breastfeeding in public

ajbeans

the only reason I could think of for her NOT to go to a private area would be to cause a scene.

Or because she wants to finish her shopping. Or because she wants to finish her lunch. Or because she's spending time with friends. Or because she's running late for an appointment and the baby's hungry and she doesn't have time to go somewhere else right now.

Or simply because she doesn't want to be discriminated against. A mother using a bottle would never be asked to "do that in a more private place."

ajbeans

I love the "feed the baby before you go out" stuff. From people who don't have a baby. Babies dont' always operate on a schedule. They sometimes go through growth spurts of a week at a time when they're hungry pretty much constantly. They throw up and then get hungry again. They have a giant poop and then get hungry again. Sometimes they have a tummy ache and want to eat more to make it feel better. Sometimes they can't get to sleep without nursing, and they get tired and cranky even though it's not normal naptime. Formula-fed babies have these issues too. Babies are human beings, and they have needs that sometimes don't work neatly in with what we want to do.

I've always been very careful about working my life around my babies' schedule because they can't change and I can. So yes, I fed them before we went out. And yet, sometimes I still had to nurse them in public. Sometimes I even had to go somewhere and change a diaper because they didn't poop on schedule. Sometimes they fell asleep when I was taking them to meet a friend for the first time. Sometimes they cried in the store and wouldn't stop. Oh the horrors of my non-robot children!

ajbeans

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ajbeans

If you were putting the blanket over the baby's head, you were doing it wrong, lol, you're supposed to cover yourself, not the baby, lol!!

Have you seen the nursing covers? They go over baby's head, and usually the whole baby. And covering just your breast is difficult, and still irritating for the baby, because the baby's face is right there attached to your breast. The blanket gets down there on the baby's cheek and it's annoying, and you have to hold it there to keep it from falling off as the baby squirms, while at the same time trying to hold, you know, the BABY securely. It's not easy, and at least in my case, caused more of a stir than just not worrying about it.

Scorpiomom222

I love the "feed the baby before you go out" stuff. From people who don't have a baby. Babies dont' always operate on a schedule. They sometimes go through growth spurts of a week at a time when they're hungry pretty much constantly. They throw up and then get hungry again. They have a giant poop and then get hungry again. Sometimes they have a tummy ache and want to eat more to make it feel better. Sometimes they can't get to sleep without nursing, and they get tired and cranky even though it's not normal naptime. Formula-fed babies have these issues too. Babies are human beings, and they have needs that sometimes don't work neatly in with what we want to do.

I've always been very careful about working my life around my babies' schedule because they can't change and I can. So yes, I fed them before we went out. And yet, sometimes I still had to nurse them in public. Sometimes I even had to go somewhere and change a diaper because they didn't poop on schedule. Sometimes they fell asleep when I was taking them to meet a friend for the first time. Sometimes they cried in the store and wouldn't stop. Oh the horrors of my non-robot children!

Love this!!!

Scorpiomom222

If you were putting the blanket over the baby's head, you were doing it wrong, lol, you're supposed to cover yourself, not the baby, lol!!

Have you seen the nursing covers? They go over baby's head, and usually the whole baby. And covering just your breast is difficult, and still irritating for the baby, because the baby's face is right there attached to your breast. The blanket gets down there on the baby's cheek and it's annoying, and you have to hold it there to keep it from falling off as the baby squirms, while at the same time trying to hold, you know, the BABY securely. It's not easy, and at least in my case, caused more of a stir than just not worrying about it.

My daughter HATED the blanket! And so did I! Know why? She got too hot, she had trouble latching(because I couldn't see to latch her) she pulled the blanket off, anyway, and it was all around totally NOT discreet. Discreet means almost nobody knows. If you would have seen me and my daughter trying to use a frickin blanket, it would have been obvious to the WORLD what I was doing. She'd tug on a nursing cover too and made it uncomfortable to wear. So NO! I will NOT cover ! My shirt and baby's head covers enough, thank you!

AtticusFinch

I consider the mother in this pic being modest, what's so bad about that? She's not covering up her baby's head.(in reference to above post)

You missed the point Lilac - the cartoon was directed at the the tarty women in the drawing applying a double standard.

Public breastfeeding is perfectly acceptable if you have the brass neck to do it. If you do it however, don't take issue with anyone who looks at you doing it. They may be perving, but they may also be trying hard not to look uncomfortable and not avoid gazing in your direction.

What I find unacceptable is people having loud conversations on mobile phones - but that's a whole different onion.

Marla64

Nail on the head-- perfect.

Scorpiomom222

Nail on the head-- perfect.

Oh look! A baby is eating his lunch! And there's two broads, with 5 inches of clothing on!

Marla64

Nail on the head-- perfect.

Oh look! A baby is eating his lunch! And there's two broads, with 5 inches of clothing on!

