Breast milk is the most valuable food for a baby. Modern moms know this and refuse formula, nipples, pacifiers and hourly feedings. Mom is always there. She takes care of her baby, loves and feels him. But sometimes the urgent need to attach the baby to the breast in a public place is not understood by the public itself. Expose your breasts? Be ashamed! Mother is called!
The opinions of young mothers on this matter are divided. Some rightly believe that there is nothing shameful about breastfeeding in public. It is the morals of those around them that are spoiled. They perceive the female breast not as a symbol of motherhood, but as a symbol of female sexuality. And these casual viewers absolutely do not want to understand how the baby needs breast milk at this moment and how important it is for the mother to calm him down.
Psychologists subscribe to the point of view of advanced parents. Feeding a baby is a natural process. And the condemnation of passers-by is associated with the excessive eroticization of the female breast. And it would be better if they provided help, because many mothers are torn between their natural shyness and the demands of a hungry child. What if you are not at home and the baby is hungry?
This question arose at one time in other countries. In Europe, the value of breast milk is promoted and the unexpected appetite of a child is sympathetic. In England, for example, they have equipped special feeding rooms even in the House of Commons. Italy went further - there specially arranged stops for mothers and babies.
The Filipinos have convincingly defended their maternal right. Imagine about 4,000 nursing mothers in one place - in the central square of Manila. In Russia, there is no law regulating the rights of nursing mothers. You constantly have to think about how to maintain decency and not deprive the child of food during walks.
Psychologists explain the negative attitude towards breastfeeding in public by the spoiled mores of the passers-by themselves. For most of them, a woman's breast is an erotic object, and then a symbol of motherhood. But mothers should remember that breastfeeding in society is a natural and not shameful process, it is only important to know how to organize it correctly.
How to comfortably feed a baby in a public place?
If you are shy ...First of all, you need to forget that you are on the street. Most importantly, your baby wants to kiss her breast. If you are just starting to feed, shyness is quite natural for you. Over time, you will have more confidence in yourself and the correctness of your actions.
You are a nursing mom who wants to feel as comfortable while nursing on the street, in a cafe or at a party as at home. But you don't want to catch the blaming glances of passers-by on yourself. Don't ignore the child. If he is crying, then there is a reason. Mom's breast will not only feed him, but also calm him. Another reason is the formed baby regimen. Try to comply with it. You can shift the time by a maximum of half an hour.
To avoid disturbing or distracting you while breastfeeding, follow these guidelines:
1. Try to find a more or less secluded place. But don't rush to a secluded corner in a panic. This will draw even more attention to yourself. You can isolate yourself from others by turning your back to them.
2. Wear suitable clothing for walks. A young mother will be helped to feel confident during feeding:
- a spacious shirt and blouse with buttons or a zipper in the front: they can be easily opened;
- a jacket with a deep neckline, which should only be lowered a little;
- a special bra that does not require unbuttoning (only the cups are unfastened and fastened), and breastfeeding pads;
- a spacious jacket, if it's cool outside, plus a scarf - they can cover your chest.
In addition, now in stores and departments of clothes for pregnant women, a sufficient amount of special beautiful clothes and underwear for feeding with a variety of secret cuts, smells, notches, and fasteners are sold.
3. Put on a sling, a special sling for children. This is a real find for a nursing woman. In a large piece of cloth, the baby is placed near the mother's breast in a comfortable position. Here he sleeps sweetly, glad that his mother is near. When a baby drinks milk in a sling, the edge of it can be used to cover both the baby and the breast. If a sling is not available, a towel or diaper may be an alternative. We read about what types of sling exist and how to choose the right sling in this article.
4. Nursing apron. Another invention to help nursing mothers. Such an apron allows you to cover the baby during feeding, so that the child will not be distracted from the important activity by passers-by, they will not embarrass you, and you will not embarrass passers-by. Everybody is good. Again, if such an apron is not available to you, take a wide scarf or stole with you for a walk.
5. Wear wet wipes, disposable towels and other hygiene products, because a full baby can regurgitate excess milk inappropriately.
