Do You NIP?

If you have to ask what that means, you probably don’t.  It stands for “nursing in public.”

Yes, here I go again.  I can’t tell you too often how very important mother’s milk is for your child.  If you are pregnant, I encourage you to investigate doing so. Read, ask your health care provider, question your friends who have, or are, nursing.

Per Attachment Parenting International, “the benefits for baby include (but are not limited to) accelerated brain development; less crying; reduced cortisol (stress hormone) levels; better regulated body temperature, heart rate and breathing; better quality sleep; enhanced immune system; stimulated digestion and therefore better weight gain; and more effective breastfeeding behavior.

Combine this with the benefits for mother—decreased risk of postpartum depression, increased milk production, increased pain tolerance, and reduced postpartum bleeding, cortisol levels and blood pressure—and skin-to-skin contact looks to be an incredibly important part of newborn care!”

You may learn so much more about breastfeeding and related benefits on line at askdrsears.com and WebMD.com, among many others. There are several Facebook pages that I would recommend for great information, should you be interested in learning more about the subject, getting questions answered, and supporting others who may be contemplating this important decision: The Badass Breastfeeder and paala are both maintained by awesome breastfeeding moms, Abby Theuring and Paala respectively. They are both working very hard to “normalize” breastfeeding.

It is amazing just how many times breastfeeding moms are asked in restaurants and other places to please feed their wee ones in the restroom. Can you imagine leaving your table in an eating establishment and taking your plate into the restroom to eat?! Or, how about someone handing you a towel to cover with while eating your meal. Surely you would be terribly insulted and rightly so.

Nursing moms have the legal right to nurse their little one(s) anywhere and at any time they are legally allowed to be. There are NIP laws in effect in many states. Should you ever come in contact with a breastfeeding mom, wish her well and should you realize she is being disrespected for doing something for which her body was designed and that is the very best thing she can feed her baby(s), support her.

Be sensitive to all nursing moms whatever the situation: newborn nursling, toddler, three- or four-year-old (or older), or a mom who is tandem nursing (breastfeeding more than one child simultaneously).  You can be sure that mom is doing what she knows is best for her child and her family.

Always remember to be kind. Continue parenting gently, and have a wonderful week.

©2016 Brenda Holland-Robinson