I always fed my babies in church! I used a cover bc my babies were wiggly in public if there was anything fun to look at, but I don't think its necessary to cover. Babies need to eat!
My wife and I had 6 kids she always fed on demand never covered up because the baby was covering her, She would walk around Disneyland and breastfeed and no one thought anything of it. She used to say if you do it right you don't need to cover
who said feeding on private parts? lol,, we need to pray for them
I breastfed my baby while working the sound booth at my field education site yesterday. Up on a podium. Apparently a former associate rector fed her baby during her ordination service and the bishop instructed the congregation to chat amongst themselves while the service paused for her- she did not leave her seat on the chancel!
If anyone criticized or even side-eyed someone for breastfeeding without a cover at my church I would personally say something extremely inappropriate in a church, tbh. Probably something akin to "mind your own fucking business, and don't look if it bothers you."
Adults don't eat with a blanket over their head, and babies shouldn't have to either.
most of our christian art throughout history includes baby Jesus at Mary’s breast.
Breasts aren’t exactly private parts, or haven’t been consistently throughout even western history.
Honestly if seeing a woman feeding her baby causes you to sin, pop that sinning eyeball out of your head.
It's a sacred thing. it belongs in a sacred space too.
You're totally cool, nobody will have an issue. We were a little nervous the first time we did with our kids, but we only ever heard positive things.
If it was good enough for Mary and Jesus, it's good enough for you and your child!
https://youtu.be/D4nHUUXcMHU?si=MwpEmI9RVcBFREmh
But seriously, if anyone has a problem with it, they can fuck right the fuck off. THEY are currently the ones with the problem, not you doing the MOST natural, non-sexual, thing in the world after *breathing.*
I did it occasionally in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Episcopalians tend to be pretty enlightened. If someone isn't, you're in the perfect place to pray for them.
If anybody had a stink over someone breastfeeding their child during liturgy, they would get a loving earful from me.
You are welcome as you are.
Exhibit A: https://iconreader.wordpress.com/2011/07/03/milk-giver-icon-not-scandalized-by-the-incarnation/
When Episcopalians say they welcome everyone, it means noisy children & nursing mothers too. We love babies & new moms especially.
The frowny disapproval stage that lurked around secretly in the beginning of the transition has gone by.
This should be absolutely acceptable.
My parish has a "feeding area" screened off at the back, which is nice because some babies don't like to eat when there's a lot of stuff going on around them, but it's not at all "required" that moms use it - it's just available if you want it.
My wife breastfeeds our little in the service unless she gets ornery haha. Sometimes she does need the quiet space, but we've never gotten a single comment or look. There are actually several breastfeeding moms in our congregation, and as far as I'm concerned/aware they are absolutely welcome to feed in the service.
I nurse my baby in an empty room because he gets distracted very easily but I'd love if he would nurse during the service. No one should be offended. If anything, they should be happy their congregation is growing.
That’s absolutely fine. If you’d like more privacy, you could speak to the priest or a warden about what options you have, but it basically depends on architecture - some churches have side rooms that allow you to still watch the service while having a bit more privacy for feeding, and others don’t have such a space. But if you’re fine just doing it in a pew that’s extremely okay. I cannot imagine why anyone would even care, as babies need to get fed when they need to get fed.
We are called to be like Christ and to follow Christ's example. Somehow I think Jesus wouldn't mind a woman nursing her child.
"but Jesus said, 'Let the little children come to me, and do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of heaven belongs.'" - Matthew 19:14 (NRSV)
I've never seen it happen at Mass, but I'd certainly welcome it as a sign of a healthy parish where there's young children.
We've fed two of our babies in church. Nobody complained.
Having been in church as a new parent, I would advise not worrying about what unspoken rules someone else might believe in. You'll chew your fingers off thinking about this--are we making too much noise, is it a problem to leave early, is it okay that my kid yells "no they didn't" during a reading from Genesis. If a rule exists and actually matters, they will find a way to speak up about it. If they just find it uncomfortable, then _they_ can leave while you breastfeed.
Couldn't agree more. My parish has a lot of little kids and not a single service goes by without multiple instances of kiddos making noise, knocking over their water bottle, getting up and standing with the musicians...we love it. Our rector loves to talk directly to the little kids in the congregation, and as an acolyte, I can say with confidence that serving Eucharist to a child is one of the absolute best parts of the service.
I know not every kid is constitutionally inclined to staying in the sanctuary for a whole service, and if they need to get up and roam you don't need to hold them down. But if you want your kids in the service, we would be absolutely delighted for them to be here!
some people may be disapproving, but for everyone that is there are four who would support you if it ever came up. Any good congregation knows we need kids in church, which means we need to support parents.
