Assume Positive Intent

Thanks to Charity for providing a title to my post-in-draft.

I recently attended a conference about human fertility. This topic is, of course, intimately related to breastfeeding. Another attendee had a baby with her, and as we talked about traveling and moving in the adult world with little people in tow another attendee, a female physician, joined the conversation. She shared a story from one of her patients who nursed in the front pew at church until the priest asked her not to because it was distracting to him. The mother was upset and humiliated and didn't know what to do. The physician suggested that she should respect his wishes not to see her nursing and move back. At this point the discussion turned to ways to cover up and nurse discreetly and how mean people could be to nursing mothers.

Until I brought it back to the idea of positive intent.

My experience is that if you give people the opportunity to treat you well, they will. If you are able to assume positive intent, you will feel better about the interaction.

Instead of thinking "that mean old man thinks that breasts are shameful and normal infant feeding should be hidden" think "wow - he is so moved by the beautiful interaction between mother and baby that he can't concentrate on the homily".

Who knows which version is really true, but really, who cares? I promise that version #2 will make you feel better about the power of mothering and yourself as a mother, whether or not you move back a few pews.