26 June 2015

Breastfeeding in a house of boys

Matthew is four months old and we've just gotten the hang of side-lying nursing, which is my favorite nursing position because then I get to take naps :)
When I am at home, and we don't have company, I don't use a cover or a blanket to "cover up" while I nurse my baby. Sure, most of the time I use a blanket to keep him warm but I don't use the blanket as some kind of shield. 
William is a very smart 3.5 year old who has learned that Matthew only drinks "Mommy's milk", as he calls it. I've explained to William that Matthew is too little to drink "William's milk", ya know, normal milk. 
I think it is very sweet that William is learning about breastfeeding in this healthy way. Some people get so worried about nursing around boys or men because breasts are viewed only sexually when their natural purpose is to produce milk to feed another human. 
I'm all for women being able to feed their babies wherever and whenever they want. I would prefer to be in a secluded spot to feed Matthew, rather than out in public. When Matthew and I flew to California I fed him twice while sitting on the floor of the handicap stall in the ladies room of the Phoenix airport. It was a really busy day and Matthew's not great at eating under a cover so I opted for the only privacy I could find. Was it ideal? No. Was it as gross as some ladies would have you believe? No. Now would I have sat on the floor of a nasty truck stop bathroom? HECK NO.
Anyways, back on point. Sometimes when Matthew starts to cry William will say "Mom, Matthew needs your milk." I'm glad that I can teach my boys about breastfeeding in a safe, healthy way without it being awkward. Isn't it amazing what children can comprehend at such a young age?