Breastfeeding At Mass

[Archaeology cat]

I had thought it was still something you could ask for in the Latin Rite, just that it wasn't customarily done. It seems like a beautiful thing, though, and I love the connection to presenting Christ in the temple at 40 days.

[kujo]

I think that it should be done discretely, meaning that the mother should remove herself from the pew and go to the back of the Church to do it. It's not a sexist thing and I am not, as some have insinuated, just looking for something to complain about. I think that seeing a woman breastfeeding can be distracting and the mother should try to minimize the distraction at mass.

$0.02.

[friendofJPII]

Unless you are raising particularly saintly kids, I think it is really hard for children 5 and under to sit still. But I don't think parishioners should get that perturbed about it. I personally like to see little kids being quirky at mass. It makes me smile.

If someone is really bothered by that, tho, they should go to the early mass where there are more older people.

[Archaeology cat]

[quote name='kujo' post='1596102' date='Jul 9 2008, 05:57 PM']I think that it should be done discretely, meaning that the mother should remove herself from the pew and go to the back of the Church to do it. It's not a sexist thing and I am not, as some have insinuated, just looking for something to complain about. I think that seeing a woman breastfeeding can be distracting and the mother should try to minimize the distraction at mass.

$0.02.[/quote]
The thing is, if done discreetly, people truly think the child is just sleeping in the mother's arms. Believe me, most people around me think Kieran is sleeping. Now, I don't sit front and centre or anything; I'm off on one of the side aisles, where few can see me anyway.

[dominicansoul]

[quote name='kujo' post='1596102' date='Jul 9 2008, 11:57 AM']I think that it should be done discretely, meaning that the mother should remove herself from the pew and go to the back of the Church to do it. It's not a sexist thing and I am not, as some have insinuated, just looking for something to complain about. I think that seeing a woman breastfeeding can be distracting and the mother should try to minimize the distraction at mass.

$0.02.[/quote]


I totally agree. And what exactly is the time limits for a mother to stop breastfeeding? i have seen a mother doing this at Mass with a child who looked to be like 4 years old or so....I found it very distracting!

[kujo]

[quote name='Archaeology cat' post='1596106' date='Jul 9 2008, 01:59 PM']The thing is, if done discreetly, people truly think the child is just sleeping in the mother's arms. Believe me, most people around me think Kieran is sleeping. Now, I don't sit front and centre or anything; I'm off on one of the side aisles, where few can see me anyway.[/quote]

I dunno. I mean, if it can be done, go for it. If I were a woman, I would feel uncomfortable with even the possibility of taking someone's attention away for the Holy Mass. Just my personal view.

[quote name='dominicansoul' post='1596109' date='Jul 9 2008, 02:01 PM']I totally agree. And what exactly is the time limits for a mother to stop breastfeeding? i have seen a mother doing this at Mass with a child who looked to be like 4 years old or so....I found it very distracting![/quote]

Yeah...that would distract me and make me want to tell the mom to stop!!!

[Archaeology cat]

[quote name='dominicansoul' post='1596109' date='Jul 9 2008, 06:01 PM']I totally agree. And what exactly is the time limits for a mother to stop breastfeeding? i have seen a mother doing this at Mass with a child who looked to be like 4 years old or so....I found it very distracting![/quote]
The WHO recommends a [b]minimum [/b]of 2 years for breastfeeding.

IMO, people shouldn't be distracted by my son bfing because they shouldn't be looking at me in Mass. I do what I can to be discreet and don't draw attention to myself or Kieran, but I shouldn't have to leave Mass. I actually think it would be more distracting for me to walk to the back. As it is, people only know if they watch me, because once he's latched on, it just looks like he's asleep in my arms.

[rizz_loves_jesus]

[quote name='kujo' post='1596116' date='Jul 9 2008, 01:04 PM']I dunno. I mean, if it can be done, go for it. If I were a woman, I would feel uncomfortable with even the possibility of taking someone's attention away for the Holy Mass. Just my personal view.[/quote]

If some people are bothered by a natural human process that God designed especially for babies, maybe they should be the ones to go to the back of Mass.

[dominicansoul]

[quote name='Archaeology cat' post='1596120' date='Jul 9 2008, 12:06 PM']The WHO recommends a [b]minimum [/b]of 2 years for breastfeeding.

IMO, people shouldn't be distracted by my son bfing because they shouldn't be looking at me in Mass. I do what I can to be discreet and don't draw attention to myself or Kieran, but I shouldn't have to leave Mass. I actually think it would be more distracting for me to walk to the back. As it is, people only know if they watch me, because once he's latched on, it just looks like he's asleep in my arms.[/quote]


yeah, you are right. People shouldn't be watching anybody doing anything at Mass. In the convent we practiced "custody of the eyes" and weren't allowed to look at anyone but kept our attention to God and towards the Altar...not like robots, mind you, but to practice keeping our whole attention on the Mass. You probably breastfeed in a way where it isn't a distraction. In the case of the 4 year old I saw breastfeeding...it was not discreet at all, and they were in the pew right in front of me! I had to get up and go to the back of the church...!

[Archaeology cat]

[quote name='dominicansoul' post='1596132' date='Jul 9 2008, 06:18 PM']yeah, you are right. People shouldn't be watching anybody doing anything at Mass. In the convent we practiced "custody of the eyes" and weren't allowed to look at anyone but kept our attention to God and towards the Altar...not like robots, mind you, but to practice keeping our whole attention on the Mass. You probably breastfeed in a way where it isn't a distraction. In the case of the 4 year old I saw breastfeeding...it was not discreet at all, and they were in the pew right in front of me! I had to get up and go to the back of the church...![/quote]
Keeping my eyes on the altar is something I've had to work at a lot! I can imagine that it would be harder to discreetly feed a 4-yr-old (and a child that age probably could wait until after Mass, unless there are special circumstances). I'm hoping to make it to 2 years, but probably just at morning & night by that point.

