Under Pressure

As much as I encourage any able-bodied and able-boobied woman to give nursing a go, you shouldn’t feel pressure from me, or anyone else for that matter, to breastfeed if it isn’t something that you want to do. Nursing is the first in a long line of parental decisions that you will be making, and you need to have the inner strength to believe in your convictions. Whether it be how you discipline your child, what immunizations you want (or don’t want) him to have, or how goofily you want to dress him for his school picture, feel confident that the decision you make is the right one for you.

But be prepared. If you choose not to nurse, you may get some flack from society. Nursing mothers may look at you in a judgmental manner. You may get sneers from your relatives as well. Onlookers can make you feel like you’re the worst mother in the world if you feed your baby anything other than breast milk. Right now, nursing is all the rage. A couple of generations ago, it was the exception, and doing so would have gotten you stares as well. Like hem lengths, the popularity of nursing keeps changing.

But that doesn’t mean that nursing moms don’t get stares either. In fact, they get plenty of them. As much as society pressures you into nursing, other people are also the first ones who make you feel uncomfortable when you do it in public. Some find this behavior very offensive and think of it as being in the same vein as a Vegas strip act.

So whether you decide to nurse, or not to nurse, feel confident about your decision. Try not to care what other people think about your decisions, whether it be about breastfeeding or that hokey sailor outfit you put your kid in for his yearly photo. You’re the parent. You make the decisions. And if anyone has a problem with it, just send that person to bed without any supper!