Breast feeding in public? Your views?

[pinklightbulb]

That's awful midori

 

[Foogirl]

foo, well im in canada so handicapped isnt a bad word. i cant know everything there is to know about europe. so if i post something offending in the future just chalk it up to me being a canuck

I totally understand that, I'm aware the same connotations aren't yet a problem over the water. I just thought I'd point it out to you so you can consider avoiding it in the future if you wish.

 

[smokey]

40 odd posts and iv finaly just worked out what nip stands for I thpught you where just shortening nipples.

 

[midori1999]

Oh, and it might interest some to know that when my daughter was young, I was a little nervous to feed her in public. It was all very new to me, I knew my husband was a little anxious about me NIP and I didn't know what I would say if someone said anything to me.

However, I very quickly got over it. No one says anything to me, no one has ever said anything to me. People have made more comments about my son, who has Downs Syndrome and I am generally pretty thick skinned and I never worry about what people think of me. I don't keep my son in in case people are offended by him I'm either and I have heard people make some really rather rude comments about him. Never about me NIP though, maybe he distracts them?

People find your son having Down syndrome offensive?

I don't know I'd they find it offensive, but one of the delightful comments I have overheard was about how 'they' should be killed at birth. Luckily he wasn't old enough at the time to understand either what they said or me telling them to f**k off.

The comments of people like that do not upset me though, because I know it is their problem, not mine and not my son's. I feel the same way about people who think women shouldn't nurse in public.

 

[midori1999]

40 odd posts and iv finaly just worked out what nip stands for I thpught you where just shortening nipples.

Haha. It took me ages to work that out when I first saw it in the B section too.

 

[Foogirl]

People have made more comments about my son, who has Downs Syndrome and I am generally pretty thick skinned and I never worry about what people think of me. I don't keep my son in in case people are offended by him I'm either and I have heard people make some really rather rude comments about him. Never about me NIP though, maybe he distracts them?

I'm thick skinned. I find it really (and increasingly) hard to deal with people's reactions to Abby. The staring is the worst.

How on earth do you deal with it, without punching everyone?

 

[louandivy]

Oh, and it might interest some to know that when my daughter was young, I was a little nervous to feed her in public. It was all very new to me, I knew my husband was a little anxious about me NIP and I didn't know what I would say if someone said anything to me.

However, I very quickly got over it. No one says anything to me, no one has ever said anything to me. People have made more comments about my son, who has Downs Syndrome and I am generally pretty thick skinned and I never worry about what people think of me. I don't keep my son in in case people are offended by him I'm either and I have heard people make some really rather rude comments about him. Never about me NIP though, maybe he distracts them?

People find your son having Down syndrome offensive?

I don't know I'd they find it offensive, but one of the delightful comments I have overheard was about how 'they' should be killed at birth. Luckily he wasn't old enough at the time to understand either what they said or me telling them to f**k off.

The comments of people like that do not upset me though, because I know it is their problem, not mine and not my son's. I feel the same way about people who think women shouldn't nurse in public.

WHAT. That is fucking disgusting, who is actually psychotic enough to think like that? I admire your attitude so much, and I agree - shouldnt have to appease other people's ridiculous opinions and prudish attitudes.

 

[pinklightbulb]

In Australia baby changerooms are usually in either the ladies' room or a "family" room but I've never seen any furniture in any of these family rooms. Then again I live in a very backwards area of Australia that isn't exactly a bustling metropolis!

All that aside, I still wouldn't feed in a family room even if it did have furniture. Why should I isolate myself and my baby when it's the people who are offended that aren't doing anything natural?

And no, I don't care about strangers being offended either. Not a hoot. I believe I said earlier in the thread that I didn't give a pig's arse, which is more accurate to describe my feelings on it. They can be offended all they like. And I won't care all I like. NIP will never become accepted, if nobody actually NIP and hides away in toilets and family rooms, will it?

 

[louandivy]

Hmmm is the word handicapped really acceptable in Canada? My Canadian uncle was severely disabled until he died last year and I have never heard anyone ever refer to him as handicapped.

 

[pinklightbulb]

Hmmm is the word handicapped really acceptable in Canada? My Canadian uncle was severely disabled until he died last year and I have never heard anyone ever refer to him as handicapped.

Don't know about Canada but in Australia, handicapped is widely used and not seen as offensive as far as I know

 

[meli1981]

its used where i live, not that i use it all that much.

 

[midori1999]

People have made more comments about my son, who has Downs Syndrome and I am generally pretty thick skinned and I never worry about what people think of me. I don't keep my son in in case people are offended by him I'm either and I have heard people make some really rather rude comments about him. Never about me NIP though, maybe he distracts them?

I'm thick skinned. I find it really (and increasingly) hard to deal with people's reactions to Abby. The staring is the worst.

How on earth do you deal with it, without punching everyone?

I think it's harder in some ways if your child has an 'invisible' disability, but on the other hand, most people think they know what Downs Syndrome is and means and most people don't have a clue.

He is 9 net month and I am used to it. One of my friends is fab! Her daughter is the same age and has Downs and she got pneumonia a lot as a toddler. In the hospital playroom once a woman was really staring at her and in the end said to my friend 'what is wrong with your little girl?' (She was referring to her 'disability') and my friend said 'she's got pneumonia'

I usually ignore people, but sometimes I am rude. My Mum is worse and she's an old bag, so she gets away with murder....

