not debating the pros and/or cons of breast feeding. No debate is invited.

Katholyn

 

[dbriggsq]

I've read these posts with interest.

I have 5 children and have breastfed them all until they were about a year old.

I've fed them in public and not ventured into the special 'breastfeeding' areas which believe it or not used to be in the ladies toilets.

However I doubt if anyone ever actually knew I was feeding because it is perfectly possible to feed very discreetly by wearing the appopriate clothes i.e. a loose top which can be pulled up to just above babies nose and so the babies body covers any other exposed areas.

I would encourage every mother who wants to to breastfeed anywhere their babe wants to feed using this method - it surely cannot offend anyone and is the easiest way on earth to satisfy a hungry infant.

 

[Pop Daddy]

I am for it

 

[lclark0621]

Just a quick reminder. This post should confine itself to appropriate places at WDW to breast feed an infant. The topic is not debating the pros and/or cons of breast feeding. No debate is invited.

Katholyn

Just throwing out that it is "appropriate" for a nursing mother to BF her child anywhere & everywhere she is comfortable with it. The law protects the nursing mothers, NOT the people who are so prudish they think a child should not eat when it is hungry.

If you dont like BF, look away & get over it.

It is after all what breasts were designed for!

 

[flminivanmama]

computer guy I think I you!!

 

[ez]

my DS is 10 months and I am still breastfeeding. Also everytime I tried to pump I got mastitis didn't really matter anyway because DS has refused to drink out of a bottle. When I went back to work as a letter carrier, someone had to bring the baby out to my mailtruck so I could feed him while I was delivering my route. My big fear is that I would be in such a frantic rush, I would resume my route forgetting to button myself back up!
Breastfeeding is very demanding, so please cut us nursing moms a little slack. We are doing the best we can!

 

[GEM]

From GEM, who will be there in 2 weeks breastfeeding my little guy when and where we choose - and he's two!

No blanket. No tent. No nursing shirt. No peep show, I promise.

 

[Amy&Dan]

From GEM, who will be there in 2 weeks breastfeeding my little guy when and where we choose - and he's two!

Whip out your "Mommy Bags" (I learned a new word today!) and go to it! Your son is so cute! BTW, this thread is killing me! I hope the OP got her question answered and hasn't been scared off the disboards!

 

[flminivanmama]

Gem he's adorable and indeed a miracle! my twins were preemies too... 29 weeks (and both breastfed )

yay to you and him both! (and yer mommy bags )

 

[kidshop]

I saw a t-shirt recently that said 'breastfed baby...stick around for the show' It's nice to see all the breastfeeding support! Most moms just want to feed their hungry baby and not expose themselves to strangers. Though I think it is the *idea* of bf that bothers people, not the actual sight of any skin. Not much you can do about that! (read: it's their problem not yours). Bf in public if you are comfortable, cover up if you are comfortable with that...the most important person in the mix is the BABY. Feed the hungry baby! There are plenty of shady benches to sit and bf, dark rides etc. It's not a big deal!

 

[GEM]

Gem he's adorable and indeed a miracle! my twins were preemies too... 29 weeks (and both breastfed )

yay to you and him both! (and yer mommy bags )

Aw, thanks!

Whenever anyone gives me one of those looks and ask how long I'm planning on nursing him, I always think about all the work that went into getting him to nurse - all the months of round the clock pumping, teaching him to latch on, working with a nipple shield, etc. As far as I'm concerned, he can nurse until he goes to college! (Maybe even beyond if he goes somewhere local . . .)



By the way, I'm sure that in the beginning I did flash a few people as I was learning how to nurse in public, but it certainly was never on purpose and it was always a very tiny and quick flash! Most of the time, if you do get a glimpse of anything at all, it's probably just a new mom learning the ropes. Cut her some slack. She's just feeding her baby. I promise she's not trying to lead your teenage sons down the path of degradation.

Just a quick reminder. This post should confine itself to appropriate places at WDW to breast feed an infant. The topic is not debating the pros and/or cons of breast feeding. No debate is invited.

The anwer to that is simple, as has been said. Any place (at Disney or elsewhere) that a mother finds herself with her child is an appropriate place to breastfeed. Do what makes you and your baby comfortable. If that means heading to the nursing center, fine. If that means nursing on Small World or during Festival of the Lion King or during dinner at Ohana, that's fine too.

 

[babar41]

Rude? Did she fart?

If people just stopped sexualizing breastfeeding, things would be much simpler.

Computerguy, you are really something! Wish the world was full of more like you! On behalf of all mothers that are nursing, have nursed, or will nurse someday

For any out there that have been emotionally scared for life by witnessing a mother nursing a child, I feel so sorry for you. Sorry that no one explained to you that nursing is the most natural thing in the world. If women didn't nurse in the beginning of time the population would have died out after the first child was born. With all the problems out there in this world, I find it unbelievable that a woman nursing her child would upset someone. But as they say, to each his own.

The original question I believe was where could a nursing mom nurse. The answer is simple, anywhere you want to. If you would like to sit down in a somewhat quiet a/c area, the nursing stations described are good. If you would prefer to nurse where you are when the need is there, then by all means please go ahead! If for "modesty's" sake you choose to use a cover up of some kind, might I suggest a very light weight (almost linen like) sheet. They are cooler and lighter weight than most any other kind. If you choose not to cover up, that's OK too. However and wherever you nurse please know you have the support of many.

Best wishes for a magical trip. And remember this sage advice... Don't let the turkeys get you down!

 

[babar41]

Maybe one way of looking at the op's bf is...

It is her childs Magic Your Way with Free Dining!

Sorry, couldn't resist!