Queer Female Nurse Teaches Breastfeeding. Huh?

I am fascinated with breastfeeding. Yes, I know that sounds a bit odd, but it's true.

Sidenote: Student Nurse is also queer.

No, I am not fascinated with the breasts of the Mothers per se, or with the Mothers as sexual potential. I am fascinated with the miracle of breastfeeding and the connection between mother/baby.

Still, I wonder how a mother feels when I walk in the room. She may suspect that I am lesbian: I have a stereotypical gay haircut, wear an aids bracelet, and no wedding ring.

Heck, I don't wear birkenstocks like I do outside the hospital, but I'm sure some of them suspect.

There they are, sitting in their hospital beds, lovingly holding and feeding their baby. When I walk in, do they wonder, "Is she looking at my breasts because she's interested?" Actually, we are taught to look at the mother's breasts for signs of infection, sores, engorgement, etc. But do they wonder? When I help them get the baby latched on and sucking, are they uncomfortable?

I know there are plenty of queer Maternity Nurses and Breastfeeding Educators out there. I wonder how their patients respond.

The guys in our program had the same dilemma: They were required to care for maternity patients, just like us ladies. Only for them, they often had more difficulty because patients sometimes refused to have a male caregiver

None of my patients refused to have me as their student nurse. I hope none of them wanted to but didn't.