Breastfeeding In The Church

[Bro. Curtis]

The problem is the stumbling block. I'm sorry I'm the only male honest enough to say, as a teen, I would not be able to concentrate on a sermon if it were going on. And I sang in the adult choir at the time.

And although I agree with you 99% of the time, I disagree that a potentially exposed breast isn't sexual, to a teen.

It's more than 2%. A breastfeeding woman would tempt a teenage boy, and there are more than them than there are breastfeeding women.

Thank you to the women who do go to the nursery. I'll say no more about it.

 

[annsni]

The problem is the stumbling block. I'm sorry I'm the only male honest enough to say, as a teen, I would not be able to concentrate on a sermon if it were going on. And I sang in the adult choir at the time.

And although I agree with you 99% of the time, I disagree that a potentially exposed breast isn't sexual, to a teen.

It's more than 2%. A breastfeeding woman would tempt a teenage boy, and there are more than them than there are breastfeeding women.

Thank you to the women who do go to the nursery. I'll say no more about it.

See, let me explain how I nursed:

Back row so unless they were turned around, no one could see me - except the pastor and it's about 80 feet to the back of the sanctuary so I know he didn't see anything.

I used a blanket to cover up. There is no way for anyone to see a thing.

I was talking to a friend of mine who didn't like the idea of nursing. We were at a street fair in the food tent eating. Baby got cranky and I covered her up with a blanket planning to nurse her. I continued talking and eating - and nursing my baby. After 20 minutes, she was asleep so I covered everything up under the blanket and pulled my now sweaty baby from under there. We just continued taking and such. When we got up to leave, I asked him if he knew I nursed the baby - and he was shocked. He had NO clue. This was a man who was immediately across a picnic table from me. A young boy across an aisle, in a pew a few rows back, or even right next to me would not know that I was nursing or, if they did, they would not see anything. My HUSBAND never saw my breast when I was nursing unless I asked him to come close to see a sweet face or something.

So, a teen boy in a sanctuary should not stumble whatsoever in my situation. Unless it's the thought of what I'm doing but honestly, that's not an issue I need to worry about. He could have the same thoughts as I walk out with my obviously hungry baby. It was much more discreet and polite for me to just nurse my baby than to leave the sanctuary.

 

[Crabtownboy]

See, let me explain how I nursed:

Back row so unless they were turned around, no one could see me - except the pastor and it's about 80 feet to the back of the sanctuary so I know he didn't see anything.

I used a blanket to cover up. There is no way for anyone to see a thing.

I was talking to a friend of mine who didn't like the idea of nursing. We were at a street fair in the food tent eating. Baby got cranky and I covered her up with a blanket planning to nurse her. I continued talking and eating - and nursing my baby. After 20 minutes, she was asleep so I covered everything up under the blanket and pulled my now sweaty baby from under there. We just continued taking and such. When we got up to leave, I asked him if he knew I nursed the baby - and he was shocked. He had NO clue. This was a man who was immediately across a picnic table from me. A young boy across an aisle, in a pew a few rows back, or even right next to me would not know that I was nursing or, if they did, they would not see anything. My HUSBAND never saw my breast when I was nursing unless I asked him to come close to see a sweet face or something.

So, a teen boy in a sanctuary should not stumble whatsoever in my situation. Unless it's the thought of what I'm doing but honestly, that's not an issue I need to worry about. He could have the same thoughts as I walk out with my obviously hungry baby. It was much more discreet and polite for me to just nurse my baby than to leave the sanctuary.

Makes perfect sense to me. In the small country church I grew up in nursing mothers sat on the front row.

 

[annsni]

Makes perfect sense to me. In the small country church I grew up in nursing mothers sat on the front row.

If you have pews, that absolutely works! Pews are awesome nursing blockers....as are large hubbies

 

[Jim1999]

I sure hope none of the nursing mothers are in the choir!

Cheers,

Jim

 

[annsni]

I sure hope none of the nursing mothers are in the choir!

Cheers,

Jim

But those robes are GREAT coverups!!

 

[abcgrad94]

I'm sorry I'm the only male honest enough to say, as a teen, I would not be able to concentrate on a sermon if it were going on. And I sang in the adult choir at the time.

I appreciate your honesty here. This type of reply I can accept much better than one that says, "It's inappropriate," or "Godly women don't do this in the sanctuary."

Making a woman feel like a prostitute for feeding her baby isn't the way to approach this issue, and it raises my hackles when people accuse moms of being indecent, inappropriate, etc, when they are fully covered and minding their own business.

Freely admitting YOUR problem with lust is better, in my opinion, than casting stones at the mother and saying she's the one in the wrong. I would never want to be a TRUE stumblingblock to anyone in this area and if it were gently approached privately like this, I think most women would be even more discreet (by either moving to a different part of the sanctuary or church.)

 

[canadyjd]

Just remember ladies, men are pigs. BF at risk of enflaming passions.

peace to youraying:

 

[Jim1999]

If they were ladies, the men wouldn't be pigs, I suppose. But you are right, animals just lay down anywhere to feed their young, don't they?

Cheers,

Jim

 

[matt wade]

If they were ladies, the men wouldn't be pigs, I suppose. But you are right, animals just lay down anywhere to feed their young, don't they?

You've just reaffirmed my faith in Numbers 22:28.

 

[Spinach]

I agree with Ann, again. I could nurse anywhere (including the choir), and would not once have an exposed breast. The teens were all accustomed to nursing mothers and it wasn't anything new.

Being likened to an animal is insulting. Breastfeeding being labeled as sexual is insulting. Breastfeeding being likened to urinating or defacating is insulting. You know whom it insults? The Creator. He designed our bodies to feed our children.

"Popping it out there" would be wrong. Exposing a breast would be wrong. No one here is advocating that, that I know of. I'll bet there are women in your church who nurse their babies right there and you don't even know it. Do you only have a problem if you know what they are doing?

I didn't know until this thread that legally a nursing Mom can go wherever she chooses. That is good to know (not that I'll ever nurse again, but still good to know).

 

[Spinach]

Are fully clothed pregnant bellies a stumbling block, because that means she...um...does that.

 

[TCGreek]

As it should be.

Cheers,

Jim

That's why I love the house churches we read about in Acts and the Letters.

 

[Spinach]

That's why I love the house churches we read about in Acts and the Letters.

I do too! We have 94 here.

 

[canadyjd]

If they were ladies, the men wouldn't be pigs, I suppose. But you are right, animals just lay down anywhere to feed their young, don't they?

Cheers,

Jim

There you go, let's blame the women for the men's uncontrolled lust. How so.....6th century of you.

The Moslems must have it right, huh? Just cover the women from head to toes with layers of cloth and if they happen to expose their face or their ankle, take them out and shoot them for making the men lust after them.

Like I said, men are pigs.

peace to youraying:

 

[TCGreek]

I do too! We have 94 here.

We don't have to worry about this misnomer of "sanctuary" in reference to a build and then the dos and don'ts that are attached like crutches.

 

[Dr. Bob]

Think this discussion has spiraled downward and not going to edify anyone.

Closed.