 

[Scottish mum]

Oh, and it might interest some to know that when my daughter was young, I was a little nervous to feed her in public. It was all very new to me, I knew my husband was a little anxious about me NIP and I didn't know what I would say if someone said anything to me.
However, I very quickly got over it. No one says anything to me, no
one has ever said anything to me. People have made more

comments about my son, who has
Downs Syndrome and I am
generally pretty thick skinned and I
never worry about what people
think of me. I don't keep my son in
in case people are offended by
him I'm either and I have heard
people make some really rather
rude comments about him. Never
about me NIP though, maybe he
distracts them? [/QUOTE


This is awful who the hell makes comments about your baby! I'm so angry for you cheeky *******s!!

heartless fuckers sorry soooo angry can you not report this? People cant get away with that X

 

[pinklightbulb]

I like your friend's response

 

[smokey]

In Australia baby changerooms are usually in either the ladies' room or a "family" room but I've never seen any furniture in any of these family rooms. Then again I live in a very backwards area of Australia that isn't exactly a bustling metropolis!

All that aside, I still wouldn't feed in a family room even if it did have furniture. Why should I isolate myself and my baby when it's the people who are offended that aren't doing anything natural?
And no, I don't care about strangers being offended either. Not a hoot. I believe I said earlier in the thread that I didn't give a pig's arse, which is more accurate to describe my feelings on it. They can be offended all they like. And I won't care all I like. NIP will never become accepted, if nobody actually NIP and hides away in toilets and family rooms, will it?

Most of the family rooms iv come across arnt about hiding away, you get them in all sorts of places like department stores, shopping centers, larger stores.
Its more about having somewhere to sit down for 10-15 minutes and feed in peace and comfert rather then trying to struggle with a trolly and feeding at the same time.
We have quite a few round here actualy and its mostly just a large room with comfy chairs, changing facilities (most even provide nappies and wet wipes) or bottle warming facilities and normaly have about 5-6 women in there at a time.
Iv never realy seen them as someplace to have to hide but rather its better then trying to do it standing up

 

[overcomer79]

All I know is when someone mentions La leche league where I am from...people cringe.

Around here breastfeeding moms are known as "extremist". That's obviously NOT my attitude. I managed to successfully breastfeed mine for six weeks...until I had to return to work. I was never comfortable nip and would always express. It got to the point I didn't want to leave the house.

Maybe I'm just too modest.

 

[Foogirl]

I think it's harder in some ways if your child has an 'invisible' disability, but on the other hand, most people think they know what Downs Syndrome is and means and most people don't have a clue.

He is 9 net month and I am used to it. One of my friends is fab! Her daughter is the same age and has Downs and she got pneumonia a lot as a toddler. In the hospital playroom once a woman was really staring at her and in the end said to my friend 'what is wrong with your little girl?' (She was referring to her 'disability') and my friend said 'she's got pneumonia'

I usually ignore people, but sometimes I am rude. My Mum is worse and she's an old bag, so she gets away with murder....

Oh that's a brilliant response!

I suppose, despite the wheelchair, Abby's disability is invisible. She doesn't display any of the classic signs of Cerebral palsy (not that most people know them) Anyone who has heard of the condition seem to think of a profoundly disabled child with slurred speech and no muscle control. A surprising number of people confuse it with Cystic Fibrosis.

I do love people being totally surprised when Abby speaks to them and is clearly very "with it" especially when they find out she is only 3. Touch wood but so far we haven't had anything too horrific to deal with in ignorant people. Compared to comments you've heard, we've got off lightly!

 

[m_t_rose]

First off I am from Canada and I worked with children with disabilities and it was never appropriate to call them handicapped. Also I NIP everywhere even sitting in the front row of church. I did it on an airplane in tight quarters infront of my dad and brother and anyone else who was around. I don't understand why people are so uptight about the female breast. I have fairly small breasts and I have been out and saw men with larger breasts than I have yet no one tells them they are being indiscreet and they should cover up. I also have a young son and I don't care if he sees naked male or female breast. Just like I don't care if male family members see my breasts. My dad actually helped with latch Julia because she was doing it really poorly and he used to hel my mom latch me when I fed the same way so he taught my husband how to help. Everyone show watch the Disney movie Babies and watch the African women no one tells them they are being indiscreet and they walk around with their boobs out all the time. They are just boobs they arent going to make your teenage boy turn into a weirdo they aren't going to make your 7 year old son go blind the world will keep spinning if they see boobs especially if they see them doing what they were designed for which is nursing. I am going to encourage my boy to see women breastfeeding and let him know that it is natural and I think all people should be exposed to breastfeeding before being exposed to sexual nudity. I think then society would be changed if people could understand that they are made for feeding babies and that is what makes them sexually attractive.

 

[Natsku]

If it's before and after then it's not NIP and it's a whole different topic anyway. Although as a pp pointed out it could be a NIP related wardrobe malfunction. During NIP Ashley will sometimes pull off a few times but get stroppy if I put it away before he's finished.

Tbh I think that people who feel uncomfortable by someone BF in the same cafe/shop/park/universe as them are wrong and shouldn't be pandered to any more than I would pander to any other discrimination. Should black people not serve my OHs nan in shops because she finds that uncomfortable? Should gay couples not be allowed to kiss in public because that would make my in laws uncomfortable?

This.

As I said earlier on in the thread, if people decide to keep their breasts exposed when they are not feeding, then that is not a NIP issue.

You know, some people are idiots and they get everywhere. There's no doubt that some people who happen to breast feed also happen to be idiots, but the two things aren't related.

I agree that we shouldn't consider the feelings of people who do not like seeing women nursing in public because they shouldn't feel the way they do. You know, there are people out there who don't even like women NIP with a cover, right? In the same way, we shouldn't consider the opinions who are made uncomfortable by race or anything else because they are the ones in the wrong.

I agree, we shouldn't pander to the feelings of people that are wrong and it is wrong to not want women to NIP and to be offended if they see something.

 

[RaspberryK]

I am pro NIP. End of!
I have bf anytime anywhere, if anyone really really thought about the reasons they are offended by breastfeeding they'd surely realise they're ridiculous?

xx