When the baby’s hungry, you’ve gotta feed him. Last week I posted the best places I have nursed my baby. But sometimes we find ourselves in places that are just not ideal. Here’s my list:
- The neonatal intensive care unit in the wee hours of the morning after his birth. Does it count for this list if he refused to latch onto the breast there, so technically we didn’t really breastfeed in the NICU? Oh, how I longed to nurse him and cuddle. When he pushed away from me and refused to latch, I felt helpless and rejected.
- Remember how I mentioned breastfeeding support group in the best places list? Well, here it is on the worst places list, too. Yes, we were surrounded by support and professional help. That was the great part. But my son never nursed so badly as when we were there. The distraction of having other babies all around him was too much for him to bear. He screamed his head off because he couldn’t nurse and watch the other babies at the same time.
- The airplane bathroom. He nursed great in our seat on the plane on the cross-country flight East. But going west a month later, he couldn’t handle the distractions. I finally took him into the bathroom with me. I had to sit on the closed toilet seat, put my feet on the door, and lean to one side. It was the most uncomfortable and gross place I’ve ever nursed. But he ate.
- In church. My church is the most breastfeeding-friendly place around. But the last time I tried nursing him during the service, it was that whole distraction thing again. He got angry, grunting and pulling away, drawing attention from the pews near us. It was quite embarrassing.
- The “Infant Feeding Room” at a mall near Baltimore-Washington International airport. Weird security system, I had to page mall security to let me in and out; dirty, bare room with a single chair. No thanks.
- The hospital lactation consultant’s “office”. Two days after I was discharged from the hospital, I returned for an outpatient lactation consultation. I was led to a large, disorganized supply room. The lactation consultant asked me to remove my t-shirt and open my bra, and I began to do so, when her assistant stopped me. “Isn’t there a security camera right over there?” she asked. Sure enough, we were in direct view of the security camera. They dragged over some cubicle dividers to give me privacy.
As you can see here, some places that might be fine for others just didn’t work for us. My son HATES to have any background noise or distractions while he eats. When that happens, his feedings become quite an unpleasant affair for both of us. While I am a huge supporter of public breastfeeding, I’ve found I can feed my own baby much faster and he’ll eat more milk if we can find a place that’s quiet and free of distractions.
OK, your turn. What’s the best. . . . or the worst place you have nursed?
Benjamin — on the cement wall in the center of the food court at Hershey Park (in the 90 degree sunshine)
Daniel — on the cement floor outside the bathroom door at the PA Farm Show.
Hey Christina, the worst place that I nursed was outside of a fish market in the outer banks on North Carolina. My father was inside getting shrimp for dinner and I was in the car feeding my second son. The fishermen were coming in off there boats and all took one look at me and would look at the ground. I think I embarrassed them. With my first baby it bothered me when people would react like that but with my second son I could care less. Baby has to eat
Ange- bet the boys were oblivious to the lengths of discomfort you endured to feed them. That just sounds really uncomfortable!
Jackie- ahhh, the Outer Banks, I was there once! I think I would feel awkward in that situation… it makes me uncomfortable to make someone else embarrassed, even if it’s just from seeing a baby eating. But the more they see it, the more normal it becomes, right? Maybe next time they saw a nursing mom, it wasn’t as embarrassing for them