6. Bring a blanket, diaper, small blanket, or wide scarf to cover your baby while feeding.
7. Tune in psychologically and relax. Stress and stress trigger the production of the hormone oxytocin, which is passed on to the baby in milk. He will feel your condition and will be even more nervous and cry.
8. Go out with friends or the same young mothers. Then you can support and cover each other. And you will feel more confident than alone.
9. Do not make sudden movements if your conditional rest is violated. Don't get into verbal skirmishes with troublemakers. Moreover, do not pull the breast out of the baby's mouth. There is nothing wrong with breastfeeding. On the contrary, enjoy motherhood every moment.
Where can I find the mom and baby room?
You will still be mistaken if you say that our state does not care about the problems of mother and child at all. The proof of this will be specially equipped rooms, which even have changing tables. You can find them:
- at airports and train stations;
- in large shopping centers;
- in cafes and restaurants, and not only for children;
- in children's clinics.
In the clinic, you can feed your baby even in the lobby among the same mothers who will understand you. But be vigilant during epidemics. Is it worth the risk. The same applies to pharmacies. You can also retire in a not crowded cafe. Sit in a corner and look away. There will be a toilet for all mothers under a strict ban. No matter how great the temptation to feed your beloved child here, when there is nowhere else.
Breastfeeding on the street
If it's warm outside, you can find a secluded courtyard or a bench in the park and sit on it with your baby. If there is not a single bench within sight, you can even sit on the lawn, if you have something to spread yourself, or look for a gazebo or even a swing in the park, sit there and calmly feed your baby, enjoying the rest and fresh air.
- Sit on a bench when feeding outdoors. To keep the child taller and not have to bend over too much, cross your legs. You can cover your chest with a diaper, scarf or even your palm;
- Some mums find that feeding outdoors is negative for breast health and wellbeing. However, it is not. It is impossible to "catch cold" mammary glands, and infectious diseases get in other ways. Mostly through cracks and abrasions on the nipples;
- Do not walk for too long without the baby's nesting. During long outdoor walks without feeding, the breasts are heavily poured, resulting in milk stagnation. To avoid such a problem, it is important to apply the baby every two to three hours or on demand, even outside the home;
- During the cold season, go to a store, cafe or other place to feed. An excellent place for feeding will be a large shopping center, where there is always a mother and child room, a pharmacy or a children's clinic;
- Choose nursing clothes carefully. This is a blouse with a suitable neckline or a spacious shirt, special underwear for nursing. Choose lightweight and comfortable clothes;
- When breastfeeding, mom should feel comfortable. Stress and anxiety will worsen lactation and decrease breast milk production. Remember, there is nothing immoral about breastfeeding !;
- On your first walks, take a loved one with you who will support you and help you remove the psychological barrier. In addition, he will be able to close you and the baby during feeding so that no one sees the process;
- Do not forcefully lift your baby from the breast, and remain calm if someone approaches you. Fear, stress and abrupt weaning will negatively affect the well-being of the baby and the course of lactation.
How to feed your baby in a public place
Feed on demand. Do not bring it to the point when the baby starts screaming heart-rendingly from hunger, then the chance for quiet feeding without attracting too much attention will be missed. At the first signs of the baby's readiness to attach (smacking, pulling out the tongue, sucking movements), quickly organize a place for feeding. Imagine your entire route in your mind and choose the most convenient and closest place in it. It is best to plan travel and food stops in advance.
Be relaxed and calm. The child feels your condition and will worry with you, and milk will be released less well under stress. Cover yourself and turn away from the flow of people - many will either not notice your actions, or think that you are just pumping the crumbs.
Do not wean your baby. When breastfeeding in a public place, try to stay calm. Even if someone approaches you, sudden movements can scare your baby and injure your chest. Do not react to comments or statements from the outside, do not be nervous and do not worry - you are doing everything right! There is nothing more beautiful in the world than a woman with a baby in her arms.
Opinions
Young mothers are actively discussing the problem on the forums.
