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I saw these on the Peaceful Parenting blog:
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._2210449_n.jpg
I thought they were a good idea, and a great way to encourage people. But then I thought people might think I'm some kind of weirdo if I started giving them out, LOL. I'd probably be too shy to anyway. I usually just give mum's I see BF a smile and hope they don't think I'm creepy :rofl:
What would you think if someone gave one to you? Would you give them out to others?
I'd love it if someone gave one to me, but I'm not sure I'd have the guts to approach someone to give one to them...
Ithink they're great! What a way to encourage a brastfeeding mother to keep going!
I would be really embarrassed if someone gave me one of those. I think some people would really love one, but I would really hate it. I just want to feed my baby without having a big fuss around it, IYKWIM.
In some ways I can see that they are a really good idea and for people that it would encourage, I think it's great. I guess you don't know who would be encouraged by it and who would find it embarrassing though.
Just my opinion :)
I am not sure I could just hand them to someone who is BF, although I may consider giving them to shop owners to put up in their window or keep behind the counter to give to customers who do BF in their cafe's or shops.
It is a lovely thought but to be honest I would rather your warm smile and look of adoration for mother and baby bonding rather than being given a sticker thingo KWIM, just be acknowledging a mums breastfeeding in public with such a positve vibe is enough for her to continue to do it and feel comfortable and natural about it :)
TBH no. I would really dislike being given one of those. for me BF my babies has little to do with bigger political statements/awareness raising, i was such a ba humbug with DD that i would cringe when strangers would come up and 'congratulate' me.
but i am a bitter old woman in the making :ROFL:
i like heather22's idea of the shop owners having them up...kinda in the same ilk as the ABA 'breastfeeding welcome here' stickers....which i LOVE to see around!
:rofl: Cassius, I'm a bitter old woman in the making too ;)
I think i'd just prefer your smile of encouragement too :)
The handouts to me seems a little creepy, and slightly... clinical?
I like the idea of the shop window thing tho!
I wouldn't like it if someone gave it to me. Honestly, it'd make me feel like I was 5 again, the whole oh wow look, i did a good thing and I got a sticker!!! Much rather a warm smile or even someone saying awww as they passed by.
Like the idea of putting them in a shop window though, that would encourage me to feel more comfortable there.
No, i hated feeding in public so its not something i'd want to be congratulated for because i only did it begrudgingly. Also not every woman has the same "agenda", and i could see how someone could take offense.
Also imagine this scenario, two women feeding, one with bottle, one with boob... you give the "award" to the breastfeeder... how do you think the bottle feeder would feel?
Me being a long term breastfeeder and a long term bottle feeder i can see both sides. If i were the bottle feeder - i'd be like "wheres my fricken award?? I'm doing just as good a job".
I'd much prefer the smile too.
I would think it a little weird if one was given to me. Breastfeeding in public shouldn't need to be pointed out as something good. I'd rather it just be boringly normal.
It'd be a bit like handing out stickers congratulating those who are eating salads for lunch because they're setting a healthy example. Bit odd.
The ABA sells these cards to hand out to women. I bought some recently at the ABA Qld Conference. The cards I bought are much nicer than these ones in your link. They are worded much nicer and have the ABA logo etc on them with the website so Mum's know that support is available (if and when required).
I think if someone had given me one while I was out breastfeeding in public, I would have thought it was so nice of them. It wouldn't have creeped me out at all.... everyone is different though.
Heaven, if you're interested in seeing the ABA one's I have, let me know I can scan one for you and email it to you so you see what they are.
Sorry I think I agree with Matryoshka (but I gotta spread the love hun!).
I wouldn't be creeped out - I would definitely feel encouraged, but as I quit BFing to help cope with my depression I have bottle fed as well and I would feel very hurt. People don't know anything about other people and their circumstances, KWIM?
Breastfeeding welcome here signs would be much more positive - I guess we dont see it as a necessity as it is discrimination not to 'welcome' it - but it would be a nice reminder for us when we are feeling a bit on show I suppose.
I think they are grat! I am going to print them out and give them to women :) Given I am likely to have my two boys in tow while out shopping, I suspect the feeding woman would take it as encouragement from a fellow-BF'er than anything creepy....
What a gorgeous idea! May prefer the ABA ones if they're worded better but how lovely! There's so much negativity on the subject now that it would be nice to see something so positve for a change! Would definitely put a smile on my dial :)
I agree.:
Corelly x
Me too!:
I don't think I'd give them out if that would be the case, two women sitting together I mean. But I also don't think it's about bottle feeding. I don't see what's wrong with saying breastfeeding is a good thing?? It is! But that doesn't mean bottle feeding is automatically bad iykwim??:
I totally agree! Wouldn't that be great! But I think that's what the cards were about, encouraging those that are BF in public so they're more likely to do it again and therefore the more people doing it regularly, the more normal it becomes!:
Oh, I didn't know they had them! Are they on mother's direct?? I will have a look.:
Good on you! Still not sure if I'm brave enough yet.:
Thank you everyone for your opinions!! I guess you just don't know if you did give them out who you would be giving them too and what their reaction would be!!
