As any parent can tell you, going out to eat with young children is never easy. However, trying to grab a quick bite with a baby or toddler is even harder! Between the stroller, crying, cars in the parking lot, and, of course, breastfeeding, as well as everything else going on, babies make everything just a little bit more complicated.
So, when Jackie Johnson-Smith’s baby started crying in the middle of a meal with her husband, she began to nurse him in the middle of the restaurant. After all, what was she supposed to do? But when her husband recieved the bill, he found a strange note from the waitress on it. As it turns out, she had been watching all along. And what the waitress wrote astounded the new parents…
Meet Jackie Johnson-Smith
As a mother of three, Jackie Johnson-Smith, from Des Moines, Iowa, has faced plenty of challenges. However, Smith’s admirable will started to form long before her children, as she grew up as a tough tomboy and also served in the United States Army after high school. After her first child, she dedicated herself to her children, continually challenging herself to become the best mother she could.
Like many young mothers, Smith found little time for herself. So, one night, the kitchen work and home life just became too much for her, and she decided she and her husband needed a family night out!
A Restaurant Meal
While Smith and her husband knew that they were overdue for a date night, they had recently had a baby and could not get a sitter on such short notice. So, a romantic night away would need to wait, and a family pizza night at a local restaurant would need to do.
If you have children, you know that finding the right place to eat can be an adventure in and of itself. After a little bit of searching, Smith and her husband found a kid-friendly place that they thought would work. Of course, the couple could have no idea that their lives would change forever on their night out…
Trying A New Place
As stated, Smith and her husband could not go on a date night just yet. However, they still managed to find a way to spice up their pizza night away from home. Instead of going to an old favorite or local classic, they decided to try something new and more than a little different!
Ultimately the couple landed on Fong’s Pizza on 4th Street in Des Moines, Iowa, their hometown. Believe it or not, Fong’s not only serves Chinese food and pizza, but Chinese food-inspired pizza! That’s right, they serve pies like Saucy Sichuan Pizza and Orange Chicken Pizza. There was also another reason that Smith picked Fong’s over other places…
Fong’s Pizza
Ultimately, even more than the food, Smith elected to head to Fong’s because she had heard how great they are with young children, even babies! “I usually don’t go downtown for dinner because lots of places aren’t family-friendly,” Smith explained in an interview, “but I had heard good things about Fong’s.”
And just like the mom had expected, once they got there, their kids were entertained by the tasty food and friendly staff. However, soon enough, Smith’s youngest, the newborn baby, started to cry loudly. It seemed he was hungry, and no Chinese fusion pizza would satisfy his hunger. Smith knew what she needed to do…
A Starving Baby
When the meal began, it seemed that all of Smith’s children were enjoying their time at the restaurant. However, soon enough, the infant began to feel uncomfortable and wanted to be held. From there, he refused to be put down and, within a few minutes, started crying once again.
Almost immediately, Smith could tell what her baby boy needed. You see, at that age, there are only a few reasons why a child would cry like that, the most likely one being hunger. However, Smith did not have a bottle as she did not believe in using formula. Of course, the young mother was aware that she was in a very public place.
In Private
If Smith had been in a private location, like her car or home, she would not have thought twice about breastfeeding. The restaurant, on the other hand, was a place to open the public and, in Smith’s experience, many people seemed to have a problem with her breastfeeding her children in such areas.
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Those who feel uncomfortable by breastfeeding, in turn, caused Smith to feel like an unwanted creature, given their blatant stares of distaste. However, thanks to her first two children, the mother had become more and more comfortable with breastfeeding in public. Over the years, Smith had entirely changed her mind on the whole subject!
The People Who Disagree
As you likely know, many mothers around the world stand up for the right to breastfeed while in public. These women point out that it is the most natural way to give life to the human race, something almost everyone desires. These proponents say that everyone needs to simply get their minds out of the gutter and accept the freedoms of the mothers to raise their children naturally and without glares.
While Smith had not started out as one of these women. Still, by the time she welcomed her third child, she felt much more comfortable breastfeeding in a public space.
“People Can Be Judgmental”
At Fang’s Pizza, Smith, her husband, and her two other boys had already started eating their Chinese food pizza. However, her youngest remained hungry and crying at the table. So, Smith had no other choice but to cover herself and began breastfeeding her baby boy in the restaurant while she ate.
