This post is blunt and very open, FYI
Let me take you back to when Oaklen was about 3-4 months old. On this particular day, Straton and I were in SLC with his parents and his aunt and uncle. We had all met up at Rodizio Grill for some delicious dinner before we parted ways. Like clock work, as I got my food and sat down to eat, Oaklen started to get fussy and needed to be fed. I decided to hurry and eat what I could before I left to feed him. As I was eating and Oaklen was being passed around so I could finish, he had reached his limit and was plain angry. I packed up my things and headed out to leave so I could feed him privately.
-Here's my little problem. I still to this day do not have a nursing cover. I really should have gotten one a long time ago, so I could slip it on and feed him in public, and not have to leave to find somewhere private. Like any nursing mother should be able to do. But when your in a public place, seated at a table in the middle of the room in an actual chair, it's pointless. You may have a nursing cover to hide the front, but my back would be slightly exposed, and I just don't like that. And foolish me who doesn't have a nursing cover, is left to use the baby blanket method.-
So off I went to find a mothers room. Looked and looked. Couldn't find one. Asked employees. The whole mall didn't have one. Hello?! Aren't we in UTAH?! There's more birth announcements printed daily than any other state in the US! They should be on top of the game by now.
Nothing. I had to feed my child in a restroom stall, people!! I've never been more humiliated and grossed out. Oaklen was fussy and crying while in the stall, so some woman actually asked me, more than once, if I was ok or needed any help.
There have also been multiple times when I'm feeding Oaklen in public (completely covered) and people, especially men, will either a) give me nasty, mean looks, or b) stare at me like I'm the next performing circus act. I may or may not mentally give them the finger.
I think that with every restroom built in a big public area, there needs to be a small, private area specifically made for nursing mothers. It's no wonder there are women rallying out there to show that nursing in public is not a bad thing. Where else are we going to go?! I was at the fair last year where they actually had a "Mommy Cafe" trailer so anyone breastfeeding could go in and feed there child. I remember thinking how creepy, weird and gross that was. Now I feel like opening my own freakin Mommy Cafe and waving my fist in those whiner's faces. I'm so sick of the nasty looks I get from people.
If you don't want to see my hooters, give me a private area where I don't have to whip them out in public!
WHO'S WITH ME?!
3 comments:
I'll tell you another example - bathrooms in public restaurants without changing tables. We went to Park city a few weeks ago and stopped at the Arby's just down from the outlet mall. Melissa went in to change Alex and guess what - no changing table. Lucky for them she had her changing pad and ended up changing her on the floor of the bathroom. It was so dirty and gross and when she came out she was so mad. What is wrong with places that they can't even keep their bathroom clean let alone provide a clean place to change a baby. There wasn't even a counter space available. I can tell you one thing we will never eat their again.
Lauren this reminds me of the comment I made in my post about the laundromat about a woman breastfeeding in there and how I thought she was nasty for doing that and now I feel bad! lol but I want you to know that she did not cover up and I know that you would be very classy about feeding your baby in public! Sorry about your frustrations, I had never thought of that but it is a real issue
Holly - Don't feel bad. I'm not a fan of exposed breastfeeding. THAT is not ok.
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