Nursing in the chapel

[jolee65]

I wasnt sure why she would feel the need to nurse in the chapel sitting right next to the missionaries, when her 2 yrs old was only fussing alittle. it wasnt during sacrument, she wasnt alone with three little ones. Im a mom, not youngsters but i nursed my oldest when she was born , I can understand when you need to tend to a child but her husband was there she wouldnt have missed the service in the mothers room.

My youngest was with us we sat right behind them, the one missionary did a double take ,lol. my daughter just looked at me like why is she do that in here, I did tell her the only time that is exceptable is if you were in a situation and couldnt get some where private.

Do you agree?

[Alana]

My thoughts, in the order they happened.

1. As long as she doesn't show ANY boob.
2. I wouldn't care if they did. I have seem people do that, I didn't care.
3. Isn't that what the mothers lounge is for?

[Honor]

Several people weighed in on the subject on a previous thread found HERE.

I nursed my son until he was 2 and a half, but after the first 18 months it was all done at home and usually around bedtime or during the night. Personally, I never wanted to make anyone feel uncomfortable around me so I'd always be very discrete in public, at least making sure I was well covered and not drawing attention to myself. That being said, if this turns into an argument about nursing in public, I'd probably be on the side of mothers having a right to nurse their children without restrictions being put on it especially when people talk about it in connection with specific rules or legislation. As with my feelings on a lot of topics though, I wish people would be quick to cut each other slack AND have general common courtesy in looking out for the comfort level of those around them, but I guess that's a little too idealistic for today's society.

No nursing in front of missionaries wouldn't have been my choice, but I don't think it would be appropriate to make an issue out of it. Breastfeeding is a touchy subject in and out of the church as it is, and at least in all the states I've lived in, there are specific laws that give her the right to do what she did.

[Jenamarie]

Originally Posted by Alana

My thoughts, in the order they happened.

1. As long as she doesn't show ANY boob.
2. I wouldn't care if they did. I have seem people do that, I didn't care.
3. Isn't that what the mothers lounge is for?

Well, in my ward the Mother's Lounge is also the "hang out and chat" lounge, which is why I've often nursed in the chapel (always well covered!). Sometimes I'll go to the Mother's Lounge first to see if it's empty, but if there's already other moms in there chatting away loud enough to drown out the speaker system, then it's back to the chapel for me and my baby.

I've also nursed in class during Sunday School (I always try to sit in the very back corner) and Relief Society, because you can't hear those lessons in the Mother's Lounge. All of my small babies have been very frequent nursers, so if I've wanted to get *anything* out of my Sunday meetings during those first six months, then my only option was to nurse in class/Sacrament meeting.

[Alana]

Nursing during relief society is very common in my ward. I'd forgotten about that. Primary really makes you forget the 'adult classes' lol.

[sarathurgood]

I feel very strongly that women should feel uninhibted to nurse whenever and wherever they like. Our puritanical culture inherantly looks down upon anything that might involve the removal of clothing in public, which is great for preventing the exposure of pornographic images to young impressionable minds, but terrible in light of the fact that less than 30% of mothers nurse their children through the first six months.

Of course being discrete is a courtesy nursing mothers should consider extending to others, but I for one would rather nurse in the chapel than pack everything up and step all over people trying to get out of the pew, disrupting the service as I drag a screaming infant across the chapel and out the doors. It's easy to be discrete (I use a "hooter hider"--$8 at Target), and most people don't even notice. The nursing lounge is great, but women shouldn't feel like they're "banished" there to feed their babies. If she wants to stay put, I say let her and bravo for nursing her baby !

ETA: If those missionaries were disturbed by a mother discretely and modestly nursing her baby during sacrament meeting, they should thank their lucky stars they didn't get sent to any South American missions !

[Sequoia]

When I was in a highly new immigrant ward of several cultures, we (RS presidency) had to let the sisters know of lots of American LDS cultural ways. One was about the nursing lounge. We encouraged them to use it right up to the minute of Sacrament, so the babies would be full. Then for Sunday School and Relief Society time, they could nurse in the back if they wanted.

I share this since there is so much more diversity than many know within the church.

These same sisters would at first allow their children (even bigger kids) to walk around the chapel (even across the organ pedals once!) Why? Can you imagine? Well, they had never attended Sacrament meetings in a chapel, always met in someone's home, so it was very different and much more serious than what they were used to. We had to help train the kids (sit by the door, when they can't sit any longer stretch legs in foyer and listen, come back in - compliment the kids for progress).

Some also wore pants, for the same casualness that comes from meeting in a home or building. Anyway, sometimes it is a cultural thing, but just like wearing a dress in the Sacrament room, I don't think that taking it to the nursing lounge, pumping a bottle beforehand, or nursing them up to the minute it begins are unreasonable expectations. Babies do sometimes pull the blanket down, or suck so people can hear nearby.

I'm not sure of the background of this mother, but if anything, tell her you'll watch her stuff so she doesn't need to move it while she nurses and that you'll carry it into Sunday School if she takes awhile. If she has younger kids offer to watch them or have some young women watch them when she leaves. But remember, she might just not know that usually in the US we don't nurse during Sacrament.

[BenRaines]

This whole thing sucks.

Ben Raines

[pam]

Originally Posted by BenRaines

This whole thing sucks.

Ben Raines

I can't believe you said that.

[Elgama]

A huge part of me says good on her, to be honest missionaries we have had here are the least likely to feel uncomfortable when I was newly nursing it was the missionaries who encouraged me not to go in another room like they said their Mom did it and its wasn't something that bothered them, I think its sad that a woman in a Burkha in a Muslim country will not think twice about nursing where she is in public, and that in a church that is supposed to encourage families we are discouraged from doing something that is best for our children. Especially as Mary would probably have nursed Jesus in public without thinking twice or anything was wrong with it right up until the grand old age of 3 or 4 , if he had children they would have been. The WHO recommend that we breastfeed for at least 2 years, In the Scotland it is now illegal to stop a Mother nursing in a restaurant etc and like my husband said intially he was a bit awkward now its normal,

My experience with Mother's Lounge;'s when I have travelled is they have been irreverant and the changing area stank, I refuse to breastfeed a baby anywhere where there is excrement - I wouldn't eat or drink sitting on the toilet why should they have to.

I remember a thread about this I had posted intially, when someone had said about men getting turned on, my husband was his usual self and commented maybe there should be also be a room for the man who can't cope,

-Charley