Gabriela Posted March 24, 2014 Share Posted March 24, 2014 I was at Mass today and a woman in front of me started breastfeeding her baby in the pew, during Mass. I was kinda' surprised. She had one of those little blankets so it was perfectly modest and everything. I just wondered how common this is. In case anyone feels like reading into what I'm saying here, let me just clarify that I have zero problem with women breastfeeding in public. I'm just not sure how I feel about it happening in the pews, during Mass. I'm interested in hearing others' opinions on this, but I'm especially interested to hear (cultural) "policies" on this in the Church throughout the centuries. If anyone can quote priests, bishops, popes, or other Catholic historians or writers on this topic, I'd be really grateful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southern california guy Posted March 24, 2014 Share Posted March 24, 2014 I'm all for it -- as opposed to listening to a crying baby. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havok579257 Posted March 24, 2014 Share Posted March 24, 2014 I was at Mass today and a woman in front of me started breastfeeding her baby in the pew, during Mass. I was kinda' surprised. She had one of those little blankets so it was perfectly modest and everything. I just wondered how common this is. In case anyone feels like reading into what I'm saying here, let me just clarify that I have zero problem with women breastfeeding in public. I'm just not sure how I feel about it happening in the pews, during Mass. I'm interested in hearing others' opinions on this, but I'm especially interested to hear (cultural) "policies" on this in the Church throughout the centuries. If anyone can quote priests, bishops, popes, or other Catholic historians or writers on this topic, I'd be really grateful. it just comes down to a baby being hungry and if you choose to not breastfeed then you deny the baby food. babies are not like adults. you can't tell a baby we will eat after mass an hour later. the baby just knows its hungry and needs food. unless we are saying we should deny a crying baby his food, i don't see what the problem is. if he's hungry feed him. if it bothers others, that's their problem. a person's comfort level should never come before feeding a hungry baby. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Selah Posted March 24, 2014 Share Posted March 24, 2014 Why would it be a problem? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maximillion Posted March 24, 2014 Share Posted March 24, 2014 I agree, I can't see any difficulty. I don't know if there is an 'official' policy on this. I know my own parish priest asks mum's to nurse before Mass and if the babe can't go an hour without a feed, they can go in the vestry if they want, but most don't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrossCuT Posted March 24, 2014 Share Posted March 24, 2014 I see this happen on occasion, nothing to fret about. A mom could go to the back of church or the baby room if they wanted more privacy but some women don't mind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnlySunshine Posted March 24, 2014 Share Posted March 24, 2014 (edited) I was at Mass today and a woman in front of me started breastfeeding her baby in the pew, during Mass. I was kinda' surprised. She had one of those little blankets so it was perfectly modest and everything. I just wondered how common this is. In case anyone feels like reading into what I'm saying here, let me just clarify that I have zero problem with women breastfeeding in public. I'm just not sure how I feel about it happening in the pews, during Mass. I'm interested in hearing others' opinions on this, but I'm especially interested to hear (cultural) "policies" on this in the Church throughout the centuries. If anyone can quote priests, bishops, popes, or other Catholic historians or writers on this topic, I'd be really grateful. I don't think it should be a problem. Babies can't be told to wait when they're hungry and the mother didn't want to leave Mass and be disruptive. As you said, she was covered up. Breastfeeding is perfectly natural and even our Blessed Mother did it because they didn't have formula back then or baby bottles. ;) Edited March 24, 2014 by MaterMisericordiae Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gabriela Posted March 24, 2014 Author Share Posted March 24, 2014 I know my own parish priest asks mum's to nurse before Mass and if the babe can't go an hour without a feed, they can go in the vestry if they want, but most don't. This is what I was expecting, which was surprised. All the moms I've known try to feed before Mass, and if the baby wakes up crying and hungry, then they go to the narthex or cry room and feed. This is the first time I've ever seen someone not do that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basilisa Marie Posted March 24, 2014 Share Posted March 24, 2014 Um, if the Church can commission tons of works of art depicting the Blessed Mother feeding Jesus, there should be zero problem breastfeeding during mass. