This photo (taken by my BFF Heather Fricke) sparked controversy on Facebook when it was reporter (twice) as containing nudity and/or pornography. I began my breast feeding journey with my first son, Elijah over two years ago. I dove head first into exclusive breast feeding. I quickly became an advocate. I pumped and donated thousands of ounces to babies in need because I believe breast milk holds the key to better and improved health for both healthy and sick babies. I nursed in public. I nursed proudly. I took TONS of nursing photos and plastered them all over Facebook….not to “put it in your face” but because I love photos, I love my son and I documented and shared just about every aspect of his life. Nursing him was one of my favorite things in the world and I was not ashamed. It's natural. It's normal. It's beautiful. The fact that it may have helped to normalize it for those around me, well, all the better! I rarely covered. ( I cover even less now). In the 11 1/2 half months that I nursed Elijah (only stopped to undergo fertility treatments at which point he received my frozen stash for an additional four months) I NEVER encountered a “hater”. No one reported a single photo I posted, no one ever told me to cover or nurse in another room. I actually started think that maybe, just maybe, it wasn't as bad out there as my fellow breastfeeding comrades would have me think. I was wrong.
In February, I gave birth two my twin sons. One of the first outings I went on solo with all three of my children under the ago of two was when the twins were about a month or so old. I was having issues with Itunes and planned a trip to the Willowbrook Apple store to get some help. I arrived with fully fed children wearing one twin and pushing Elijah and the other twin in my double stroller. Everyone was well fed when we arrived and we walked into the store as they opened and were the first customers to be helped. Apparently the staff there is not trained in Itunes because after I was there an hour, an hour which all my kids were happy, smiling and/or sleeping, the staff member still had not managed to get my itunes to update correctly. It was at this point my world began to fall apart as babies became hungry and Elijah became restless. TO make a long story story, I ended up feeding my babies as all three kids began to simultaneously melt down. Let me paint you a picture. Me and my month old twins and not yet two year old toddler, sitting at a corner table at the Apple Store (in Willowbrook) and we have been there for almost two hours. My children start screaming. The staff member is trying to help me and two other people at the same time. I need to feed my babies so I go for it, not giving it a second thought. As I feed the first, the other two are still throwing a fit. One of the FEMALE staff members comes over to me and asks me if I would mind covering up. I tell her that yes, I mind and continue feeding my child. I also mention quickly that I am within my rights and on my way out, I tell her (snarkily) that maybe she should cover up when she eats her lunch.
That was my first ever encounter with anyone even suggesting I cover. Then two days ago, a photo of me tandem feeding my twins (no easy feat and something to be proud of!) gets reported to Facebook (TWICE!) as containing nudity and/or porn. Considering you really can’t see nipple since my children are latched on, that leads me to believe that this “person” considers me nursing my children to be “porn”. And I say this. Shame! Shame on you for being so sick. Shame on you for not being able to see that breasts are functional and not any more sexual than a hand or the back of a neck. I have heard this likened to the fact that sex is a natural act and can be beautiful and not appropriate to be shown in public. I ask you. Have we forgotten what breasts were designed for? I could go on and on about how and why these occurances are wrong but I would rather work on NORMALIZING this amazing function but sharing more. Allow the following photos to serve as a reminder. For me, these serve as a reminder of some of my favorite moments with my children. For you, maybe they will serve as a reminder of what it looks like when babies eat their meals. And it is normal. And beautiful.
Elijah and I learning together
Elijah, hours old and already an expert
My tiny Elijah
In hair and make up for Meaningful Beauty infomercial, Elijah gets some lunch!
Elijah enjoying some lunch at his first zoo trip!
The Big Latch On 2012
My little Elijah. I love that face
OCNJ nursing baby! My little Elijah’s first vacation!
More photos taken by Heather. This was my very first nursing photo shoot!
Elijah had lunch in my old high school cafeteria during a tour at our 15th reunion.
Elijah asleep at the boob…..Wrigley asleep at Elijah.
I love how Elijah used to fold his hands while he ate. Both his brothers do this as well.
The last month I nursed Elijah.
Nursing Rory for the first time while I learn what is happening with Patrick in the NICU.
Patrick enjoying some of Mama’s milk in our herbal bath.
Rory and Mama in the hospital
A bluebonnet outtake!
Patrick’s first time nursing or getting any nourishment of any kind other than IV fluid.
Newborn Rory enjoying Mama’s milk.
One of my first time’s tandem feeding at about a month old. I planned to start out this way but when Patrick started life with twelve days in the NICU, this got postponed.
Karaoke Saturdays have new meaning for the Parish family.
More tandem excitement
― E.B. White
Aren’t we nursing mothers lucky….we have the opportunity to do both at the same time!
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