Any mother would do anything to make sure her baby is well taken care of, including being fed on time.
This also applies to breastfed babies. When they are hungry, their mothers are obliged to provide them with food, no matter where they are, at home or in a public place.
However, the point is that many times mothers who choose to breastfeed in restaurants or other public places are met with judgmental looks and people who believe that what they are doing is more than wrong.
Jackie Johnson-Smith is a stay-at-home mother of three children, two of whom are older, and her youngest, who is still breastfeeding, is just 12 months old.
It was Jackie’s birthday and she wanted to celebrate it with her loving family.
“I don’t usually go downtown for dinner because a lot of places aren’t family-friendly, but I’ve heard good things about Fong’s,” Johnson-Smith said.
When it was time for her baby to nurse, this mother felt anxious because she didn’t know how people would react.
“I don’t usually like to breastfeed in public because people can judge,” Jackie said. “The waitress kept walking by and I was worried she didn’t want me to breastfeed in the restaurant.”
However, the waitress’s reason for returning to the family table was not because she wanted to judge Jackie. On the contrary, she had only words of praise for her brave mother.
When the family received the receipt, they could see something written on it.
“I bought one of your pizzas. Please thank your wife for breastfeeding!’
“I was in total shock and started crying,” said Jackie. “After dealing with people’s reactions for so long, it was like the universe was tapping me on the back.” I was too surprised to go back inside and thank the waitress.”
This experience made Jackie feel good, knowing that there were people who supported what she had done.
“I nursed three children… I nursed them in countless pleasant and unpleasant places, discreetly and openly.” I’ve gotten a lot of looks and stares, but tonight erases every negativity I’ve ever received. I ate at Fongs tonight for the first time. Having a fussy baby, I nursed him for a while in the booth and ended up leaving the table early so as not to disturb the restaurant. The waitress gave my husband this bill. I was speechless and emotional. Even though I don’t need a pat on the back to feed my baby, I feel amazing. It’s amazing how we women can make ourselves feel when we empower each other.”
The saying that “it takes a village to raise a child” seems to be true. Mutual support results in a community of happy people, and that’s all this world needs.
We are grateful for what the waitress did, because breastfeeding a hungry child should be accepted as something normal, not something unusual.
However, we would like to hear your thoughts on this topic. Would you mind dining at a restaurant where a mother is taking care of her child?