T1 is an awesome Boy Scout and I use him and his scout friends to help out at the charter school my other boys are at. I had them help at a Harvest Faire in the fall and I really appreciated their help.
At one point T1 came up to me with his friends and said,
“Tell the boys it is OK to breastfeed in public.”
(first off I love that he knows that and secondly how great he wanted to defend it!)
So I ask the boys, “What is going on?”
1 boy said,
“There is a lady over there breastfeeding and that is disgusting! She should go in the bathroom to feed her baby.”
(I instantly think, he didn’t come up with that on his own, he heard that from someone else he knows, most likely family…. So I tread lightly)
“Well, it is actually her legal right to feed her baby wherever she wants. So if it makes you uncomfortable just go somewhere else.”
They ran off away from the breastfeeding lady and helped somewhere else.
Later on the Ride Home
Later when we were driving home they started talking about it again. I listened but also reinforced that a woman has the right to feed her baby anywhere. That it would be disgusting to feed a baby in a bathroom, would they eat in a bathroom?
Being 13 year old boys they all said “YES” to that question without hesitation.
I ended with saying I could see how it may make them uncomfortable and they can always leave the situation. But that I imagine when they have babies and their wives breastfeed, I know they will support her in feeding her baby wherever she wants.
They were quiet for a few seconds and then moved onto a new topic.
It was a challenge to stay neutral
I hope I handled that in a way that respected their feelings, but opened their eyes to seeing it in a new way. I am super glad that my son was cool with her breastfeeding and came to me to help defend it to his friends. I hope that when they grow older they will see it as something normal.
Thank you for sharing this story. My 8 children (youngest is now 13; 2 have children of their own) grew up with mom (me) a staunch supporter of natural birth (preferably at home), breastfeeding, and babies. We know someday they will carry on the torch in their own families. And my boys (and girls, too) know I will have “the talk” with their potential spouses to be sure they are aware of how their choices affect my grandchildren. So far, so good! (Newest granddaughter born 3 days ago with an almost perfect birth – already nursing like a champ!)