On Mon, 23 May 2005, Ann Grauer wrote:
> Then, a group of teens came thru the area in a rowdy manner. One girl
> who had on a black t shirt w/write writing that said in large letters,
> "F&*% You, YOU F&*%$#@ F&*%!!!" came thru, looked at the mom and yelled
> loudly, "That is SO DISGUSTING! OHMYGAWD! SHE'S BREASTFEEDING THAT BABY
> IN PUBLIC! HOW GROSS!!!"
This is so sad... reading your post right after I received the following
one this morning really makes me wonder what the world is coming to. The
writer of this email was apparently responding to my Breastfeeding in
Public website...
************************************************************************
To start off I will let you know that I am not embarrassed to breastfeed
my son in public or in front of my in-laws. However, this story takes
place in public with my in-laws, and as everyone knows, in-laws can be a
bit tricky to deal with. Here goes...
I was recently in church at a Christening for my niece on my husband's
side of the family. There were four babies being Christened that day so
four families filled the first few pews. As everyone sat down and waited
for the priest to begin, my 5 month old son started getting a bit fussy.
I took him from my mother-in-law who asked, "Is he hungry?" I answered,
"Yes." She then turned and said loud enough for her husband (and everyone
else) to hear, "You're not going to feed him in here, are you?!" So I
looked back at my father-in-law who gave me quite a stern face, and he
said, "You're NOT feeding him in here." To which I replied, "Why not?
It's natural." His answer came in a very sarcastic tone, "Oh, that's
NATURAL all right."
Now I was in church and everyone in the family was looking at me and
waiting to see the outcome, I guess... there were no encouraging words
from anyone, not even my husband, to just stay put and feed my child. So
my mother-in-law said, "Why don't you go to the back of the church.
There is a crying room you can feed him in." When she saw that I was not
very happy with that, she said, "Or just go to the end of the pew."
Okay, if I was to go to the end of the pew away from everyone, would that
not make me a BIGGER spectacle than if I just remained right where I was?
Who is the strange girl sitting all by herself at the end of the pew near
no one AND WHAT IS SHE DOING?!
Because I did not feel like arguing that day and I could prove a bigger
point by leaving, I stood up showing them the irritation in my face. I
remarked kind of under my breath but loud enough for them to hear, "Guess
I have to hide to feed my baby."
I walked to the very back of the church, into the crying room, didn't even
turn on the light and fed the baby in the corner. I remained there till
the christening was over. I stood in the back of the church as everyone
came walking out and were taking pictures. My mother-in-law came over to
me and said, "So what did you think of the Christening?" To which I
replied, "I WOULDN'T KNOW. I COULDN'T SEE IT!" She got the point and
tried to remark on the way out of the church how she didn't understand why
women would have to hide to breastfeed there babies, that it's just
natural. Did she hear herself? Her issue is that it's her goal in life
to satisfy her dinosaur of a husband and keep him quiet.
However, from being in the family for 7 years now, I realize he will never
be quiet, and will always be as arrogant as ever. In fact, every time my
son gets fussy and I am about to feed him, my father-in-law announces very
loudly to everyone in the room, "Uh oh, She's about to pull a Janet!" He
is referring to Janet Jackson's breast being exposed at the SuperBowl.
Can you believe that?
************************************************************************
I gave this girl my pat advice for women who have been asked/told not to
breastfeed in church: Smile beatifically and say, "Of all the places in
the world where breastfeeding should be welcome, the most welcoming should
be a church sanctuary! After all, Mary breastfed Jesus!"
But... what I really wanted to tell her to do was grab her father-in-law
and her husband by the hair and smack their heads together. I can't
believe her husband just sat quietly while his wife and baby were banished
to the 'crying room'. Hmph.
Cee
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