to hate it when people offer to "nurse" my child, when they mean hold?

[bohemianbint]

I know, it's an old people thing, and I am probably being a tad unreasonable, but it's a phrase I hate in that context.

I nurse (breastfeed) mY child, and everyone else can just hold him.

AIBU?

If you are then so am I. MIL offered to nurse ds last weekend, and I had to bite my lip to refrain from making a comment.

I think it's sweet!
YABU, I'm afraid!

actually that IS a bit weird.
I have never heard anyone say nurse when they just mean hold.
to me it means breastfeed. how odd.

My mum says that alot, just an older persons thing.

i have never heard that in my life !

when dd was a baby people always used to ask for a munch which did my head in loads.

I've never heard the expression used in that way either. I'd be bloody impressed if my MIL could nurse 15 years post-menopause.

It just conjures up all kinds of images. I'm not dissing crossfeeders but I don't really want my MIL feeding my baby!

My grandmothers say this.
I think it is lovely.
Old-fashioned, and well-meaning.

I don't like the expression in either context - no reason, its just one of those phrases that makes my teeth itch

It is an old fashioned expression, perfectly normal for grannies of a certain age.

"nurse" is an Americanism meaning "breast feed", as opposed to the english meaning - caring for and ministering to the sick. It really doesn't worry me - there is a huge variation in the way people use vocabulary and language, and it evolves constantly over time.

YABU

Nurse in the context of BFeeding I always think of as American. IMO to nurse meaning to hold/cuddle is nice and old-fashioned, it's usually older women that say it. Just thank your lucky stars that someone's offering!

Its an old person thing. You cant get annoyed at the oldies!!

This is my MIL's favourite expression. Sets my teeth on edge every time she says it.

I agree with you. MIL offered to nurse DS2 and DH and I exchanged horrified glances until we got what she meant .

Not a phrase i'd use other than in the context of breastfeeding to be honest but guess it may be a generational thing.

YABU. It's a perfectly normal expression and is defined in the dictionary.

YABU (IMO )....I think it is such a lovely offer and always accept.

there's lots of perfectly normal words that make me feel slighly sick.

Actually it isn't an Americanism.

My OED has it as a verb, and states that:

late middle english, contraction of nourice, from Old French, from late Latin nutricia, feminine of Latin nutricius "person that nourishes"
the verb was originally a contraction of nourish.

so to nurse, orignally meant to feed or nourish. although obviously more recently to care for someone has become the more used form

I have seen patterns for "nursing" nightdresses from the 1900's, so it's not a new thiung here.

I think it was used over here, and then went out of fashion and is now coming back in.

My mum says it!! and she's only 40!!! winds me up too!!

as anyone likely to use the expression is also likely to be well past the age when breast feeding would be possible - YABU. Be grateful someone wants to hold them.

That is interesting thisisyesterday - the first time I heard it used in the context of breast feeding was when I went to live in America. I had worked as a midwife in the uk for many years previously and had only heard it in the form of the text book term "nursing mother", rather than in the way it was used in general parlance in USA.

Different uses of language make life more interesting, I think.

My friend had a baby a few years back (11 to be exact) and I went to visit her in hospital. Sat on the bed with her and conversation went like this

her - 'would you like a nurse'.

me - 'what do I need a nurse for' (thinking the dr variety).

her - 'not a dr nurse, a nurse of the baby'

She's never let me forget it. That's why i'm called dizzy I suppose.