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FutureCarmeliteClaire Posted March 24, 2014 Share Posted March 24, 2014 Lol TONS of moms at my parish nurse through Mass. Dem babies need to eat! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Archaeology cat Posted March 25, 2014 Share Posted March 25, 2014 I breastfeed in the front pew without a cover almost every Mass. Our Bishopis promoting devotion to Our. Lady of la Leche, so I figure it shouldn't be a problem. With three kids, moving isn't an easy option. Believe me, you don't want my child to have to wait, and I will not do anything to jeopardize breastfeeding him given that it's been a Struggle to breastfeed him and breastfeeding has been the one thing keeping him from having his gallbladder removed this far. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gabriela Posted March 25, 2014 Author Share Posted March 25, 2014 Um, if the Church can commission tons of works of art depicting the Blessed Mother feeding Jesus, there should be zero problem breastfeeding during mass. :) It's not the showing of the breast during Mass that I think might trouble some people. I can't imagine women don't use blankets or "tents" or something to cover themselves when they nurse during Mass. (If a woman didn't cover herself nursing, I would have a problem with it. There are men at Mass, and their minds... wander.) It's the fact that it might be distracting to some people, which makes one wonder if going to the narthex/cry room/wherever is a good idea. I'd like to hear from some men about their views on this, as they're the ones most likely to be distracted by the practice. (Maybe some men have commented? I don't recognize all of you, as I haven't been very active on PM lately!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Selah Posted March 25, 2014 Share Posted March 25, 2014 (edited) If there is a lot of crying, perhaps it would be best to go somewhere else, like a nursery. That's understandable, because it may disrupt things. Otherwise, I really don't see the problem. Breasts are flaps of skin that hold milk to feed babies. They aren't sexual organs. I'll just go ahead and say it (no one has mentioned it, yet, but still); if a man is turned on by a woman breastfeeding, he is sick in the head. This whole thing is such a cultural thing. Women in many countries sit in churches or in their homes topless and feed their children out in the open for everyone to see. It's not seen as sexual, like it is in our culture; it's seen as motherly and tender, because the mother is feeding her children (heck, sometimes, in the privacy of their homes, they wear nothing at all and pretty much breastfeed their children naked). Now, in some Eastern churches where there are no pews, and you are constantly standing, kneeling and prostrating...it may be better to go to the church nursery, if possible. Otherwise, if you have pews, well....there's no problem. Oh, and icons of the Theotokos breastfeeding Christ are awwwweeeesome. Edited March 25, 2014 by Selah Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhuturePriest Posted March 25, 2014 Share Posted March 25, 2014 It's not the showing of the breast during Mass that I think might trouble some people. I can't imagine women don't use blankets or "tents" or something to cover themselves when they nurse during Mass. (If a woman didn't cover herself nursing, I would have a problem with it. There are men at Mass, and their minds... wander.) It's the fact that it might be distracting to some people, which makes one wonder if going to the narthex/cry room/wherever is a good idea. I'd like to hear from some men about their views on this, as they're the ones most likely to be distracted by the practice. (Maybe some men have commented? I don't recognize all of you, as I haven't been very active on PM lately!) There's a picture of Pope Francis washing a woman's feet, and the women is breastfeeding her baby without a cover on. Her breast is completely exposed. He didn't seem to have a problem with it. If there's nothing wrong with toddlers and younger children eating Cheerios at Mass, then there's nothing wrong with feeding a hungry baby during Mass, cover or no cover. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhuturePriest Posted March 25, 2014 Share Posted March 25, 2014 Speaking of images of Mary breastfeeding Jesus, at the seminary, there's a hall of paintings and statues of Mary, and one of larger ones has Mary breastfeeding Jesus. No one has a problem with it, and no one thinks anything of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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