Battles break out over breast feeding at Mormon meetings

[lilwriter85]

Article from The Salt Lake Tribune. It is a bit long. Intro below

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/lifestyle/ ... n.html.csp

 

 

 

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By Peggy Fletcher Stack

 

| The Salt Lake Tribune

First Published Mar 01 2013 07:18 am • Last Updated Mar 01 2013 10:37 pm

 

Renaissance artists clearly thought Mary's pearly bosom-as-Jesus-feeder was holy.

 

Centuries later, LDS illustrators included breast-feeding moms in iconic Mormon scenes, standing by a handcart or worshipping side by side with men. Contemporary Mormon painter Brian Kershisnik had a suckling Baby Jesus at the center of his angel-filled "Nativity."

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The message is clear: Nursing a baby is a sacred, God-given responsibility to mothers, not some seductive show.

[ILoveJellybeans]

Sometime later, another ward member confronted the couple as they were walking home from church and accused her of "contributing to the pornography problem" and "not keeping [her] covenants."

Pornography problem?? Seriously??? Breastfeeding is natural and not sexual, if anyone does find it sexy seeing someone in church descretely feed her baby, they have a problem.

[Drina Adams]

There's nothing sexy about breastfeeding. Is bottle feeding subject to comments in churches?

[gustava]

Love it!!!!

[Irishy]

How do they think Jesus was fed? Breastfeeding is what defines us as mammals. There's nothing sexual about it. The primary reason for having breasts is to feed one's infant. Any sexual connotations are secondary. It's the other person's problem. Besides, what's sexy about engorged rock hard purple veined breasts spewing bluish milk?

[docmom]

There's nothing sexy about breastfeeding. Is bottle feeding subject to comments in churches?

If you are going to equate breasts with sex, then logically, if you allow bottle feeding in church, you'd have to allow dildos in church too. And I'm not saying that'd be a bad thing.

[doggie]

Dildos in church Well that would loosen up some of those old fuddy dudies.

[samurai_sarah]

If you are going to equate breasts with sex, then logically, if you allow bottle feeding in church, you'd have to allow dildos in church too. And I'm not saying that'd be a bad thing.

Between the orgasmic rapture that some saint-statues seem to be in, and those comments, I'll probably get chucked out of church at the next wedding/baptism I attend, for laughing throughout. This is going to be very difficult to explain to my family. :lol:

[Beeks]

I dunno. I think lactivists have gone a bit overboard with the "I will feed my baby ANYWHERE!!" stuff. Would you whip out a ham sandwich and start eating in church? No. It's inappropriate to eat during religious services. It's not that hard to take a baby (breast or bottle fed) to the lounge to feed, is it?

[gustava]

Why should a woman whose baby is hungry be forced to miss church, especially if bottle- feeding is allowed, which I'll bet it is?

[NerdyHil]

FWIW, most Mormon meeting houses have speakers in the mother's lounge that allows them to listen to the services while they feed their babies. I have met some people who see any sort of nudity as full on porn. My best friend works with a super-duper Mormon dude who thinks any sort of images of nude people is straight up porn. Artistic, whatever.

[doggie]

Why should a woman whose baby is hungry be forced to miss church, especially if bottle- feeding is allowed, which I'll bet it is?

They must not follow the duggers.

[ILoveJellybeans]

They must not follow the duggers.

Beat it until it is afraid to cry even when its starving, or ignore it until it stops crying for anything cause it assumes nobody cares?

Thats what the Pearls would suggest anyway...

[August]

I dunno. I think lactivists have gone a bit overboard with the "I will feed my baby ANYWHERE!!" stuff. Would you whip out a ham sandwich and start eating in church? No. It's inappropriate to eat during religious services. It's not that hard to take a baby (breast or bottle fed) to the lounge to feed, is it?

Do you spend an hour every couple of hours eating ham sandwiches? And do you require someone else to hold it for you while you eat?

[Jinger Jar]

Do you spend an hour every couple of hours eating ham sandwiches? And do you require someone else to hold it for you while you eat?

Why should a mother be denied spiritual nourishment that is a religious service simply because she's feeding her baby?

