Breast-Feeding in Public

  • Agathokakological..

    Agathokakological.. (100)

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    Living in London, there are some stuck up people that find it strange. My sister has breast fed, and always went and found some place where you're allowed to. They do have 'Breast feeding zones' so the aren't a place where you go to the bathroom, or change the baby so they can be cleaner.

    Personally, if I'm going to go sit in a cafe, and breast feed, I would go up and get permission behind the counter to see if it's okay, then if you get anyone moaning, you have had back up from someone that works there. If I'm just sitting on a bench, I wouldn't mind as it's a public area, and people can bugger off!

    My aunt has recently had a baby, and she isn't breast feeding at home, or outside as she doesn't feel comfortable with it. I honestly feel I'd have to get used to breast feeding in public, just because breast feeding as a whole would be new to me. I know you can express, but I've been told many times heating expressed milk kills some of the goodness in it.
    July 24th, 2012 at 08:43pm
  • pretty rogue

    pretty rogue (100)

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    I am all for breastfeeding.

    I'm not a mother, so I can't say what I would personally do if I were confronted about breastfeeding in public. Besides telling them to 'piss off'.

    Breast feeding is entirely natural and MEANT to happen. Like, that is what the mammalian teats are for, are they not? Cows lactate, goats lactate, cats lactate, dogs lactate; we are no different. A mother can and will lactate when they hear their child crying (so says my Mom, who is the mother of three, and I was the only one she nursed).

    I decided to ask my Mom about why she never breastfed my older brother or sister, and she said it was because she didn't have enough support as a young mom. She said her family would turn up their noses or make comments that made her feel really uncomfortable. It also didn't help her that her mother refused to breastfeed in public; she was too nervous, to the point where she had trouble lactating.

    It is their rights as mothers to nurse their young. It should never be denied.

    If I ever have children, I vow to breastfeed, even if public. My body is not yours to be objectified and sexualized. It is not for your viewing pleasure. It is mine to do with whatever I please, and in the case of giving birth, to nurture and support my child.

    To all the breastfeeding mothers out there, I support you! Free the boobies!
    July 25th, 2012 at 01:45am
  • Ayana Sioux

    Ayana Sioux (1175)

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    I think the problem we have in America is that this country has become too sexual so anything that includes "privates" is looked at as taboo, i.e. breast feeding in public. I don't think there's anything wrong with it. In countries that live much more traditional than us and that don't look at nudity of the breasts as something sexual, breast feeding in public and far from taboo but expected.
    August 2nd, 2012 at 04:33pm
  • youth and whiskey.

    youth and whiskey. (415)

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    I'm not a big fan of women breast feeding in public. I never have been, call me the whole close minded redneck if you want. It's definitely not something commonly seen where I live. I think if you're going out in public and are breast feeding, you should pump the milk and put it in a bottle. Not only would it be more convenient, it'd just save a lot of hassle from other people. I don't frown upon people who do it, but I'd suggest other means of feeding their child in public.
    August 3rd, 2012 at 12:55am
  • The Rumor

    The Rumor (365)

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    @ ronnie radke.
    It's not more convenient. The majority of breast-fed babies won't take a bottle. Feeding from a bottle is completely different to feeding from the breast and a lot of babies simply can't combine the two.
    August 3rd, 2012 at 12:58am
  • folie a dru.

    folie a dru. (1270)

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    @ ronnie radke.
    Not all infants will take a bottle and a bottle can be detrimental to breastfeeding. So are you suggesting breastfeeding mothers take actions that will either cause their child to be hungry or stop breastfeeding just so people can be 'comfortable'. It's their own hang-ups causing them to be uncomfortable. Why shouldn't they move?
    August 3rd, 2012 at 01:00am
  • ptvjaime

    ptvjaime (1600)

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    As far as I'm concerned, fuck the people who don't like it.

    And, you know, you don't have to stare at women who are doing it, you can always look away.

    But breast feeding in public should be allowed to happen, it's natural and it's feeding a baby. I'd rather be sitting on something like an airplane next to a woman who happens to be breast feeding rather than trying to ignore a screaming child, thank you very much.
    August 13th, 2012 at 03:24pm
  • The Rumor

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    TeamTonyVincent:
    But breast feeding in public should be allowed to happen, it's natural and it's feeding a baby. I'd rather be sitting on something like an airplane next to a woman who happens to be breast feeding rather than trying to ignore a screaming child, thank you very much.
    I think that's really what it comes down to and people overlook that so much. It's like, I can really discreetly breastfeed my son on this bus and we'll be no bother or I can disturb everyone's journey (and be a terrible mother) by making my son scream for twenty minutes just because that one person can't look past their over-sexed view of my breasts.
    August 13th, 2012 at 09:09pm
  • unknownxcelebrity

    unknownxcelebrity (100)

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    I'm just going to weigh in here because I was just at the store and witnessed a woman breast feeding her child.

