Can anyone tell me why I hate—HATE—these? Why every time I see someone using one, my insides involuntarily shudder?
It's not because I'm uncomfortable seeing people nursing because I'm really not. I do think people should try to be discreet out in public, mostly just because it seems polite. But, honestly, the hilarious lady I saw at Costco a little while ago who was weaving through the crowded food court to inquire about her pizza with her shirt pulled all the way up and a huge 2 1/2-year-old only periodically breastfeeding (when he wasn't pulling completely off to look at what was going on :)) bothered me a whole lot less than seeing someone using one of these stylin' nursing covers.
But . . . why? I've thought long and hard, and I'm not sure why they disgust me so much! Anyone else have a similar response and know why? :)
Is it because it's too deliberate a cover-up? Throwing your baby's blanket over your shoulder when your baby wants to eat seems spontaneous and low-key, I guess. Fishing through your diaper bag to pull out the cover you keep with you at all times, then clipping it around your neck.... This thing designed for this purpose alone.... Is it gross to me to see so many women making too big a deal of it, or something...? Feeling that self-conscious...?
Is it because I once saw them in Target with the brand-name "Hooter Hiders?" (Now that's just WRONG! Ack!)
Is it because they're supposed to be "stylish?" That might be part of it, for sure. A fashion statement out of breastfeeding? Huh.
Is it because they LOOK LIKE AN APRON?!! I mean, come on, they look like aprons...! Now you can be barefoot and pregnant in the kitchen, or wearing your apron at the park to feed your baby.
Or maybe it's because I've never once been flashed by someone using a baby blanket to cover up, but I've been flashed about a gazillion times by moms trying to make sense of their apron-esque "hooter hider." :-|
Perhaps it's something else entirely. Some trauma deep in my sub-conscious.... :)
At any rate, they make me shudder. An out of proportion response, I know. But if we ever have another baby, just remember not to get me one. ;-)
12 comments:
Wow! Did you breastfeed then? Because I breastfed the first two with blankets and thought they were fine. Mark thought it was ridiculous to buy one of these covers, so I made one because of the wedding (reminder: Mitch got married 3 wks after Ella born, and I was going to have to BF at some point during the day and didn't want to have to hide somewhere and miss out on anything). Any way, I love mine! It doesn't have clips, but it is so much more modest and I am soooo much more comfortable if I have to feed at say, dinner with my kids there. Any way, we resisted at first, but now that I've tried it, I'm converted.
Oh yeah, I nursed Seth for a long while. I never felt uncomfortable at all with just a blanket—even at a dinner table or whatever. Only flashed people a couple of times. ;-) (Not really.)
Good points. I would also like to point out that the "statement" fabrics draw more attention to the activity....rather than, say, a low key receiving blanket in a soft or neutral color. =) We'll see if anyone gets me one and if it works out well. I think I will have a hard time nursing in public, even if I know Im covered. Seems so....strange. haha!
I can tell you why your insides involuntarily shudder when you see these: I've been telepathically directing my hardwired response to Twilight your direction, and well, it has taken the form of an aversion to stylish nursing covers it seems. Now with the Eclipse trailer out, maybe I can boost my signal a little more ;)
I think blanket is fine and I second the statement that they may seem bad because of the loud patterns. I do prefer the understated solids as they feel more discreet like a blanket. Also, I failed to mention that I liked the cover because I found nursing on one side with a blanket more difficult then nursing on other (I know, I must have coordination issues and I now brush my teeth with my opposite hand to try and work on this ;). So this cover evened things out for me. But blankets are always acceptable! Just please cover up (unlike the 2 yr old story previously mentioned).
Janelle,
You're on to something! I think the louder patterns are definitely less discreet, and that could really be a reason they bug me. Nice one! :)
I'd be surprised if you end up having a hard time nursing in public, although I agree with you that it seems SO strange. Haha! Everything about nursing seems strange! And then you find your groove and it just seems perfectly natural and normal.... Which also seems strange. ;) Hehe. (I can't wait to hear what you're having! :))
Hillary! I can't brush with my other hand, either! Haha! It's really ridiculous. I'm proud of you for making yourself do it. ;)
I have nursed for 8 1/2 years (not one child, that would be gross!) so far without one of these, but if we have another baby I would actually love to get one. I do fine with a blanket when they are young, but as soon as they can grab things they start pulling the blanket off and I would love to have something the baby can't pull down. Also, because our kids are getting older I need to be more discreet at home than I used to need to be and there's enough going on at all times that I don't want to have to worry about holding up the blanket. I would definitely make mine a dark solid color, but I have never been that stylish so I don't think a stylish funky bold print would really go with the rest of what I do. But I wouldn't use it as an excuse to nurse in sac. mtg. or anything like that, I really just want one to use at home.
I love mine...especially since I could never figure out how to nurse discreetly without anything and the blankets were frankly too warm for my taste. But I made my own, and thus got to choose my own fabric.
Though, Ellie, be warned -- older babies are quite clever about throwing the cover up. They may not be able to pull it down, but they can fling their little arms to flash it up or sideways. Perhaps this is why some moms end up flashing while using these covers. It's tempting to trust in their powers too much, and babies are just more clever than that.
I'm with Rebecca. I never could get the hang of the blanket cover. Even as as a newborn he'd bite me and squirm until the blanket fell off. Then I ordered a cover and it worked the first time. I can't even explain how relieved I felt after trying so hard those first few weeks. I really had started to think that I had to choose between nursing and never leaving home ever again. That was the first day since David was born that nursing didn't make me cry so for me it was worth every penny.
I have to agree... I think it's the bright patterns that make me hate them. Maybe I'm a dork, but when someone is using a blanket there's still just a little bit of a question about what they're really doing and it's far less noticeable. But when they whip one of those things out... everyone knows what they're doing. And sometimes that's uncomfortable. Like when my SIL does it at family get-togethers and all the males suddenly frantically search for any excuse to leave the room. Awkward. I don't really know anything about nursing since I haven't had the experience myself yet... but if I get one of these I REALLY hope it's a dull, unremarkable color so people don't run away from me.
Yes! Someone who agrees! Even without the pattern, though, the apron-noose around the neck is jarring. Seriously, I just hate these things. They really gross me out somehow.
To Ellie—I think a stylish, funky, bold print would TOTALLY go with the rest of what you do. ;-)
I was totally against them, and still don't love the one someone gave me, but the day I had a toddler pull the blanket off me, well, lets just say I learned my lesson. Now I'm extra careful when there are toddlers about. I still prefer a blanket, but there is also the added advantage of air circulation with a cover.
I totally hear you on the flashing thing, though. I have never been flashed by someone using a blanket, but man, women think they can do practically anything and the cover will still hide them. Uh, nope.
There are a lot of other "necessary" items out there for new mothers. I think it's all crazy.
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