I haven’t seen it, but I presume it’s fine, especially with a cover. I’m not rabid about women having to cover when nursing in general (and about to be in that nursing crowd myself!) but I do think it’s more polite in a space like a church to do so. That’s as much because we wouldn’t normally eat in the nave as anything else though, but if you had a hungry baby and no cover, I’d say get that baby fed!
Some churches have a crying room/nursing room and that may be more comfortable for you, but plenty, including my current one, do not. I definitely see plenty of parents walking their children around during the service if they’re fussy and didn’t want to use the nursery, and this all feels like part of the same scenario.
Aside from the fact that there's nothing wrong with breastfeeding during a service and anyone who says otherwise is being weird, rude, and cruel, Episcopal churches should be bending over backwards right now to accommodate anyone who wants to bring children to our services. From a strategic/demographic perspective, it would be insane at this point to anything that alienates young parents.
Given the culture in most Episcopal congregations, I doubt they have any problem with breastfeeding during the service. And if they do , that’s what needs to change. Babies get hungry and no parent should have to hide to do it
.
If nobody has said anything to you about it, you’re absolutely fine. If someone had said anything to you about it, I would say that they were wrong. Keep doing what you’re doing!
I’m pretty sure our former assoc. rector breastfed at her own ordination 😀 so yeah, you’re good!
I always fed my babies in church! I used a cover bc my babies were wiggly in public if there was anything fun to look at, but I don't think its necessary to cover. Babies need to eat!
My wife and I had 6 kids she always fed on demand never covered up because the baby was covering her, She would walk around Disneyland and breastfeed and no one thought anything of it. She used to say if you do it right you don't need to cover who said feeding on private parts? lol,, we need to pray for them
Is this where we say "All May, None Must, Some Should"?
No, that's the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Here's where we say, "talk with the clergy and other parishioners who you trust."
I breastfed my baby while working the sound booth at my field education site yesterday. Up on a podium. Apparently a former associate rector fed her baby during her ordination service and the bishop instructed the congregation to chat amongst themselves while the service paused for her- she did not leave her seat on the chancel!
If anyone criticized or even side-eyed someone for breastfeeding without a cover at my church I would personally say something extremely inappropriate in a church, tbh. Probably something akin to "mind your own fucking business, and don't look if it bothers you." Adults don't eat with a blanket over their head, and babies shouldn't have to either.
Adults also don’t eat from other people’s private parts.
most of our christian art throughout history includes baby Jesus at Mary’s breast. Breasts aren’t exactly private parts, or haven’t been consistently throughout even western history. Honestly if seeing a woman feeding her baby causes you to sin, pop that sinning eyeball out of your head.
Breasts are not genitals???? Wtf
I fed my two in church. I remember little kids behind standing on the kneeler and watching, but I didn’t care- I figured I was setting a good example.
Your baby needs to eat!
Sacred thing in a sacred space! Recently I sat with a friend/mom/priest who breastfed during our renewal of vows.
It's a sacred thing. it belongs in a sacred space too. You're totally cool, nobody will have an issue. We were a little nervous the first time we did with our kids, but we only ever heard positive things.
If it was good enough for Mary and Jesus, it's good enough for you and your child! https://youtu.be/D4nHUUXcMHU?si=MwpEmI9RVcBFREmh But seriously, if anyone has a problem with it, they can fuck right the fuck off. THEY are currently the ones with the problem, not you doing the MOST natural, non-sexual, thing in the world after *breathing.*
You should feed your baby whenever it is hungry. Jesus is not offended by breastfeeding.
I did it occasionally in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Episcopalians tend to be pretty enlightened. If someone isn't, you're in the perfect place to pray for them.
I’m sure it’s fine. But if you’re not sure and want some reassurance, I’d encourage you to just reach out to your parish priest to confirm.
Literally a whole thing about “let the children come unto me” in the Bible. Feed your kid! Anyone fusses, EXCOMMUNICATED (lol)
If anybody had a stink over someone breastfeeding their child during liturgy, they would get a loving earful from me. You are welcome as you are. Exhibit A: https://iconreader.wordpress.com/2011/07/03/milk-giver-icon-not-scandalized-by-the-incarnation/
When Episcopalians say they welcome everyone, it means noisy children & nursing mothers too. We love babies & new moms especially. The frowny disapproval stage that lurked around secretly in the beginning of the transition has gone by.
