breastfeeding in public

seehawkmomma

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

I could NEVER have a blanket over my daughters head...its was uncomfortable for me and for her. There are ways of breast feeding in public discreetly.

I think the issue is the fact that some women dont make it very discreet.

KitCatMcG

I swore I wasn't going to post on this topic. I should not have even read it ..... but, since I have. Why on earth not near food?

And anyone who thinks a baby *should* be fed with a blanket over his/her head should try eating under a blanket! Clearly it works for some mums and/or babies, but that is different from thinking it is some "rule".

General comment: Breast feeding is natural. Any time, any place, anywhere - wherever it suits mum and bubs. If other people don't like it, they always have the choice to leave.

BrettPGH

Maybe saying this will make it clearer.

Most people "opposed" to breastfeeding in public (on this thread) aren't even that strongly against it. Mostly saying "just cover up" and "be modest". A lot of people saying "I don't need to see that!" You want your sensibilities to be respected in a public place. I get that.

Now imagine I'm a Muslim. Of the rather strict variety. I don't think it's modest that any of you ladies are going out in public not covered up completely. My sensibilities are offended. When I'm out with my family I think you should all have a little class and decency and cover your entire body as not to offend me. I don't need to see that.

Do you feel my wishes should be respected?

lilac67

I think the issue is the fact that some women dont make it very discreet.

Agreed!!

Demwitted

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

Maybe I'm a country bumpkin, but my family had absolutely no issues being naked around the house. Everyone saw everyone naked. I spent a lot of time with my grandparents and cousins. When I was 10-13, I helped take care of my cousins which involved diaper changing and bathing them. I also remember being too little to bathe myself and bathing or showering with other people. (My family knew children who had been burned badly by hot water and who had drowned, so they might have been a little over-cautious about it.)

I assure you, I am not traumatized by having seen fat, naked family members as a child. It is not something I think about a lot. It took nothing away from my enjoyment of my husband. Bodies are not shameful, even imperfect bodies.

seehawkmomma

Maybe saying this will make it clearer.

Most people "opposed" to breastfeeding in public (on this thread) aren't even that strongly against it. Mostly saying "just cover up" and "be modest". A lot of people saying "I don't need to see that!" You want your sensibilities to be respected in a public place. I get that.

Now imagine I'm a Muslim. Of the rather strict variety. I don't think it's modest that any of you ladies are going out in public not covered up completely. My sensibilities are offended. When I'm out with my family I think you should all have a little class and decency and cover your entire body as not to offend me. I don't need to see that.

Do you feel my wishes should be respected?

Yea, lets talk about religion and breast feeding

seehawkmomma

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

Maybe I'm a country bumpkin, but my family had absolutely no issues being naked around the house. Everyone saw everyone naked. I spent a lot of time with my grandparents and cousins. When I was 10-13, I helped take care of my cousins which involved diaper changing and bathing them. I also remember being too little to bathe myself and bathing or showering with other people. (My family knew children who had been burned badly by hot water and who had drowned, so they might have been a little over-cautious about it.)

I assure you, I am not traumatized by having seen fat, naked family members as a child. It is not something I think about a lot. It took nothing away from my enjoyment of my husband. Bodies are not shameful, even imperfect bodies.

I dont think it has to do with being naked around the HOUSE. Where you have a right to privacy there. I believe the OP was talking about PUBLIC breast feeding.

BrettPGH

Yea, lets talk about religion and breast feeding

The arguments being made, "modesty" "decency" etc. are the same in both instances.

KimmieBrie

Maybe saying this will make it clearer.

Most people "opposed" to breastfeeding in public (on this thread) aren't even that strongly against it. Mostly saying "just cover up" and "be modest". A lot of people saying "I don't need to see that!" You want your sensibilities to be respected in a public place. I get that.

Now imagine I'm a Muslim. Of the rather strict variety. I don't think it's modest that any of you ladies are going out in public not covered up completely. My sensibilities are offended. When I'm out with my family I think you should all have a little class and decency and cover your entire body as not to offend me. I don't need to see that.

Do you feel my wishes should be respected?

Everyone has cultural and lifestyle differences. This was a specific incident.

