My sister's ward has a number of mothers with babies (sounds familiar). She said many of them nurse their babies in the chapel during Sacrament Meeting. Most cover themselves with a blanket, one doesn't always. What's your opinion? Is it appropriate to nurse a baby in the chapel during Sacrament Meeting? Or should you use the Mother's Room?
Discuss.
15 comments:
I am SO pro-nursing your baby wherever you see fit. I am also SO SO pro nobody seeing your booby when nursing your baby. That is my requirement for the first statement.
In Norway (and Europe in general, or what I saw of it), it was very common to see women nursing their babies - never covered up. I think it was a cultural thing and no one thought any thing of it. At church, the women would go to the foyer and nurse their babies there.
Here it seems people are uncomfortable watching a woman nurse which I would think the women should take into consideration and use the room that is provided. If it is full (or there is not one) and it is 'time' I feel they should be in the foyer. For some reason whipping out a breast in the chapel seems ... well ... disrespectful. We are encourage to wear dresses while in the chapel, where the rest of the building is fair game.
But playing devils advocate - sitting on a bench in the chapel provides less visibility to others (except those very close) than sitting on a couch in the foyer.
My question is what in the world are they thinking? If there is a room provided and the meeting is piped in over a sound system - what in the world are they doing just sitting there baring all in front of the congregation?
I personally would not be offended, but I would definately wonder what in the world they were thinking.
(OK, I just wrote a novel)
I know what I am thinking:
I always miss the sacrament when I head to the mother's room.
The mother's room is often full.
I can't hear the talks in the mother's room if someone else is in there b/c of visiting.
I don't want to leave my kids on the pew and I certainly don't want to take them all the way to the mother's room.
I am very grateful for a nursing facility when I can get one. I don't shun it on principle. I use it most of the time. I'll tell you what, though, I sure don't see a problem nursing in the RS room. All women, and the lesson is not piped into the mother's room.
And, in general, I am disgusted at a culture that gets all bent out of shape when a woman is totally covered and nursing in public like it is a DISEASE, but thinks nothing at all of women walking around the streets and schools with 50% of their breasts hanging out of the tops of their shirts. What up there? Breasts are only inappropriate when used as mammary glands? Huh?
I just wanted my book to be longer than yours, Lori.
The first time I ever saw a mother nursing (covered up) in sacrament meeting I was not disgusted but kind of shocked. Just because I had never seen it before. When I brought it up to someone, they pointed out that the person couldn't just up & leave their other children (I think the woman's husband was either out of town or in the bishopric or something). That sounded like a valid point.
Also, I agree with Jennifer-- I don't nurse but when I go into the Mother's Lounge to change my babies' diapers, there are ALWAYS people in there & they just visit. It's what women do. But you do miss sacrament meeting.
All in all, I think it's just fine. I appriciate being covered up.
However, it does make many people, especially of the older generation, very uncomfortable. I wish it didn't, & it shouldn't, but it does. So I think someone would have to take that into consideration.
That's a toughy.
I personally couldn't do it, even covered. But I think it's perfectly fine if you are covered.
I'm on the fence.
I'm with Liz on this one... sittin' on the fence.
I ain't on the fence. I agree with Jennifer 100% and let me say that that rarely happens. All I have to say is....AMEN SISTER!!!
Hallelujer!
I am completely opposed. Vehemently opposed, even.
I'm not a prude, but I think there are some things that don't need to be done in public. Nursing is one of those things. I understand the arguments made in the comments here, but if I have kids, I will NEVER be one of those mothers who nurses where other people can see - covered up or not.
I've had this conversation with people before, and I'm always told that "it's not a sexual thing." You know something? In today's society breasts are sexual objects. I don't care what's being done to them, no matter how innocent and maternal. It needs to be done in private.
I just don't want to see it. It maks me uncomfortable. End of story.
(That was not diplomatic at all. Me and my opinions. *shakes head*
Man, Kimberly is so my daughter! I swear she just wrote my thoughts. I have always felt nursing should be done in private. Maybe that's because it's the way I felt about nursing for myself. I could never nurse in front of others - covered or uncovered. It was never something I felt comfortable doing.
And I also agree with her about breasts in our society. They are considered sexual. My sister said there are women in her ward who nurse while the sacrament is being passed. As a mother of 2 teenaged boys, I don't think that's something they need to see when they are performing their priesthood duties!
There you have it, the Clutter women are not on the fence on this issue. That's why I didn't state my opinion in my original post - I didn't want to influence the comments. It's been an interesting discussion.
We are not opinionated at all, Mom. Nope, not at all!
I need to clarify something I said in my comment. If I am at a friend's home with a bunch of other women, I don't care if someone nurses her baby. I couldn't do it myself (I never felt comfortable nursing in front of anyone other than immediate family), but that's my hang up.
Nursing in public places (restaurants, chapels, park benches) is what I am not a fan of. I guess that's my hang up too.
II hope I haven't offended anyone.
in sacrament meeting...NO! if we're hearing things like boys should be wearing white shirts and not have disshevled hair in order to help others not be distracted in sacrament meeting, then i certainly think a woman breastfeeding is MUCH more potentially distracting. in relief society...maybe...but i'm still feeling like even in that case it should be done somewhere else, if at all possible.
anywhere else, though, and my opinion isn't as strong. if someone feels comfortable nursing in public places, that's great. but i do think it's respectful to others to try and be as modest as possible while doing so.
Laura, I'm SO OFFENDED! Hee hee!
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