Ways to Show Consideration for a Nursing Mother at a Restaurant
The biggest concern for a nursing mother who is going out to a restaurant to eat is how she will be able to see to her baby's needs. If the baby sleeps throughout the meal, then she will be able to relax with her friends and enjoy their company. However, if the baby is crying, needs to be fed or changed during the meal, she will feel more self-conscious about her baby and worry in case others in the restaurant are disturbed. Always keep in mind that a nursing mother will put her baby's needs first, even if that means leaving the table two or three times during the meal to take care of her baby. Show consideration for the mother and her baby by helping her to collect her bag of supplies as she heads to the ladies toilets with her baby without making a fuss about the interruption. If she needs to leave the table straightaway, wait for her to return before ordering the meal, or else place your order and ask for the food to be delivered within 15 minutes or so, to allow the mother adequate time to care for her baby.
Friends can make a big difference in a nursing mother's trip to a restaurant by offering to care for the baby by holding the baby or distracting the baby if it is crying so that the mother will have a break to eat her meal. Mothers with young babies often feel that they are ruining the outing for everyone else. But a true friend will never even suggest that the baby is a nuisance or that the mother should have left the baby at home with the father or a babysitter.
Nursing mothers should be supported and encouraged to enjoy themselves when they go out for a meal so that they can relax and make the most of their time spent with friends. If you make the slightest suggestion that the baby is causing a disturbance, the mother will feel guilty for even bringing her baby along or she might feel protective of her child and resentful at the remark and avoid coming out with you again in future. That is why kindness, compassion and empathy are required when taking a nursing mother out with you to a restaurant.
Published by Sophie S - Featured Contributor in Lifestyle
Sophie is a British expat who has been living abroad in the United States for the past 5 years. She writes on a diverse variety of subjects and is particularly interested in sharing her personal knowledge ab... View profile
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- Nursing mothers will always put the needs of their babies first
- Delay ordering your meal until your friend has returned from taking care of her baby's needs
- Show your support to nursing mothers by helping them with their baby in any way that you can
9 Comments
Post a CommentThanks for the comments.
Sophie
What a lovely article. Sophie's teaching some class! :)
Very good point of view! In fact, any mother is worried about her baby not only when she goes out at a restaurant, but each time she is not next to him. Your idea is great!
So true! It can be hard when they're so young. Nice job!
When we'd take our nurslings out to a restaurant, we'd try our best to feed them right before going in the door, even if it meant a quick nurse in the car. But even then, sometimes they still cried and would want nursed. Once they get to a certain age, they start tracking food as you eat it and I guess they want something at the dinner table too! I've gotten my share of dirty looks from people. Worse, they think you should have to nurse in a bathroom. Like they'd ask for their filet to be served to them in the bathroom!
These are excellent suggestions. :-)
Good information in this article.
Good topic and well handled subject.
Very good advice, Sophie!