“I usually don’t like to breastfeed in public because people can be judgmental,” Smith recalled. “I tried occupying him with various toys, but he wasn’t relaxing. So I decided to nurse him. I grabbed a cover from my diaper bag, threw it on, and started nursing him in the booth.”
Someone’s Watching
While neither Smith nor her husband noticed it initially, from the very moment she started breastfeeding her baby, someone was watching them. Meanwhile, the young mother simply felt happy that her newborn had stopped crying! However, before long, Smith noticed that their waitress kept eyeing them from afar.
I actually got 17!
Even though the look didn’t seem particularly malicious, Smith began to feel uncomfortable. After all, as stated, there are many who do not like breastfeeding in public, no matter the reason. Soon enough, Smith started to feel ashamed, despite being a paying customer at Fang’s! From there, things only got worse and worse…
Walking By Over and Over
After a few minutes, Smith noticed that their waitress kept walking by, again and again. “The waitress kept walking by, and I was worried she didn’t want me nursing in the restaurant,” Smith said.
Over the years, Smith’s journey with breastfeeding has been “deeply personal with endless woes and triumphs.” However, despite her newfound beliefs on the matter, she was not one to shove them down other people’s throats. After all, Fong’s was a private establishment! So, Smith had no problem respecting the waitress’ apparent wishes, even if she felt it wasn’t right. After another minute, the young mother started to feel so uncomfortable that she wanted to leave!
Feeling Unwelcomed
“We were in a corner of the restaurant where nobody could really see us, but when the waitress came over she noticed me nursing and she gave me this look,” Smith continued. “I immediately started stressing out.” “I thought, ‘Is she thinking that I shouldn’t be doing this now?’ I was just trying to keep my son happy and calm for others in the restaurant,” Smith said.
Smith was no social justice warrior, or at least not while she was out with her family trying to have a nice day out and take a load off. If anything, the young mother felt more worried about them being kicked out for “inappropriate behavior.” So, the young mother sacrificed her night out for the family…
I’ll Wait In the Car
Smith felt like saw for breastfeeding her newborn baby. At first, she decided to continue feeding her young boy despite the waitress’ looks. However, when Smith’s son started fussing again, she decided to forgo her night out, head back to the car, and wait for her husband and two sons to finish up.
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While Smith felt sad that her one night out had been cut short, she did not want to be forced into an uncomfortable situation with the waitress. Alone in the car, the young mom fed her son and listened to the radio. She had no idea her husband would soon return with something mind-blowing in his hands.
Back In Fang’s
Back inside Fang’s Pizza, Smith’s husband tried to wrap up as quickly as possible. However, as anyone parent can tell you, with two children, that isn’t exactly the easiest task in the world. Finally, he managed to get them to finish their food, box up the leftovers, and paid for the check.
When the waitress returned the receipt with Smith’s husband’s card, he noticed a bit of handwriting and took a closer. Look and noticed the waitress’ note. Taking his sons by the hands, he hurried to the car to show Smith what the waitress had written – she would not believe it!
Leaving a Note
After reading the note from their waitress, Bodi Kinney, of Des Moines, Smith’s husband rushed to the car with his sons. There, Smith sat, feeding her son and waiting for them. Without saying a word, he handed his wife the check with the note.
“I bought one of your pizzas…” the note read, as you can see in the photo above. “Please thank your wife for breastfeeding!” It seemed that Ms. Kinney had not hated that Smith had breastfed in the restaurant, but instead loved it. Of course, this story does not end here! Not only did the couple desperately wanted to find a way to repay the incredible waitress, but they also wanted to know the reasoning behind her thinking…
A Special Gift
After Smith read the note from their waitress, she was at a loss for words. “I was in total shock and started tearing up,” Smith said when she read that Kinney not only thanked her for breastfeeding, but paid for a pizza. As you can imagine, after raising her first two children, Smith never expected a reaction like that.
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“After dealing with people’s reactions for so long, it was like the universe was giving me a pat on the back. I was too stunned to go back inside and thank the waitress.” However, soon enough, Smith did gather the courage to ask Kinney why she loved her breastfeeding in public so much…
“Thrilled She Did It”
Few mothers can say that they’ve ever had a cheerleader quite like waitress Bodi Kinney. Speaking of seeing Smith, she said, “As soon as I saw her nursing in the restaurant, I was in awe. I immediately thought, ‘Right on!’”
