Breastfeeding in public

[Hangin Wit My Peeps]

I must also stress - asking or expecting a mother to nurse her baby in a restroom is very insulting. I have never done that and never will.
I went back to work when my son was little, and INSISTED on a private room to express milk, the company somehow thought it would be OK to do that in the bathroom yikes
(I did get my private room - and they turned it into a library, with a few comfy chairs and a LOCK on the door)

I TOTALLY agree with this! I have seen what sits on toothbrushes that sit in a "clean" bathroom on "how clean is your house" why would I want that "crap" around my babies milk! UGH! THat is just not right!​

 

[speckledhen]

I would for SURE never do it (even covered) in from of someone else's hubby in THEIR home! HOW RUDE!

Glad you think so. That woman was sitting on my couch with my husband sort of squatted in the floor talking to both of us when she did it. I was furious and my husband was more than a little put off by her lack of modesty.​

 

[Promiselandfarm]

I have 8 children all breast-feed. Nothing better for them they get the anitbodies and are proven healthier for it studies have shown. Some studies even suggest they are smarter(*my view on that is still out because I still have kids in school). Well at least the mom was feeding and taking care of her child. I can remember my first time breast feed in public. I am modest so I did cover and we where at a resturant in a booth no less. The man behind me turned around and was so engrossed by me I was embrassed. He could not see anything but I was very uncomfortable. My husband finally said something to him. But as the other poster said it is very hot and uncomfortable on the baby being covered on a hot day.There will be times when the baby will pull that cover off too, at least mine did. More power to that mom who is not ashamed of taking care of her child naturally. I think it is funny how we see a cow nursing, or a foal and think how neat. We see a woman and think??? cover it up?? I understand I society has put the breast down as a sex object but it is really intended to be a feeding mode for children. Look at the African and Amazon peoples, tons of women only cover their bottoms. I about died when my daughter went to Spain on a study abroad trip and told me she went to a topless beach. They are very common there and they make no big deal out of it. I personally would not do this and hope my children are more modest but everyone has different views.

 

[mommy9994]

just another note-- you see less with a baby across a womans body and his/her head covering most of the *ahem* than you do on a woman with a tight, low-cut, sleezy top. OH, and the pants/skirt to match

we had a feed me now meltdown in Jordan Marsh and I went to the bathroom, sat on the throne and fed him.

now THAT is disgusting. Would you have eaten YOUR lunch "on the throne"? I should say not.​

 

[Sunny Side Up]

It seems everyone has their personal definition of what constitutes "modest" breastfeeding in public. There are the extremes of thinking it should only be done behind closed doors (I've even seen moms bf-ing their babes in public toilet stalls, ewww!) to the other extreme of exposing the entire breast, nipple, aureola, recent tatoos, etc, throughout the whole meal, even to switching sides, hello, where's a Nat'l Geographic photographer or Paul Gaugin when you need them?

I think we all should just try to be more considerate of others in whatever situation we find ourselves, and exercise tolerance towards the excesses of others as much as we can.

If you're a bf-ing mom, try to match your modesty to the circumstances around you. If you're alone with just your lady friends, you can let it hang out a little more freely than in a gathering with mixed company or alert children. If you're in a public place, try to gauge the temperment of the people around you. If you're having difficulty managing to nurse discreetly, practice in front of a mirror or a few close pals until you get your technique right.

Just personally, I found the moms who felt they must enrobe themselves with yards of covering fabric in order to nurse even among just women were being a bit too fussy & prudish. Or maybe they really had amazingly beautiful breasts that would make us all blind with envy if we ever got a glimpse of them.

Any time I tried to use a blankie to cover myself my nursing child would grab it and wave it like a flag to attract more attention to ourselves. I learned how to neatly and discreetly cover my babies and my breasts with my baggy shirts and no one ever knew I was nursing. I became skilled at nursing even while walking through stores and standing in the checkout lines, even briefly considered forming a marching troupe of lactating mothers. Sometimes at church someone would see me standing and holding my baby and reach out to take him from my arms to admire him and I'd have to tell them "not right now, he's nursing." They had no idea, it didn't show, it just looked like he was reclining in my arms.

Of course there are still some folks who have issues with any form of bf-ing in any public place, discreet or not. I know that at least in my state of Florida we have a legal right to publicly bf, but certainly not like a Tahitian islander.

I am familiar with your circumstances of sharing PCs at the library, and encountering the noise & distractions from fellow patrons & their lively children. (My personal favorite worst distraction are the folks who must talk to themselves or their computer screens while they work) Hotwings, I don't know if you are a man or a woman. If you're a woman, perhaps if you encounter another indiscreet bf-ing mom you could just politely mention that she's showing too much of her wares to the public. (And get ready to duck) Some moms will thank you nicely, some will get really defensive & mad. If you're a man, perhaps you should play it really safe and just tell a lady librarian about it.

If that doesn't work, get the atlas or some other big book, or get a stack of books, and make yourself a privacy wall. Or wear horse blinkers.

 

[CarriBrown]

I think women should be able feed whenever their child is hungry, but good grief. Just cover up, or at least make an honest attempt.
The ONLY store I know of that has a nursing room is Nordstrom. IMO, to tell a woman, "No, you can't be in public because you have a breastfeeding child" is wrong. I don't think she should have to sit in a dirty bathroom.
I don't have kids yet, so I don't know if this is even possible... but what I would try to do is make sure I'm home when I know the child is going to be hungry or have some formula on hand just in case I can't find a semi private spot.
If I were at another person's home, I would most certainly ask if there was a private place I could go to.

 

[chickiebaby]

Plus if someone's so freaked about men getting somehow turned on, or grossed out, watching someone feed their children, then I'm the least of her problems!

Breasts are for love and nourishment!

 

[BearSwampChick]

There's a big difference in a quick glimpse of a nursing mother's breast and just flopping one out with no attempt at being discreet and no regard for the situation around her.

 

[Wildsky]

Quote:
My opinion is there are very few of those women, those that will flip it out in public with no regard at all.

 

[BearSwampChick]

Quote:
My opinion is there are very few of those women, those that will flip it out in public with no regard at all.

I agree, Wildsky, just trying to reference earlier comments.