[StColette]

[quote name='Archaeology cat' post='1596120' date='Jul 9 2008, 01:06 PM']The WHO recommends a [b]minimum [/b]of 2 years for breastfeeding.

IMO, people shouldn't be distracted by my son bfing because they shouldn't be looking at me in Mass. I do what I can to be discreet and don't draw attention to myself or Kieran, but I shouldn't have to leave Mass. I actually think it would be more distracting for me to walk to the back. As it is, people only know if they watch me, because once he's latched on, it just looks like he's asleep in my arms.[/quote]

You know I was worried about some of our boys in the High School youth group at Steubie on the Bayou. There was a young mom in front of us who was bfing. The boys weren't bothered by it at all. I don't think most of them knew what was even going on rofl

On another topic, one of our malls here has several rooms throughout the mall that are designed for bfing moms or moms with little ones. Nice comfy chairs and they are very quiet rooms away from all the noises in the mall. I don't think moms should have to hide away when they breastfeed but it's nice to know that some places thought of them when they designed certain things.

[kujo]

[quote name='Archaeology cat' post='1596120' date='Jul 9 2008, 02:06 PM']The WHO recommends a [b]minimum [/b]of 2 years for breastfeeding.

IMO, people shouldn't be distracted by my son bfing because they shouldn't be looking at me in Mass. I do what I can to be discreet and don't draw attention to myself or Kieran, but I shouldn't have to leave Mass. I actually think it would be more distracting for me to walk to the back. As it is, people only know if they watch me, because once he's latched on, it just looks like he's asleep in my arms.[/quote]

[quote name='rizz_loves_jesus' post='1596128' date='Jul 9 2008, 02:13 PM']If some people are bothered by a natural human process that God designed especially for babies, maybe they should be the ones to go to the back of Mass.[/quote]

I dunno...I'm just speaking from personal experience. One time, when I was in high school, a woman sitting in front of me did some breast feeding right in front of me and I found it really difficult to pay attention once that image stuck in my head. There are those of us who struggle with lust and, though it is a beautiful and natural process, a breast is a breast. I don't think people who find it distracting should "go to the back of the Church" because of our struggles. That's pretty freakin' self-righteous and dismissive of you, Rizz. Surely you aren't thinking straight.

[Archaeology cat]

[quote name='StColette' post='1596149' date='Jul 9 2008, 06:25 PM']You know I was worried about some of our boys in the High School youth group at Steubie on the Bayou. There was a young mom in front of us who was bfing. The boys weren't bothered by it at all. I don't think most of them knew what was even going on rofl

On another topic, one of our malls here has several rooms throughout the mall that are designed for bfing moms or moms with little ones. Nice comfy chairs and they are very quiet rooms away from all the noises in the mall. I don't think moms should have to hide away when they breastfeed but it's nice to know that some places thought of them when they designed certain things.[/quote]
It can be relaxing to be in a less crowded space, with a nice comfy chair. The main shopping centre here doesn't have an area like that, though, so the food court it is. At least one of the shops in the new shopping centre does, though, I think.

[Deb]

If your child is four years old, he can wait til he gets in the car. Please. Otherwise, no prob.

I sit third row and center and half the time (being Catholics) no one sits in front of me. I rarely even know if the church has people in it or what they are doing. Except for the ones who chatter in back of me and I am learning how to shut them out with prayer.

[StColette]

[quote name='kujo' post='1596151' date='Jul 9 2008, 01:27 PM']There are those of us who struggle with lust and, though it is a beautiful and natural process, a breast is a breast. I don't think people who find it distracting should "go to the back of the Church" because of our struggles.[/quote]

I agree. I don't think those who are bothered by it should go to the back of the Church. I helped a guy friend of mine with this problem. He had difficulty dealing with a mom breastfeeding in front of him at Mass or anywhere. I think sometimes the simple reminder that Our Lady also breastfed Christ. That helped to give him the reminder that it's a very holy and natural thing to do. That helped with his difficulty with it, and it might help others.

[rizz_loves_jesus]

[quote name='kujo' post='1596151' date='Jul 9 2008, 01:27 PM']I don't think people who find it distracting should "go to the back of the Church" because of our struggles. That's pretty freakin' self-righteous and dismissive of you, Rizz. Surely you aren't thinking straight.[/quote]

How so? A lot of people here have said that breastfeeding women should go to the back of church. No one said they were tempted by breastfeeding mothers, so I certainly didn't mean to act condescending towards them. If I came off as self-righteous, I apologize, but I stick to what I said.

[Deb]

I think all men should have to have breast implants and then maybe they will get over this fascination with oversized sweat glands.












































That was a joke.

[Barbarus]

[quote name='Deb' post='1596175' date='Jul 9 2008, 01:47 PM']I think all men should have to have breast implants and then maybe they will get over this fascination with oversized sweat glands.
That was a joke.[/quote]
I know some guys who would never leave their homes if they had this done ...

[Archaeology cat]

[quote name='StColette' post='1596169' date='Jul 9 2008, 06:36 PM']I think sometimes the simple reminder that Our Lady also breastfed Christ. That helped to give him the reminder that it's a very holy and natural thing to do. That helped with his difficulty with it, and it might help others.[/quote]
I think that sounds like a very good way of handling it.

[Deb]

Hadn't thought of that.