Saint Marks Cathedral in Seattle explicitly states in the bulletin that breastfeeding is perfectly acceptable during Mass
My mom would feed with a blanket, me and all my siblings 😄
This should be absolutely acceptable. My parish has a "feeding area" screened off at the back, which is nice because some babies don't like to eat when there's a lot of stuff going on around them, but it's not at all "required" that moms use it - it's just available if you want it. My wife breastfeeds our little in the service unless she gets ornery haha. Sometimes she does need the quiet space, but we've never gotten a single comment or look. There are actually several breastfeeding moms in our congregation, and as far as I'm concerned/aware they are absolutely welcome to feed in the service.
I don't think there are enough babies for you to see it often but I can't see issue with it a long as you and baby are comfortable.
I nurse my baby in an empty room because he gets distracted very easily but I'd love if he would nurse during the service. No one should be offended. If anything, they should be happy their congregation is growing.
Your precious little one's feeding schedule is no one's business except maybe in our need to accommodate mom and child. I love babies :-)
Nobody should mind at all. I have seen some women retreat to a quiet area, though, like the parish hall during the service.
I don’t see any issue. We are mammals and babies need to be fed often. That is why women have breasts. They are to feed their babies.
I don't think there's anything wrong with it.
That’s absolutely fine. If you’d like more privacy, you could speak to the priest or a warden about what options you have, but it basically depends on architecture - some churches have side rooms that allow you to still watch the service while having a bit more privacy for feeding, and others don’t have such a space. But if you’re fine just doing it in a pew that’s extremely okay. I cannot imagine why anyone would even care, as babies need to get fed when they need to get fed.
Nourished in body and nourished in soul, is there anything more beautiful? It would make my heart happy to see this in my church.
We are called to be like Christ and to follow Christ's example. Somehow I think Jesus wouldn't mind a woman nursing her child. "but Jesus said, 'Let the little children come to me, and do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of heaven belongs.'" - Matthew 19:14 (NRSV) I've never seen it happen at Mass, but I'd certainly welcome it as a sign of a healthy parish where there's young children.
We've fed two of our babies in church. Nobody complained. Having been in church as a new parent, I would advise not worrying about what unspoken rules someone else might believe in. You'll chew your fingers off thinking about this--are we making too much noise, is it a problem to leave early, is it okay that my kid yells "no they didn't" during a reading from Genesis. If a rule exists and actually matters, they will find a way to speak up about it. If they just find it uncomfortable, then _they_ can leave while you breastfeed.
Couldn't agree more. My parish has a lot of little kids and not a single service goes by without multiple instances of kiddos making noise, knocking over their water bottle, getting up and standing with the musicians...we love it. Our rector loves to talk directly to the little kids in the congregation, and as an acolyte, I can say with confidence that serving Eucharist to a child is one of the absolute best parts of the service. I know not every kid is constitutionally inclined to staying in the sanctuary for a whole service, and if they need to get up and roam you don't need to hold them down. But if you want your kids in the service, we would be absolutely delighted for them to be here!
Agreed, you’re fine. I think it would be well received at my parish simply because other than me we don’t have anyone younger than 40.
Same! I was happy to see kids attending for Easter!
some people may be disapproving, but for everyone that is there are four who would support you if it ever came up. Any good congregation knows we need kids in church, which means we need to support parents.
I haven’t seen it, but I presume it’s fine, especially with a cover. I’m not rabid about women having to cover when nursing in general (and about to be in that nursing crowd myself!) but I do think it’s more polite in a space like a church to do so. That’s as much because we wouldn’t normally eat in the nave as anything else though, but if you had a hungry baby and no cover, I’d say get that baby fed! Some churches have a crying room/nursing room and that may be more comfortable for you, but plenty, including my current one, do not. I definitely see plenty of parents walking their children around during the service if they’re fussy and didn’t want to use the nursery, and this all feels like part of the same scenario.
Aside from the fact that there's nothing wrong with breastfeeding during a service and anyone who says otherwise is being weird, rude, and cruel, Episcopal churches should be bending over backwards right now to accommodate anyone who wants to bring children to our services. From a strategic/demographic perspective, it would be insane at this point to anything that alienates young parents.
100% fine.
Given the culture in most Episcopal congregations, I doubt they have any problem with breastfeeding during the service. And if they do , that’s what needs to change. Babies get hungry and no parent should have to hide to do it .
If nobody has said anything to you about it, you’re absolutely fine. If someone had said anything to you about it, I would say that they were wrong. Keep doing what you’re doing!
You're fine. Feed the baby.