“She really lit up my night,” Kinney continued. “Without making a big scene or making her uncomfortable, I really wanted to thank her for breastfeeding and tell her I supported her.” However, before Kinney could think of something, Smith and her son had left the restaurant. “That’s when I decided that I would pay for one of the pizzas she ordered!” Smith felt that she could not keep this miracle to herself and shared it on Facebook shortly after. She had no idea it would take the world by storm…
Going Viral
Even back at home, Smith could not stop looking at the receipt. “I kept reading the note over and over and over again in shock,” Smith said. She so appreciated Kinney’s gesture that Smith shared the experience with a post on her Facebook. “I have breastfed three children…I have breastfed them in a countless number of places, both pleasant and unpleasant, discreetly and out in the open,” she started the post.
“I have gotten many looks and stares, but tonight erases any negativity I have ever received. I ate at Fong’s for the first time tonight.” Smith then continued sharing her exciting experience, without even knowing that it would soon go viral…
Fellow Moms
“I was speechless and emotional,” Smith continued in her now-viral Facebook post. “Although I don’t need a pat on the back for feeding my child, it sure felt amazing. It is amazing how we women can make each other feel when we empower each other.” Meanwhile, Kinney said, “I was a nursing mother too, and we really need the support.”
People often say that it takes a village to raise a child; however, mothers can often feel alone while breastfeeding in public. So, Smith felt incredibly grateful for some empathy from someone else. However, later, many mothers wanted to make something clear: this in no way condones random acts of kindness to pregnant women or moms!
Expressing Empathy
As you might imagine, it would be simply downright creepy if someone went around approaching every breastfeeding mom out there, let alone rewarding them. So, as a general rule, don’t! If you know the mom and you know you can talk about the subject, then great. But if that’s not the situation, don’t make moms feel uncomfortable.
Kinney’s case is entirely different, though, for a good reason. You see, she never wanted to make Smith feel uncomfortable. On the contrary, she did her a solid by paying for her pizza and expressing empathy. “I teared up, I was emotional. I have breastfed for five years, on and off, and I never got such positive affirmation for what I was doing,” Smith said.
Anywhere, Anytime
Bodi Kinney knew precisely what Smith was going through, as she later admitted. “I nurse my baby no matter where I am…” she stated. After all, those with children know that hunger can strike babies anytime, anywhere, from buying groceries to shopping for clothes.
“[P]eople often react negatively,” she said. “Recently, I had to leave my daughter’s school play to nurse my 8-month-old for fear of offending someone. I wanted to let this woman know in some shape or form, that she was doing the right thing,” Smith said. Meanwhile, the young mother was deeply touched by Kinney’s show of support. “Breastfeeding can make you feel so vulnerable,” she said.
Acceptance
Breastfeeding moms want nothing more than acceptance. Whether or not breastfeeding is how you want to feed your kid, it’s the most natural method that we mammals feed their newborns, so it’s just best to respect a mother’s choice. For instance, Smith’s past experiences with breastfeeding in public have not always been as pleasant.
“I’ve been stared at, given dirty looks. People said, ‘There are places for that,’” Smith said. “With my first child, I really felt the pressure and fear. I hid in the car whenever I had to breastfeed.” That’s why when Jackie read Kinney’s note, she felt the urge to go back and thank her in person.
A Great Birthday
A few days later, after finding Kenney’s husband on Facebook, Smith saw a perfect opportunity to give Kinney a proper thank you. “Please thank your wife for me,” she wrote. “I should have re-entered the restaurant and thanked her in person. I still should.”
“I was amazed at her kindness and how she went above and beyond to make me feel comfortable and accepted,” she said. While she may not have returned that day to say thank you, the note had a real impact on Smith. Today, the mother continues working on making the world a better place for new moms everywhere…
Normalizing Breastfeeding
Smith’s heartfelt message to Kinney informed her how she touched women all over the United States by her empathy gesture. Society, Smith remarked, has put breastfeeding in jeopardy, which is actually the reason their story went viral. You see, breastfeeding moms feel that there is an urgent need to change public perception.
The virality indicated that “not only the need for normalizing breastfeeding and making breastfeeding mothers feel welcome and comfortable nursing in public, but in turn, the need for women supporting and empowering one another.” Smith said, “I truly believe breastfeeding is the right thing to do. I’m giving nutrition to my babies, it has no bearing on anyone else.”