And there is a world of difference between older children/adult and babies not eating during a religious service. One group understands that food will be available shortly while the other group simply understands that they need to feed. Now.

[GiggleOfGirls]

Young babies, especially breastfed ones, are incapable of waiting for hours before eating again. They get fed continuously while in utero and then have to transition slowly to having longer and longer breaks between feedings. Breastmilk is also digested more quickly than formula so formula fed babies can wait longer between feedings from an earlier age and don't usually need to eat as frequently.

If bottlefeeding is allowed somewhere, then breastfeeding should be allowed. I've heard of those mythical women who reportedly let entire breasts hang out while nursing, but I've yet to actually see someone do that. All of the breastfeeding women I've met so far are extremely discreet and aren't out to try and flash people. Sometimes more is shown than intended, but I've yet to see that scenario without a mom also trying to quickly cover up again (whether that be with an actual cover, a baby-wearing device, or just by keeping her hand above the breast to hold her shirt close to the baby's head so she's effectively not showing anything to anyone).

[jessablessa4realz]

I thought this was a verboten topic? I see a shit storm-a-brewin'!!!

[Fargood]

I'm surprised this is only now becoming an issue. I was born in the early 70s and my Mom nursed all of her children (she was/is still Mormon) and she nursed wherever and whenever she wanted. In fact, I remember all the Mormon Mommies breast feeding, because it was cheaper than formula. It was a common sight at Sacrament meeting to see a Mom with a blanket haphazardly draped over a nursing baby.

[AllisonWndrland]

Young babies, especially breastfed ones, are incapable of waiting for hours before eating again. They get fed continuously while in utero and then have to transition slowly to having longer and longer breaks between feedings. Breastmilk is also digested more quickly than formula so formula fed babies can wait longer between feedings from an earlier age and don't usually need to eat as frequently.

If bottlefeeding is allowed somewhere, then breastfeeding should be allowed. I've heard of those mythical women who reportedly let entire breasts hang out while nursing, but I've yet to actually see someone do that .

Totally agree with the first paragraph. I don't understand why fundies have such a difficult time grasping this. Also, at least two nursing mothers at my UU fellowship openly nursed, with their entire breast out while doing so. The only part you couldn't see was what was in baby's mouth. As someone said above, nursing isn't a sexual act and it's the person calling it porn who has the problem.

[LainieR]

Young babies, especially breastfed ones, are incapable of waiting for hours before eating again. They get fed continuously while in utero and then have to transition slowly to having longer and longer breaks between feedings. Breastmilk is also digested more quickly than formula so formula fed babies can wait longer between feedings from an earlier age and don't usually need to eat as frequently.

If bottlefeeding is allowed somewhere, then breastfeeding should be allowed. I've heard of those mythical women who reportedly let entire breasts hang out while nursing, but I've yet to actually see someone do that. All of the breastfeeding women I've met so far are extremely discreet and aren't out to try and flash people. Sometimes more is shown than intended, but I've yet to see that scenario without a mom also trying to quickly cover up again (whether that be with an actual cover, a baby-wearing device, or just by keeping her hand above the breast to hold her shirt close to the baby's head so she's effectively not showing anything to anyone).

You haven't met me! :D

I feed my son his ham sandwich when he needs it, regardless of where I am. Cover up? Why bother? He's an acrobatic nurser and would 'expose' me even if I attempted to.

[Slt]

I dunno. I think lactivists have gone a bit overboard with the "I will feed my baby ANYWHERE!!" stuff. Would you whip out a ham sandwich and start eating in church? No. It's inappropriate to eat during religious services. It's not that hard to take a baby (breast or bottle fed) to the lounge to feed, is it?

While I am very, very discreet with nursing (I go into dressing rooms, etc), babies are ready to eat when they are ready to eat. It is their mother's RIGHT to feed where and whenever she pleases. No questions. You cannot compare you eating a ham sandwich in church to an infant nursing. No comparison, seriously. I have never been bothered by nursing in public, and while most moms do it very discreetly (you wouldn't even know!) the moms who whip out a boob have the same right to do so.