Breastfeeding is feeding, nourishing your child, sustaining it's life.
I am for breastfeeding - public, private, covered up, exposed - couldn't care less. The debate was sparked when a woman in a Target shopping store - sat on the disgusting floor in the jeans aisle to feed her child there. I am against that. She is an obstacle and deterrent to shoppers there, an imposition on each and every shopper who went down that aisle or would have but saw her in the way and instead went the other way. Most of us just wish she would have gone off to the side - or the cleaner dressing room that was offered to her. Target is a business that must be run. Their business is shoppers. This woman was being unreasonable and "all about me and my rights" when she was offered a more hygienic solution which wouldn't have imposed on anyone - except that she would have had to pick her butt off the jeans aisle floor.

seehawkmomma

Yea, lets talk about religion and breast feeding

The arguments being made, "modesty" "decency" etc. are the same in both instances.

Well I have to agree with you.

"No one wants to see that"

BrettPGH

Well I have to agree with you.

"No one wants to see that"

So do you understand that just because some people say "I don't want to see that" that does not give them the right to tell other people how to dress/how to feed their baby?

If you wouldn't want someone telling you what's appropriate why is it ok for you to tell someone else?

seehawkmomma

Well I have to agree with you.

"No one wants to see that"

So do you understand that just because some people say "I don't want to see that" that does not give them the right to tell other people how to dress/how to feed their baby?

If you wouldn't want someone telling you what's appropriate why is it ok for you to tell someone else?

I dont think anyone has the right to tell them how to dress/feed themselves or their children.

But when it comes to being PUBLIC I dont want to see a breast flopping about feeding a child.

I know that it is "natural" but its not natural to expose yourself and others in public.

I dont think I would ban it, I would hope that women would consider to being more discreet.

Demwitted

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

Maybe I'm a country bumpkin, but my family had absolutely no issues being naked around the house. Everyone saw everyone naked. I spent a lot of time with my grandparents and cousins. When I was 10-13, I helped take care of my cousins which involved diaper changing and bathing them. I also remember being too little to bathe myself and bathing or showering with other people. (My family knew children who had been burned badly by hot water and who had drowned, so they might have been a little over-cautious about it.)

I assure you, I am not traumatized by having seen fat, naked family members as a child. It is not something I think about a lot. It took nothing away from my enjoyment of my husband. Bodies are not shameful, even imperfect bodies.

I dont think it has to do with being naked around the HOUSE. Where you have a right to privacy there. I believe the OP was talking about PUBLIC breast feeding.

I don't think bodies are shameful in public either. I would not criticize what people wear in public. I am not bothered by skimpy clothes. I would also not criticize an "immodest" breastfeeding mom whose boob may even be completely naked for a whole 5 seconds. It seriously does not bother me. People worry too much about what other people do. If someone doesn't like it, it is their problem and no one else's. Go somewhere else. Avert your eyes. Get really interested in the floor or ceiling. Stop gawking. Solves the problem.

BrettPGH

I dont think anyone has the right to tell them how to dress/feed themselves or their children.

But when it comes to being PUBLIC I dont want to see a breast flopping about feeding a child.

I know that it is "natural" but its not natural to expose yourself and others in public.

I dont think I would ban it, I would hope that women would consider to being more discreet.

So you agree that you don't have the right to tell them not to breastfeed in public. And you don't have the right to tell them to cover up.

So if you don't have the right why keep trying to enforce your idea of discretion on other people?

skmolove

:noway: Never in all the years since i nursed have i ever seen so much debate about this issue. i am truly amazed that its an issue. i nursed all 3 of my babies and never once was i approached and asked to go elsewhere.

moms with experience can feed their babies w/o anyone else knowing. when i was a new mom i wasn't comfortable doing it in public. once i had lots of practice, then i would feed my babies anytime anywhere. i usually wore a nursing bra, nursing tanktop , a loose fitting top then covered my baby with a Maya Wrap or blanket.

it wasn't until i had nursed that i could spot another mom... which i have always noticed b/c the blanket draped over the shoulder. we are descreet, for the most part. shame on all of you that make this into such a controversy.

don't knock it untill you've tried it...your opinion too will change someday. To your question...is it ok to breastfeed in public? I SAY YES!!!

tlsegar

Maybe saying this will make it clearer.

