Latter-day Saint perspectives on Nursing in Public

As an LDS woman, I believe very much in dressing modestly. I also believe that breastfeeding is the way God designed for babies to be fed, and that the only way to make breastfeeding normal in our society is for people to see it. I believe that the negative view of American society of public nursing is a big factor in why women in America don't breastfeed longer. I have experienced firsthand the crushing isolation that results from trying to breastfeed in private as much as possible, as well as the frustration from trying to nurse a baby under a cover who didn't want her head covered up. So now I nurse in public. Without a cover. I do however, usually wear nursing tank tops (I buy them at Target) under my shirts, which allows for minimal exposure of my body while nursing publically. This is what I am comfortable with and what works for me, which may be different for different people.

I have put together this collection of blog posts from LDS women, sharing their own opinions of the issue of modesty and breastfeeding:

• the bee in your bonnet: Modesty and Breastfeeding
• Improves with Age: Breastfeeding and the LDS Church
• Stand and Deliver: Breastfeeding in Church

How to Teach a Baby Not to Bite While Nursing

I was talking to a friend recently and mentioned that I think my son is teething. She mentioned that she would like to wean her 10 month old soon because she bites. I told her that I had nursed my daughter for an entire year after she got her first tooth, and she rarely bit me. Part of that is just her, and part of it is that if she ever did bite, I would take her off the breast long enough that I felt she understood that she can't do that. I did sometimes yell because I couldn't help it, but that seemed to work for my daughter to discourage biting (but I hear that doesn't work for some babies) My friend realized that her baby probably thinks that her reaction to biting is funny or a game. This experience made we want to help other moms know that it is possible to breastfeed babies with teeth and teach them not to bite. I will see how things go with my son, since he seems to be a bit more inclined to chomp down than my daughter, but hopefully teeth won't get in the way of our nursing relationship. Here are some more tips from kellymom about nursing babies with teeth: Kellymom.com :: When Baby Bites

August 1-7 is World Breastfeeding Week

It's World Breastfeeding week! To learn more about this year's theme, visit http://worldbreastfeedingweek.org.

I don't normally post a lot about breastfeeding, since the main focus of this blog is birth, but I am planning a post or two more, in addition to last week's post from the Breastfeeding Cafe Carnival, about breastfeeding, to honor the occasion.

By the way, I changed my blog design again. I went back to a basic blogger template, with a slightly different layout (wider, different header). I hope this one is a little softer on the eye. I also designed the new "Birth Unplugged" badge in my sidebar. I needed a graphic so that when people post links to my post on facebook, they can select it as the thumbprint. It may need different colors, but it is what it is for now.