[YPestis]

I am naturally shy about my body so I'd probably be very covered up while nursing. Therefore, I would be pissed off too if someone came up to tell me I'm giving people porn vibes. I'd tell them if looking at a baby eating is porn to them, I'm not the one with the issue!

As for the breast thing.....I know that it's seen as a sexual thing but so are a woman's thighs, and belly. Yet we expose those, sometimes for no reasons other than fashion! I think the US is culturally very puritanical about this. There's nothing "wrong" with the human breast. If people can't differentiate between nudity and porn, then it's not my responsibility to teach them. If a women is exposing herself because she's trying to feed the child, and you feel uncomfortable, then simply look the other way. I guess I see it as a personal responsibility thing. If you have an issue with it, then you take care of it.

That said, I can understand certain places where nursing would be inappropriate. However, the last place I'd think that would be church. I was more thinking a five star restaurant, a fancy concert, dinner at the White House....you know, places where you shouldn't take an infant to anyway. Churches are family friendly places. They should not only welcome breastfeeding moms, but should make efforts to accommodate them as much as possible. To me, that includes protecting mom's right to nurse.

[duplessis3]

Well, if you took an infant to the White House (and I would have with my wee wee babes) I'm betting Barack and Michelle would be totally fine with a baby. Took my 8 week old to MANY organ recitals with me, and he would nurse through the whole thing or sleep. When I met wih one organist after, he was in raptures that the baby was there (I had to tell him that S had fallen asleep to Humperdinck's Lullaby.) And at another concert venue, when I was nursing, the organizers brought me water to drink and congratulated me for nursing. So, bottom line, there are loads of dicks in the world. That there are a bunch in a Mormon meetinghouse doesn't surprise me.

[YPestis]

Well, if you took an infant to the White House (and I would have with my wee wee babes) I'm betting Barack and Michelle would be totally fine with a baby. Took my 8 week old to MANY organ recitals with me, and he would nurse through the whole thing or sleep. When I met wih one organist after, he was in raptures that the baby was there (I had to tell him that S had fallen asleep to Humperdinck's Lullaby.) And at another concert venue, when I was nursing, the organizers brought me water to drink and congratulated me for nursing. So, bottom line, there are loads of dicks in the world. That there are a bunch in a Mormon meetinghouse doesn't surprise me.

I was referring to an official White House dinner. I don't think it's appropriate to take babies to an official State Dinner. There are places appropriate to bring young babies to and those places should allow for breastfeeding. Then there are places where babies are not considered appropriate and objection to breastfeeding is legitimate. It's not about the breast, it's about the baby.

I've been to recitals (and played in many) where babies are welcomed because they are family affairs. However, I've also been to very formal performances where dinner jackets and ties are required. I think it would be inappropriate (and probably not allowed) to bring a baby there. Therefore, breastfeeding at such an affair would be inappropriate. This also has nothing to do with how quiet *your* baby is. Babies, as a rule, are unpredictable and some places are right to have a 'no baby' rule because they fear an infant can disrupt the event.

In my opinion, there are "adult only" affairs where no young children should be at. Therefore, I would be less sympathetic if a woman decides to take a baby there and breastfeed. It's not a matter of feeding the baby, it's the issue of bringing a baby there.

[GiggleOfGirls]

You haven't met me! :D

I feed my son his ham sandwich when he needs it, regardless of where I am. Cover up? Why bother? He's an acrobatic nurser and would 'expose' me even if I attempted to.

:lol: Well, I've definitely seen BABIES and TODDLERS who are determined to try and flash their mothers' boobs at people, but I assume that the mother who's trying to get baby latched on (which counts as trying to "cover up" IMO, given that nipple is usually what people get up in arms about and baby latched on covers most of the boob for most women) isn't intending to flash people though ;)

I've never used a cover in my life, nor have I ever flashed anyone despite nursing wherever and whenever my babies needed it, but I'm very quick to pull a shirt down ASAP when my babies or toddlers have tried to make me flash people. However, that's my personal comfort level. I have no judgment towards any women who might let it all hang out, wouldn't bother me one bit, but I've yet to see that particular phenomenon myself in public.