:
I guess because it looks like an "award", our school merit cards looked like that.... And its not a case of making bottle feeding look bad, but i can see how people could take offence. Not necessarily being next to the woman, but nearby, or ask what it was...
If you want to to change the community you need to go higher - go to every cafe/shop/resturant and ask them to display "Breastfeeding Welcome" SIGNS in their stores - that will have a greater effect than handing out a few cards. It makes the statement that breastfeeding is okay, and SUPPORTED by businesses who are a large part of the community. The more that do this will create a cascade effect and eventually lead to the acceptance and then normalcy of breastfeeding in public.
The cards are a sweet idea, but they won't create social change. Do as i suggested above if you really want to make a difference.
Bimboo, absolutely. You're right there. Unfortunately our society doesn't always see BF as "normal" and "natural" but it's us women BF in public who can help change that.:
Yes I will quite often feed in public more so than stinky parents rooms where they stink of poo! Women can and should BF wherever they like no matter what. It's their right :D
As for changing baby's nappies, I can see why there are parents rooms for that... it's just like us using a toilet ourselves iykwim? I think it's for health and safety more than anything! Could get pretty un-hygienic if we are all changing babies nappies on tables and chairs where people eat etc....and I don't know about you but when they have those teething poo's.... ewww they can get pretty messy LOL!!
You raise a good point about there being a FF Mum and a BF mum together, it would be very tactless if one of those cards was handed to the BF mum it would be almost an immediate insult on the FF Mum wouldn't it? Good point.
Heaven - I'm not sure if they are on the MD site? did you find them? Let me know I can scan you one to show you! They are really great.
I wouldn't hesitate to give one out to a Mum sitting down BF.... I can understand if some people felt embarrassed or something if it was given to them but surely they would understand that the person issuing the card is only being supportive and encouraging them along? It can only really be a good thing. IMO.
I remember in those early weeks the terrible time I had when out and about trying to get DD to latch on (we had numerous probs for first 4mths) and I felt so terribly vulnerable during feed times. I would have cried if someone gave me one of those cards, it would have meant the absolute WORLD to me and would have encouraged me to keep on going even more iykwim?? So when you say you never know peoples circumstances, that's right you don't..... so that 1 card handed to that 1 Mum struggling to feed their child could mean the difference between that Mum stopping and giving up OR pushing through it because she realises "omg i am doing this amazing thing here " you know what i mean? :)
Matryoshka - great point about the "Breastfeeding Welcome here stickers" you can order the kits to hand out to businesses like cafes etc from Head office ABA. I have handed one out already and it felt awesome to see the sticker up in the window of the business!!! :D
Ok i'll hop down off my box now hehehe (sorry I get carried away with all this BF advocacy stuff - i love it!!!)
A friend of mine was given an ABA one while out and she found it odd.
I think I would find it a little 'weird'.. Maybe it's like those 'Women Can Do Anything' stickers. To me it's like, of course we can, why would I need a sticker to tell me that? By making a point of it is kind of like saying that it's a problem in society. Which it is to some, but a lot of people are unaware that it is and in a way that's what you want. Am I making sense? I'm a bit 'airy' today :0
They are so cute :)
I love them!
Tell you what, the best memory of my BFing journey was on a long trip. Just me & the kids, DS only 6 weeks old. Stopped in at Macca's Armidale & had to sit & feed my screaming DS before I could order food for us, lol. Noone cared, but one woman walked past, she smiled at me & said, 'how beautiful'. Thats it, but it made me feel so much more confident for someone still finding her legs & building up her guts :)
That's a nice story clover :)
(On the bf topic, but different to this thread...) I just noticed your previous forum name and I think I remember correctly that you were 3rd time lucky with breastfeeding? I'm pg with #3 and hoping my story will be the same. I'd love your advice at some stage soon if that's ok?
Yep :) I tried with my girls, but just couldn't get it right. Anytime :)
I live in the country and just whacked grouchface on the boob every time she got grouchy (which was quite often or she wouldn't have got that nickname) and noone minded. Most memorable time was when we bought our last house and she got grouchy in the (male) real estate agent's office when we were trying to sign the contract. All I got was a rather doting look and a "aww, much better now" :)
But out here, I'd be more impressed that someone out here had found such a thing on the Internet and worked out how to print it off :o
"But out here, I'd be more impressed that someone out here had found such a thing on the Internet and worked out how to print it off" :o[/QUOTE]
LOL! :)