I walked into my neighborhood coffee shop today hoping to do some work. As I stood in line for my drink, I heard a very unhappy newborn wailing from inside the bathroom. (I know from experience that bathroom doesn’t have a changing table, so I could just imagine the poor kiddo being changed on the icy, dirty bathroom floor)
I immediately remembered my second son, how he just screamed and screamed during public diaper changes. I once took him to a literary event–my favorite professor was reading from her new book–and he howled his face off in the bathroom. I knew the entire audience heard and I emerged from the bathroom hot-faced and frazzled. And I was a second-time mom who’d previously survived a 100-day-scream-a-saurus infant!
When this mama emerged from the bathroom, she seemed outwardly cool as a cucumber. Totally nonplussed! She just walked back to her seat and waiting friend, resuming her conversation while standing to sway with her wee babe.
I was so excited to see several women inside the coffee shop hurry over to reassure this woman. One said, “We were all babies once. You’re doing great!” I leaned over to tell her that my second son did just the same thing during public diaper changes. She smiled, told her supporters the little dude was 9 weeks old and still has a strong startle reflex. And then she returned to her conversation.
What a confident mama she is!
I have another friend who recently shared that a stranger bought her a drink and a bagel (maybe it was a muffin?) when she was nursing her son, saying she looked “busy and hungry.”
Amidst sensational stories of public breastfeeding shaming and angry editorials claiming babies don’t belong in public places, I love seeing these small movements of support for young families. They restore my faith in humanity!
Have you supported a new mom in public recently? Or are you a new mom who got some public support? Leave us a comment to share your experience!