Gasp! Is that a naked baby you have on your ticker? Scandalous!

floshideaway

I breastfed both my kids in public and never had rude comments. My children have seen me naked countless times while growing up and I have seen them too until they moved out. I remember seeing my parents as well. Being from Europe probably explains that. We are way more comfortable with ourselves and not such prudes as people in this country. God gave us a body and meant for us to be comfortable in it. Both my children have a very healthy attitude and love hanging out naked in their homes, I don't do it as much because gravity has taken its toll, lol....This is what feeling good about ourselves is all about

Scorpiomom222

Nail on the head-- perfect.

Oh look! A baby is eating his lunch! And there's two broads, with 5 inches of clothing on!

Gasp! Is that a naked baby you have on your ticker? Scandalous!

Oh NOOO! The world is coming to an end! I'm meeeeeeelllltiiing!

Demwitted

tchristine24:
{quote}
I recall one poster saying they didn't care if it was public or private. But I do understand that the majority of people would rather not do it in public, and that is why breastfeeding rooms or family rooms at stores and malls are becoming more common!
{quote}


I don't know where you are seeing these "breastfeeding rooms." What stores have them? They are a great idea, but I have never seen one.

Granted I have yet to breastfeed a baby (as I do not yet have a baby) so perhaps that is why I haven't seen them, but the closest I have ever seen to a "breastfeeding" or "family room" at a store is a family bathroom. Yes, they are usually bigger and cleaner. Many have benches, but it's still a bathroom. Maybe you live in a more progressive area of the country.

ps... I am quote-box challenged

Scorpiomom222

I breastfed both my kids in public and never had rude comments. My children have seen me naked countless times while growing up and I have seen them too until they moved out. I remember seeing my parents as well. Being from Europe probably explains that. We are way more comfortable with ourselves and not such prudes as people in this country. God gave us a body and meant for us to be comfortable in it. Both my children have a very healthy attitude and love hanging out naked in their homes, I don't do it as much because gravity has taken its toll, lol....This is what feeling good about ourselves is all about

Love this. There should be nothing modest in the family home, I don't think. I grew up around my mom and dad hiding themselves. I then saw what society thought to be attractive. Because I never saw my mom(she's always been kinda heavy after kids) unless she was completely dressed, I thought that unless your body was close to flawless, it was shameful to NOT be flawless. I REALIZED this a little over a year ago, when talking to some parenting friends about how it was getting time to start thinking about not being nude when the kids were up. One of them looked at me and said "why?" And it got me thinking yeah, why?

suzycreamcheese

http://naturesmother.wordpress.com/2011/05/10/breastfeeding-in-public-is-offensive-see-for-yourself/

seehawkmomma

I will quote the last line: "But, sometimes I choose not to exercise my right to breastfeed in public for the sake of others. I choose not to make others feel uncomfortable for the sake of making a political statement. I think breastfeeding in public is terrific. But I think caring for other people is more terrific."

This.

I breast feeding in public can be done gracefully. However, I have seen it done not so gracefully. If you one of those who had your child in a sling and no one was able to see anything i am not talking about that.

I am talking about the floppy boob with Exposure, maybe your shirt is a little high and you can see a little too much or maybe your child wasnt really hungry but your letting it cry with your breast hanging out.

Breast feeding in publicc to make a point is why everyone is so upset I would think.

skinnydreams165

my son is 2, he sees me nude all the time. I have to shower and take him with me in the bathroom and lock the door otherwise he can get out of the house, climb over the gate, fall down the stairs, tip over the high chair while in it etc. I'm a single mom and if someone else lived here it would be easier for me to leave him in the room with them rather than take him in the bathroom with me. Hopefully he won't remember a thing when he gets older, I don't want him having visions of all of this body fat in his head growing up! Id rather have him see his Wife naked then have to remember his mother naked you know

learningtolove

I think as long as mom has a blanket over babys head/boobie and is not near food then its no big deal.

learningtolove

Also,I remeber showering with my aunt and cousin (male) when I was 6 or 7 ( he was 2-3) all nude. She would put the plug in so we could play in the bathtub while she cleaned. She had to shower every few days and couldn't leave us unsupervised so it was win win.

skinnydreams165

tchristine24:
{quote}
I recall one poster saying they didn't care if it was public or private. But I do understand that the majority of people would rather not do it in public, and that is why breastfeeding rooms or family rooms at stores and malls are becoming more common!
{quote}


I don't know where you are seeing these "breastfeeding rooms." What stores have them? They are a great idea, but I have never seen one.

Granted I have yet to breastfeed a baby (as I do not yet have a baby) so perhaps that is why I haven't seen them, but the closest I have ever seen to a "breastfeeding" or "family room" at a store is a family bathroom. Yes, they are usually bigger and cleaner. Many have benches, but it's still a bathroom. Maybe you live in a more progressive area of the country.

ps... I am quote-box challenged

we have a mall that has regular restrooms then it has a special room for mommies and babies with comfy chairs, music, toilets in another area etc.. probably about 200 square feet and it's so nice. i wish more places could afford places like that for nursing mothers. I don't think a child should have to be fed in a bathroom, that is gross, but a nice clean place comfy for mom and baby is great. if there is not a place to go heck, feed your baby wherever you are just cover that breast up! i breast fed and I will do it again if I have more babies.