That was ten years ago and with my second child Bryton, things are different. The attitude that breast is best and that more resources are available, I decided to try breastfeeding. I was not very comfortable about it and decided to confront those feelings before the birth of my son.

I think like most women, I have been taught since I developed breasts that they are to be covered up, and never exposed especially in public. Basically women's breasts in North America are viewed as sexual objects, not glands to feed their offspring. I know that most people think or were raised this way; so I cannot believe some people's attitudes towards me when I'm breastfeeding my son. I have attracted the kind of attention I can do without. I especially hate the comments made just loud enough for me to hear, but not said directly to my face.
Don't get me wrong here ...I don't walk into a public place with my shoulders back exposing both fully loaded breasts as if I'm ready to aim at some unsuspecting senior or something. On the contrary, I 'm the one that finds a corner in the back of the restaurant with a receiving blanket draped over my shoulder.

To avoid that kind of garbage, I have been getting good at finding "Mother's Rooms" . These are rooms that the shopping malls have created in low traffic areas for lactating women who feel the need to feed their screaming little banchee's. I have started mentally rating these little hiding rooms from "You can't even fit a chair in this closet" to "Wow... a woman with children must have designed this room."

On the other hand, when we went to my better half's parents I received the same type of response, but surprisingly not from the women. I was told that it was not acceptable and that they felt uncomfortable. I promptly told them that; hey ...if I have to leave the room every time I have to breastfeed, I'll be spending the entire weekend in the bedroom and I did not drive 10 hours in the August summer's heat to sit in a bedroom. I think after that little chat, they had no choice but "to get over their hang ups"

I still consider myself still a newbie in the breastfeeding game and I am using all of my courage and the best sense of humor possible to stay breastfeeding.

I would be quite interested in any of your stories you would like share and with your permission place them here for other's to find encouragement or perhaps a good chuckle.