Tips for Handling Comments When Nursing in Public
Despite the fact that breastfeeding a child is one of the most natural processes of being a mother, we still face comments from those who disapprove. When it comes from strangers, it’s obviously bothersome and uncalled for, but can easily be forgotten since you won’t see them again. Comments from family members or those close to you can definitely be tougher to deal with though. While the criticism may be unavoidable in a judgmental society, this certainly doesn’t mean you need to change the way you want to raise your child. Rather, here are some ways to handle the comments when it comes to nursing in public:
Stay Cool
When anyone criticizes us for any of our life choices, it’s human nature to want to retort with your defense. The main concept to keep in mind is that keeping your cool in this initial response is crucial to how the rest of the conversation will go. If you get angry and loud from the start, you’re only giving the opposition what they want. Start by taking a deep breath, and then proceeding with the following responses.
Educate
A lot of the time, those who criticize something are usually just ignorant or uninformed about the matter. This can especially be true with the topic of breastfeeding as it’s sometimes seen as a taboo, when actually it provides so many benefits to both mother and child. Educating them on the scientific facts that have proved how beneficial breastfeeding can be for your child’s health will hopefully open their eyes to the bigger picture. There’s absolutely nothing wrong about nursing your child, and anyone who is ill informed on the subject should know the facts before passing judgment. Staying informed and educated is your best defense against negative comments.
Express How You Feel
Having a heart-to-heart talk with someone who may be commenting on your nursing methods may go a long way. Those who judge you for your parenting choice need to know that their words and feelings truly hurt you and your child. Especially if your child is a little older, you may be surprised at their ability to understand what is being said and the difference between positive and negative comments. Your main goal is to put that person in your shoes, help them understand your desires as a mother, and get the comments to stop.
Authority Quoting
Many people, especially the type who are quick to comment on your parenting decisions, will refuse to listen unless there’s an authority figure involved. Quoting someone like your doctor, a nursing professional, or a legitimate organization can provide the authoritative opinion that this person needs to hear. Two useful pieces of information you can use is mentioning that both the World Health Organization and the American Academy of Pediatrics support and condone breastfeeding for children. In fact, they both recommend mothers to nurse their child for a minimum of a year, and thereafter for as long as mutually desired.
Written by Stephanie Parker from Sleepingbaby.com, inventor of the Zipadee-Zip
The motto for Sleeping Baby, makers of the Zipadee-Zip, is: "Inspiring Dreams One Night at A time," and that, in a nutshell, is how it all started…with one little dream that has since become the Parker family's reality. When Brett and Stephanie Parker's daughter, Charlotte, was born, the feeling that welled up inside of them was indescribable; they never realized until first looking into those baby blues of hers that they were even capable of that kind of love.
When it was time to transition baby from swaddling, the Parkers tried every sleep sack on the market and every swaddle weaning trick they could find for nearly two weeks and nothing worked to get baby Charlotte to fall and stay asleep.
Stephanie became determined to restore sleep and sanity to their household and set out to find a solution that would soothe Charlotte's startle reflex and provide her the cozy womb-like environment she loved so much but still give her the freedom to roll over and wiggle around in her crib safely. Out of sheer desperation and exhaustion, the Zipadee-Zip was born. The first Zipadee-Zip(R) Stephanie put together on her little sewing machine worked like magic!
To date tens of thousands of Zipadee-Zips have been sold and all from word-of-mouth marketing. It is so rewarding for the Parkers to see other parents and babies getting the sleep they both need and deserve!
For more information, visit sleepingbaby.com.
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