Marina, 25 years old: “Am I right that I cannot feed my son in plain sight? I do not know. But I know his regime, I feed him before the walk. It's easier this way. "
Ilya, 30 years old: “Breastfeeding a baby is sacred. If the baby is hungry, it needs to be fed. But ordinary food doesn't suit him yet! Here you cannot do without a mother. And it doesn't matter under what circumstances she will feed the baby, whether there will be someone present. Maybe we can still remove from the art galleries all the paintings depicting the Madonna and Child at her breast?
Larisa, 31 years old: "Girls! I'm still outraged. My husband and I went to a friend's birthday. Well, we couldn't refuse the invitation. They decided not for long, and they put Timoshka in a kangaroo. The restaurant is so-so, not particularly fancy. But when I began to breastfeed, I was reprimanded. Little of! When my husband tried to protect him, they threatened to kick him out. What kind of DR, the mood was ruined! "
Violetta, 28 years old: “I can't sit at home all day. Motherhood should not be my prison. I go with my little daughter everywhere. And the baby sling helps me with this. Buy it is great. "
Olga, 34 years old: “And the mothers and I united in the yard. Only the sun is shining - we are taking the strollers to the park. We already have our own place. There is almost no one here. "
Vika, 30 years old: “The last time I had to feed directly in the supermarket. Styopka whimpered before, but then he could not resist and how he roared. I was even surprised how the sellers helped me. They let me go into the back room and calmly feed my little glutton.
Elena: “I believe that if you already decided to feed your child, for example, in a shopping center, on the street, in a clinic or even in public transport (and there are some), then you need to cover yourself with a diaper or sit somewhere in a corner so that no one can see! After all, someone may simply not be pleased to look at it, someone is embarrassed! No need to dump your breasts for everyone to show !!!!! I had a case when in a polyclinic a 100-kilogram mother was feeding a child right in line, pulling up a T-shirt with a bunch of folds, a huge breast and a halo with a diameter of a mug! The spectacle is not for the faint of heart !!!!! "
Oksana, 27 years old: “If I feed my daughter in public, I try to make it invisible to others. When I went for a walk, holding the baby in a sling, I fed her without taking it out of the sling. If I went to the clinic, I put on a special jacket for nursing with slots (now a lot of clothes for nursing are sold - for every taste). We left the doctor's office, and if the baby began to cry, I would put her to my chest. In general, I always took a wide scarf with me for a walk, so that, if necessary, I could sit somewhere and feed the child, covering myself with this scarf so that no one would notice anything. "
Every mother chooses the best for her child. Breastfeeding is the best that every mother can give. And not public opinion should become a guideline in this matter, but the condition of the baby.
Understand - you are not doing anything immoral! Now the most important thing is your baby, he wants her mother's breast and that's it, and there is nothing to be ashamed of. Remember the masterpieces of painting in which women breastfeed babies (and not babies). Breastfeeding is a natural process. Take it easy, and your confidence will give you the strength and desire to feed your baby longer.
Video plot: Feeding in public places
What does a woman think about who is breastfeeding in front of strangers? Why does a woman breastfeed her baby in public? Why doesn't the woman feed the baby in the mother and baby room? - this and other aspects of GW outside the home will be discussed in this video:
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Public breastfeeding:
And what about other countries?
- Pope Francis is supportive of the idea of breastfeeding in public places. During the baptism of infants in the Sistine Chapel, he allowed mothers to breastfeed right in the church.
- In Australia, the United Kingdom and some states in the United States, women are legally allowed to breastfeed in public.
- In Italy, the baby pit stop initiative was born, which means “technical stop for nursing mothers”. On the doors of some cafes, restaurants, shops, whose owners are trying to support the idea of breastfeeding, a sign is posted - a mother with a baby at her breast, which means that any nursing mother can enter this institution and breastfeed her baby freely.
- Defending their rights to feed children in public places, mothers around the world periodically organize mass breastfeeding actions. So, in May of this year, a protest action by nursing mothers took place in one of the fast food chain restaurants in Budapest.
