Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Breastfeeding in public in Israel

I didn't move to Israel until I was 18, so I feel more comfortable hanging around in American parenting forums than in Israeli ones.  So I hear about all sorts of controversy around nursing in public and what's acceptable, what's not, nurse-ins, etc.  I hear all sorts of stories of people asked to nurse in public bathrooms or other equally uncomfortable areas...and I can't relate.

One of the things that I love about Israel is how baby-centered it is.  I have nursed in public numerous times and not once gotten a negative comment or an odd look.  Instead I have seen smiles, heard comments about how cute the baby is with no mention of the fact I was nursing, and heard a grandmother pointing out to her two granddaughters how nice it was to see a mother nursing her child.  The girls even came over to me to see and were so interested and happy.

Of course, I don't just whip things out.  I am a very modest person myself and respect the feelings of other people.  I almost always use a cover but even when I don't I make sure that I am covered as much as possible.  I don't see a reason to completely expose myself, but I also don't see a reason to hide.

A friend posted this earlier today, and I thought it was just spot-on: http://mothering.com/all-things-mothering/breastfeeding/how-to-breastfeed-appropriately-a-stern-guide

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