Most people "opposed" to breastfeeding in public (on this thread) aren't even that strongly against it. Mostly saying "just cover up" and "be modest". A lot of people saying "I don't need to see that!" You want your sensibilities to be respected in a public place. I get that.

Now imagine I'm a Muslim. Of the rather strict variety. I don't think it's modest that any of you ladies are going out in public not covered up completely. My sensibilities are offended. When I'm out with my family I think you should all have a little class and decency and cover your entire body as not to offend me. I don't need to see that.

Do you feel my wishes should be respected?

Let me ask this - if other people could care less about what offends me, why should I care about what offends other people? If breastfeeding moms don't care that I would rather not see boob, I don't really care how they feel about my view. This is what you have to deal with in a free society. You as a conservative Muslim may not appreciate seeing women dressed in nothing less than a full burqa, but if you live in this country you just have to suck it up and deal with it It's legal for women to dress in revealing clothing so there's not really anything you can do about it. Just like breastfeeding in public is legal so there's not really anything anyone can do about it. But that doesn't stop people from having an opinion either way.

seehawkmomma

I dont think anyone has the right to tell them how to dress/feed themselves or their children.

But when it comes to being PUBLIC I dont want to see a breast flopping about feeding a child.

I know that it is "natural" but its not natural to expose yourself and others in public.

I dont think I would ban it, I would hope that women would consider to being more discreet.

So you agree that you don't have the right to tell them not to breastfeed in public. And you don't have the right to tell them to cover up.

So if you don't have the right why keep trying to enforce your idea of discretion on other people?

I dont think there is anything wrong with trying to be discret and modest. Call me old fashion.

I didnt realize I was "forcing". I assusmed I was suggesting that women be more discreet because I dont want to see their breasts in public. I feel the same way about women bluding out of their shirt without a child.

BrettPGH

Let me ask this - if other people could care less about what offends me, why should I care about what offends other people? If breastfeeding moms don't care that I would rather not see boob, I don't really care how they feel about my view. This is what you have to deal with in a free society. You as a conservative Muslim may not appreciate seeing women dressed in nothing less than a full burqa, but if you live in this country you just have to suck it up and deal with it It's legal for women to dress in revealing clothing so there's not really anything you can do about it. Just like breastfeeding in public is legal so there's not really anything anyone can do about it. But that doesn't stop people from having an opinion either way.

I agree with you completely. You have every right to be offended. This country is not about people being able to go through life and never see anything that they don't like. It's about each of us being free to live our lives as we so choose, without harming others.

So while you may not like it and you may be offended you have no right to tell another woman what she can and can not do in regards to feeding her baby.

But you certainly don't have to like it. So long as you agree to let them make their own choices and you can make yours.

p.s. I'm not a Muslim. I just see parallels in the argument.

tlsegar

Let me ask this - if other people could care less about what offends me, why should I care about what offends other people? If breastfeeding moms don't care that I would rather not see boob, I don't really care how they feel about my view. This is what you have to deal with in a free society. You as a conservative Muslim may not appreciate seeing women dressed in nothing less than a full burqa, but if you live in this country you just have to suck it up and deal with it It's legal for women to dress in revealing clothing so there's not really anything you can do about it. Just like breastfeeding in public is legal so there's not really anything anyone can do about it. But that doesn't stop people from having an opinion either way.

I agree with you completely. You have every right to be offended. This country is not about people being able to go through life and never see anything that they don't like. It's about each of us being free to live our lives as we so choose, without harming others.

So while you may not like it and you may be offended you have no right to tell another woman what she can and can not do in regards to feeding her baby.

But you certainly don't have to like it. So long as you agree to let them make their own choices and you can make yours.

p.s. I'm not a Muslim. I just see parallels in the argument.

And every breastfeeding mother has the right to be offended by comments or stares. It works both ways. Generally I'm not one to try to force my views on others, so I've never actively tried to stop a mother breastfeeding in public. A simply eye roll or blank expression will suffice. But your right to pop out your breast in public for the purpose of feeding doesn't protect you from the comments or looks from others. That's the cost of living in a free society. I can't do anything about exposed boobies and the owners of said boobies can't do anything about the reactions. Such is life.

P.S. I didn't think you were Muslim.

bloodbank

A topic about small mammals eating the way small mammals do, in front of other mammals... with this many posts? I'm lol'in here, guys.