People Leaving The Room
Throughout her journey as a breastfeeding mom, Smith has found herself in some uncomfortable situations. “I have definitely been made to feel uncomfortable and unwanted,” Smith told Kinney. “I have encountered countless stares and obvious looks of distaste and uncomfortableness.”
“I once overheard a woman mentioning how there were nursing rooms available in the mall while I sat near her nursing my son with a cover on. I have had people leave the room because they were so uncomfortable with me nursing in their presence.” Unfortunately, this is just a symptom of a more significant issue…
Society Scares Mothers
Smith also pointed out that “there are more and more nursing mothers every day, but do we see them nursing in public?” Smith believes she has figured out the reason why. “Society has scared these mothers to be afraid to nurse in public,” she said.
“Will they be the next woman to be asked to stop or leave? Will she get confronted by a stranger who disapproves of how or where she is feeding her child? Nursing mothers are often seen as self-righteous as we band together.” That’s why Kinney’s gesture meant so much to the mother-of-three, she felt like someone was finally acknowledging that it was perfectly fine to feed your baby, even out in the public!
Offended by a Bottle
Smith doesn’t feel like formula feeders should be excluded from this solidarity, though. “Formula feeders can feed their babies anytime, any place,” Smith continued. “No one is offended by a bottle. No one thinks our babies shouldn’t be fed either, but they are often quick to let us know that they want us to take it somewhere else where they don’t have to see it.”
Smith believes that the important thing here isn’t supporting either formula or breastfeeding, but just letting a mother do what she thinks it’s best for their children. And more importantly, for people not to judge a mother when they are just trying to take care of their child. Just try to show some empathy!
Going Back to Basics
Smith truly believes breastfeeding has changed her life and the lives of her children. You see, by providing them with only breast milk, Smith is subsequently providing her children with all the nutrients and minerals they could possibly need. Smith also uses cloth diapers, saying she prefers “going back to the basics,” while also being more environmental-friendly.
“Breastfeeding is not black and white. I absolutely encourage it. However, any mother, whether they work or stay at home, breastfeed or use formula, knows what is best for her family and children. “And every mother just should trust that,” Smith said. Of course, Jackie Johnson-Smith is far from the only mother who has made a decision that many others did not appreciate, despite the mother thinking it’s the best thing to do…
No Sugar
These days, almost everyone, everywhere tries to eat healthy at least some of the time. Then, there are people like Shannon Cooper from Brisbane, Australia. Shannon, a single mom, is more than healthy. She has dedicated her life to finding the healthiest way to live a happy and fulfilling life – especially when it comes to what kind of food to eat.
As stated, Cooper had to look not just after herself, but the life of her daughter as well. However, her decisions on how to do this have proved quite controversial over the year. Most of all, people have called out her decision to not allow her daughter to eat any sugar while growing up. And when you see the results, you’ll wonder who is in the right…
“You Are What You Eat”
As the old saying goes, “you are what you eat,” and no one knows this better than Australian Shannon Cooper. You see, Cooper has spent most of her adult life studying different types of foods and what they do to the human body. What’s more, according to the young mother, the food we eat either becomes one of two things: fuel or poison.
While you’ve probably heard the saying “you are what you eat,” you probably haven’t “you are what you eat, ate.” However, this another concept that Cooper strongly believes in. What she means is, you don’t only need to worry about the chicken you eat. You need to worry about what the chicken you bought ate while it lived on the farm. To prove her point, the young mother points out that a free-range hen’s egg can contain up to 19 times more Omega-3 content caged hens’ eggs. Needless to day, Cooper truly cares about what she eats!
The Power of Knowledge
So, how does Shannon Cooper know so much about food and what we eat? Well, she has a degree in agricultural science! In case you don’t know, the degree focuses on the plants that are grown for human consumption. As Cooper continued to learn more and more about the subject, it really made her start to question everything she had ever been taught.
After she graduated from college, Cooper decided to make some drastic changes in her life. What’s more, when Cooper found out she was expecting a child, she knew that she wanted to raise her daughter in the healthiest way possible. Unsurprisingly, this led to some rather strange decisions, though Cooper continues to stand by them, no matter what her critics say. To see what happened next, click “Next Post” below…