Annoyed at church member regarding her statement to me on BFing....Advice?

[mibarra]

Originally Posted by Michelle_M We have a nursery, but it's not wired for sound from the sanctuary, so I'd miss the sermon... or I'd disturb people by leaving and then disturb them by coming back when... really.. which is the bigger distraction? Me nursing discreetly? Or my baby fussing, then me leaving and coming back in from nursing somewhere else in the building? God bless!

Yeah, that's silly. Some places have one of those glassed in "noisy baby rooms" with sound. Eh. She'll get over it.

[mibarra]

Originally Posted by Michelle_M Haha! One of the ladies on my Facebook September group said that she was nursing in the Verizon store and a guy said something like "Wow, if you're going to feed your baby like a cave woman you should have stayed home." So she flashed him (on purpose) while de-latching her baby. LOL God bless!

WTH? What a jerk.

[LittleTadpoleDesigns]

Wow... just wow. I choose to nurse in a quiet room (our church youth room has couches... it's nice!) because none of my babies have ever liked having a cover on them while nursing and I'm not comfortable being that exposed in public... but that is MY choice!

And it sounds to me like it's HER with the issue... and she's just saying it is the men. I mean, seriously... how many men do you know would go up to the church busy-body and say "hey, can you tell her not to nurse her baby in public because it's making me uncomfortable". Yeah right!!

I'm sorry you had that happen to you.

[KaleidoscopeEyes]

Originally Posted by iwiamandaiwi I would be furious and would intentionally not use a cover again in church.

yep, that would be me

[KaleidoscopeEyes]

Originally Posted by RainandRedemption I wouldn't bring it up with the pastor. You're not doing anything wrong, so why bother to bring him into it, IMO. Of she approaches you again tell her that you do not want to miss the sermon, that your baby needs to eat, so the best option is for anyone who is bothered by your baby nursing to just exercise their self control and not look at you. To me she sounds like the type to have a problem with something no matter what the circumstances. If that's the case hopefully the pastor realizes that and won't let it become a big issue if she brings it up w him. I wouldn't buy a cover, unless you have the $ to spend and you want to Sent from my iPhone using DS Forum

the reason i said to bring it up to the pastor is he needs to know one of his members is bullying another member and making her feel uncomfortable. the pastor needs to address this issue with the member IMO

[austinandashlynsmommy]

Just keep doing what you're doing! I attend a small church (usually 100-150 people) that does have a nursery equipped with video and sound from the service, but I still always nurse with a cover in the sanctuary. If someone said something to me, I would politely let them know that I am being modest and feeding my baby naturally and in the way God intended. I agree that its obviously a personal issue of hers that she needs to get over.

[Michelle_M]

Originally Posted by austinandashlynsmommy Just keep doing what you're doing! I attend a small church (usually 100-150 people) that does have a nursery equipped with video and sound from the service, but I still always nurse with a cover in the sanctuary. If someone said something to me, I would politely let them know that I am being modest and feeding my baby naturally and in the way God intended. I agree that its obviously a personal issue of hers that she needs to get over.

Our church's regular Sunday Service attendance (not counting the kids in Children's Church or those teachers) ... is probably about 40 people. So yeah.. small.

And thanks.

God bless!

[dolphingirl]

Oh boy, I would be very upset as well! I would just ignore it for now and continue nursing as you have been. I wouldn't involve the pastor unless she says something again and if you think that the pastor would agree with your opinion that it's okay to nurse in the sanctuary.
I'm nursing my sixth baby, and I've done a lot of nursing in the sanctuary in the years. Dare I admit that I have actually nursed my baby (in a ring sling) while going up to the front of the church for communion?? There is a woman at our church who one time was nicely suggesting that we place a rocking chair in the bathroom and encourage women to nurse there, and I was feeling a bit feisty that day. So I explained to her why the bathroom really wasn't an appropriate place to feed a baby and proceeded to tell her that I've nursed many times right in church and even while taking communion. I just loved the shocked look on her face!
I nurse everywhere and have never used a nursing cover. I have to admit that I think they're like a big sign that says "I'm nursing!" I wear a nursing shirt or a nursing tank and regular shirt and no one has been the wiser. My friends usually can't even tell that I'm nursing, and definitely the older people who aren't thinking that a woman would possibly be nursing right in church definitely don't notice. Nursing in a ring sling helps, as well as just nonchalantly continuing to participate in the worship service without doing a whole lot of looking down at the breast. (With a two week old baby, though, this would be hard. It's much easier once the baby is at the stage where all you have to do is put their head in the vicinity of your nipple and they find it and latch on by themselves. At the two week stage, I usually find that I like to go somewhere somewhat private.)
I also realize that the modesty of nursing isn't all just about appearance, but the sounds as well. I've had a couple of babies who were really noisy nursers and I wasn't able to nurse them in the sanctuary since their smacking and swallowing was just too loud.

Anyways, I feel like I'm rambling but just wanted to encourage you to not stop nursing in the service just because of one woman's comments.
Congratulations on your new little one!

[Michelle_M]

Originally Posted by dolphingirl Oh boy, I would be very upset as well! I would just ignore it for now and continue nursing as you have been. I wouldn't involve the pastor unless she says something again and if you think that the pastor would agree with your opinion that it's okay to nurse in the sanctuary. I'm nursing my sixth baby, and I've done a lot of nursing in the sanctuary in the years. Dare I admit that I have actually nursed my baby (in a ring sling) while going up to the front of the church for communion?? There is a woman at our church who one time was nicely suggesting that we place a rocking chair in the bathroom and encourage women to nurse there, and I was feeling a bit feisty that day. So I explained to her why the bathroom really wasn't an appropriate place to feed a baby and proceeded to tell her that I've nursed many times right in church and even while taking communion. I just loved the shocked look on her face! I nurse everywhere and have never used a nursing cover. I have to admit that I think they're like a big sign that says "I'm nursing!" I wear a nursing shirt or a nursing tank and regular shirt and no one has been the wiser. My friends usually can't even tell that I'm nursing, and definitely the older people who aren't thinking that a woman would possibly be nursing right in church definitely don't notice. Nursing in a ring sling helps, as well as just nonchalantly continuing to participate in the worship service without doing a whole lot of looking down at the breast. (With a two week old baby, though, this would be hard. It's much easier once the baby is at the stage where all you have to do is put their head in the vicinity of your nipple and they find it and latch on by themselves. At the two week stage, I usually find that I like to go somewhere somewhat private.) I also realize that the modesty of nursing isn't all just about appearance, but the sounds as well. I've had a couple of babies who were really noisy nursers and I wasn't able to nurse them in the sanctuary since their smacking and swallowing was just too loud. Anyways, I feel like I'm rambling but just wanted to encourage you to not stop nursing in the service just because of one woman's comments. Congratulations on your new little one!

Thanks for the support as well as the congrats. She is baby number 4 and my only girl.. so yes, I'm sure she'll be spoiled. LOL

She is a bit of a noisy nurser (she makes "smacking" sounds)... but there is only one other person who sits in our row, and one person who sits directly behind me, and no one directly in front (we sit in the third row). So really, there aren't many people within "hearing" distance any way.

I think I'll try the ring sling next time.

I do wear a nursing tank under my shirt too.

Thanks again.
God bless!

[mama2myangels09]

Originally Posted by Michelle_M I had heard that a few years back. Is that still a problem? Thanks. God bless!

http://hip2save.com/2012/05/08/baby-...-samples-more/

Found this.