@Missy – Yikes! Well I guess we can’t all know about the safety of breast milk. Good thing you taught her. Does she wear rubber gloves to change bums too? I guess some people just have a higher yuck factor. That’s too bad, really. I would never be okay with a caregiver wearing gloves while they fed my baby either. That’s just wrong on so many levels!

@Karen – That is wonderful you had such a supportive daycare. You must have felt very lucky to find them. Too bad about that one incident though. If they asked and she was worried about what their parents might think if she answered them she could have said ” you’ll have to ask your parents.” I mean it’s the same as answering any kind of question you aren’t comfortable with or aren’t sure about how the parents want handled. You re-direct it back to the parents! Argh!

@Hillary – I love that you ended up (possibly) positively influencing your employer to nurse longer. That’s a wonderful story!

I nannied for a family a few years back and brought my first son with me to work. It was great to get paid to take care of my child (and others). I was open about my breastfeeding and I felt great modeling for the other kids.

Best part of the story. Next baby the mom nursed for a full year! (I was still in the home nursing) I can help but think I helped normalize it for her. (She only nursed her first for a few months.)

It was also a great lesson for me to respect other’s parenting choices.

I could not stop laughing. I’m still humming…

It’s great that you’re so supportive and I agree that seeing breastfeeding as normal comes from seeing breastfeeding normally. I was lucky to have a very supportive daycare when my oldest was a baby. They not only fed expressed breast milk, they would call me if she got hungry near the end of the day, knowing I’d rather nurse her, if I could manage to leave early.

I only had one incident that could have been better: Once I nursed her outside on a rocking chair and was told I’d have to cover up b/c the older kids (outside playing) might see and their “teacher” wasn’t comfortable answering their questions. Very sad b/c it could have been easily answered (she’s feeding her baby) and helped normalize breastfeeding for the kids who noticed.
.-= Karen´s last blog ..Hospital Birth – my transition =-.