    If done discreetly, then I see no reason with it, many mothers cover themselves with a blanket and I feel that's the modest way to handle needing to feed your child. However, this woman just popped out a breast while waiting in line and stuffed herself into her baby's mouth. Okay, first of all, there were children there (my nieces and nephews ages 5-12) and no one needs to see her entire breast and her baby (cute little guy) going to town.

    Yes, it's natural, but to me...it's kinda uncomfortable.
    August 15th, 2012 at 12:32am
  • Audrey T

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    I don't think a child witnessing someone breastfeeding is a bad/inappropriate thing. It's a baby getting nutrition, not foreplay.

    I was at my nephew's christening this past week and there was a BBQ after. Kids running around everywhere and my sister breastfed (without a cover) and it wasn't a problem. The kids weren't traumatized or even confused about it. They weren't even phased by it. And if they were curious, a simple "She's feeding the baby. That's where he gets milk," would have been an easy and sensible explanation.

    I really dislike when people have a problem with things because they don't want to take the time to explain it to their children.
    August 15th, 2012 at 12:36am
  • The Rumor

    The Rumor (365)

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    @ unknownxcelebrity
    Not everyone's babies will feed with a cover. My son point blank refused (screaming style) and my friend's daughter always pulled it off. What would you rather she have done?

    I don't see why children being present matters, really. It's not sexual so it's not like it's something they shouldn't see.
    August 15th, 2012 at 12:36am
  • unknownxcelebrity

    unknownxcelebrity (100)

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    ^^ I'm not saying everyone needs to have a cover or hide it from view, I've seen a lot of women breast feed discreetly by just not drawing attention to themselves. If one of my nephews then asked "what's she doing?" then I'd tell them, I don't feel that breast feeding in public is wrong at all, especially since none of the women in my family CAN breast feed.

    I guess it was just this specific scene that bothered me, this woman drew mountains of attention to herself and made me feel uncomfortable.
    August 15th, 2012 at 12:44am
  • fen'harel

    fen'harel (560)

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    unknownxcelebrity:
    I guess it was just this specific scene that bothered me, this woman drew mountains of attention to herself and made me feel uncomfortable.
    The thing is that this is not about bystanders. This is about the mother feeding her child, not about avoiding making people uncomfortable.
    August 15th, 2012 at 12:47am
  • Audrey T

    Audrey T (6730)

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    @ fen'harel.
    I also think that if you're uncomfortable, then you should just look away. That's something I do if I witness a woman I don't know breastfeeding because I feel like I'm intruding or maybe staring and I don't want to make that mom feel uncomfortable.
    August 15th, 2012 at 12:50am
  • The Rumor

    The Rumor (365)

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    @ unknownxcelebrity
    What in particular was she doing that drew attention?
    August 15th, 2012 at 12:52am
  • unknownxcelebrity

    unknownxcelebrity (100)

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    ^^agreed. And I didn't mean to come off as thinking that my feelings mattered more than the fact the child needed food.

    I guess I should have said that breast feeding for the sake of a hungry child is definitely one thing, but making it into a big scene with hundreds of people around you is another.

    I'm seventeen and have seen a lot of women breastfeeding and I'm not against anyone doing in public if needed.
    August 15th, 2012 at 12:53am
  • unknownxcelebrity

    unknownxcelebrity (100)

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    @The Rumor

    First her baby started crying (perfectly understandable since the little guy was obviously hungry), but the woman (girl really, no older than I was) wouldn't do anything at first, which led to her friend (I'm guessing here) telling her (screaming at her) to "fix it" as in fix the child so he stops crying. At this point she was at the cashier and trying to pay for her groceries while her friend is like having a meltdown screaming at her from at least a hundred feet away (she apparently didn't like the baby screaming) to "pop" one out and feed it. Of course at this point the girl is aggravated, the entire store is staring at them so she takes out a breast and spends the next five minutes with her breast hanging out for all to see, fussing with her baby and trying to make him latch on.

    Absolutely horrifying. I'm sure if I told this story in the first place more people would understand where I was coming from. Women should be allowed to breast feed in public, but causing huge scenes and drawing unneeded attention to the act isn't what I think of as appropriate.

    Of course this is probably a one in a million thing and I should have kept my mouth shut.
    August 15th, 2012 at 01:04am
  • folie a dru.

    folie a dru. (1270)

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    @ unknownxcelebrity
    Well...the person told her to 'fix it' and the way to fix it is to the feed the baby. Not feeding him won't make him scream any less.
    August 15th, 2012 at 01:20am
  • The Rumor

    The Rumor (365)

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    @ unknownxcelebrity
    It sounds like the problem there is her friend screaming, not her breast feeding. She wasn't the one making a scene.
    August 15th, 2012 at 11:30am
  • Lil'Biskette

    Lil'Biskette (150)

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    I don't mind it when people breast feed in public but for goodness sake as long as your are WELL COVERED I have no problem with it. It's just those who abuse the privelledge and randomly lift off their shirts totally shameless.
    August 17th, 2012 at 05:19am