Nate and I traveled to Memphis this past weekend to watch his beloved Chicago Bulls take on the Grizzlies. It was an extra special trip because it was Maddux's first NBA game, and as an avid sports fan, this fact was especially exciting for Nate.
I think most people would agree that a 4-month-old and an arena full of screaming fans, over-eager announcers and fireworks are not a good mix, so thank God for these Peltor noise canceling earphones. They must have been pretty cozy, because Munchie fell asleep twice while wearing them.
I, on the other hand, was never fully able to relax and completely enjoy the game. Most of the time I was either changing dirty diapers, wiping up slobber or trying to figure out how to hold onto a squirming baby and eat bbq nachos without dumping hot cheese down the neck of the guy in front of me.
Of utmost concern to me however, was where I was going to nurse. I am not shy about nursing Maddux in public, thanks to this, but there was literally no room in my seat and after circling the arena several times, there was not even a chair for me to sit down in. A friendly ticketing agent said I could use the "family lounge." Well that sounds nice, I thought. Picturing a quiet room with soft lighting and comfy armchairs, I made another lap around the arena until I spotted the door. But instead of a "lounge," I found nothing more than an oversized bathroom with a plastic changing table hanging from the wall. I tried nursing Maddux standing up, but finally gave up and ended up sitting on his changing pad on the floor, trying to ignore the knocks of drunk sports fans who didn't want to walk the extra 25 steps to the restrooms.
After this experience, I think every major venue should have some sort of room for nursing mothers. Nothing fancy, just a place to sit and feed their children without having to resort to taking up residence on the floor of a bathroom.
3 comments:
It's hard to find a comfy place to nurse, but I worry if we demanded a separate place everywhere, then how would nursing moms convey to the world that breastfeeding is completely normal and not something to be awkward about?
True. We definitely don't want anyone to think there is anything to be ashamed of as a breast feeding mommy. On the other hand, maybe it would encourage more new moms to try it if they knew they would have a bit of privacy when they were out and about. I would have just fed him at my seat like I do at a restaurant, etc., but his feet would have been resting in the lap of the guy next to me! :) I seriously would have just been happy with a chair out in the lobby!
But what CUTE feet those would have been on the guy's lap!
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