Simply the Breast

I know I tend to fixate on all things breastfeeding, but I must share what happened to me today. For the first time in my entire breastfeeding career (I'm three months into Round Two), I was asked to relocate while I was feeding my child. I had started in the cafeteria at Julia's school, because Jenna woke up and had to eat right then. Then kindergarten lunch was over and the 2nd graders started filing in so I thought I should pack up and finish elsewhere. I could have gone home to do it, but I had errands to run and didn't want to go home again. So I moved to the office where I sat in a corner with the stroller right in front of me and covered up with a blanket. The principal (a woman) came out and asked me to move to her office. "It doesn't offend me, but it does offend some people," she said. "And some of the kids aren't used to it." Then she added "I was always one of the ones hiding in the bathroom so no one would get upset." Hiding? And in a bathroom?? Who wants to eat in a bathroom -- no matter how old they are?

So I complied and found myself sitting in the principal's office like I had gotten in trouble for breastfeeding. I could have caused a scene but my daughter is just in kindergarten so I will be dealing with these people for a long time. Plus they all know me as "that woman who writes for the newspaper." So when Jenna was done, I left without further incident. Although I was tempted to Xerox the part of my body in question and leave it on the principal's desk.