Breast Feeding in public

[keljt1127]

How do you feel about bfing in public?
Do you think it is ok ? I know some people are against it!? Do you feel comfortable bfing your LO even with a cover up in public?

I am all for it when I see woman at resturants or w.e bfing their baby but I dont think I would personally feel comfortable?

I will be breast feeding thought, not sure on how long though!

 

[miss cakes]

it dosent bother me if i see a woman breastfeeding in public but i dont think id feel comfortable doing it myself if i were to brestfeed id probably express milk for when im out and about x

 

[MizzDeeDee]

I think that unless you do express it it would be impossible not to breastfeed in public unless you never leave your home.

I don't get why people are against it. It's a pretty natural act. You're just trying to feed your baby.

 

[PeanutBean]

Absolutely no problem with it. With my son I preferred to use bf rooms as he never developed a good latch and because I have quite big boobs it was a many-handed job which I didn't fancy with onlookers! Where there was nowhere private to go I'd drape a muslin over us but it always left me flustered! I'm envious of ladies with smaller boobs and good-latching babies!

 

[palange]

I will be breastfeeding in public and if anyone gets upset then that's there problem.

Luckily here in Scotland, the Scottish Government have brought in a law to support breastfeeding in public places so it's probably easier for me than anyone who lives in another country.

 

[PeanutBean]

The whole of the UK protects a woman's right to feed in public, not just Scotland.

 

[KeirasMummy.]

Doesnt bother me seeing women breastfeed & i think its everyones personal choice but i wouldnt feel comfortable as im quite a private person so il probs be expressing milk for when i go out x

 

[palange]

Sorry didn't realise the law applied to the whole of the UK!!!

 

[tina3747]

I have no problem with breast feeding in public, my son was a nightmare though rubbish latch and was just on and off the boob constantly! I did practice discretion though with Muslim squares ect which I think is polite especially if your in a restaurant. I have witnessed (after bf ing myself) a lady with ababy whilst eating out sat with a boob blatently out and I mean out!! She'd not clipped her bra up after putting the baby back into the pram and was hanging out for all to see . I felt quite embarassed for her as it's not like she was turned away from anyone. Personally i thought that was rude, natuaral or not as the baby was 3 monthsish so she'd be a pro by then!! You should be descrete i believe, it's not that hard as i did it with a nightmare baby,it's polite and having awReness for other peoples Feelings!! I'm a pro bfeeder but I'd rather not have Someones boobs on show while eating my pasta!!!

 

[rwllgoodchild]

Im all for it and will be doing it in public - feeding a baby is the most natural thing in the world, why should we have to hide away in dirty toilets to feed our children? My cousin was shouted at a few weeks ago in a supermarket cafe by another customer for sitting right at the back (out of view) to bf her son - the elderly lady told her she shouldnt be doing that in public, she needs to be in the toilets! If anyone complains to me about it i will bloody squirt them with milk xx

 

[Inge]

Im all for it and will be doing it in public - feeding a baby is the most natural thing in the world, why should we have to hide away in dirty toilets to feed our children? My cousin was shouted at a few weeks ago in a supermarket cafe by another customer for sitting right at the back (out of view) to bf her son - the elderly lady told her she shouldnt be doing that in public, she needs to be in the toilets! If anyone complains to me about it i will bloody squirt them with milk xx

I will be doing my best to BF but those attitudes worry me. Id hate to be feeding my baby and someone shout at me for it Id probably burst into tears and run away! I dont agree with going into a toilet to feed the baby but if there is a baby feeding rooms somewhere (never seen one here though) Id use that for privacy if I find feeing difficult. If I was in a cafe or somewhere Id probably find somewhere quiet and make sure I was covered cos I dont want to be exposing myself to everyone in the world ie - Tina's expercience with the lady in restaraunt

 

[rwllgoodchild]

I understand hun but its the same here, the only baby changing facilities here are in grotty toilets, surely this isnt acceptable...? I will be making sure im covered, im not into public nudity, but nobody will stop me doing whats best for my baby.
I do agree about the lady leaving her boob out hanging after her baby had finished however. I will just be stocking up on extra muslins xx

 

[Sooz]

I'm planning on using a muslin square to cover LO but I will BF in public and I certainly will not be relegated to a public toilet to do so, I think that's so unhygenic & uncalled for. My DH is the one who is actually uncomfortable about me doing it, in fact he was dead against it to start with.

 

[PeanutBean]

Sorry didn't realise the law applied to the whole of the UK!!!

One of the rare occasions where in England we get to be as good as Scotland!

 

[sausages]

Sorry for joining in on this board. I was just lurking and saw this.

I have BFed both my babies in public and to be honest i have never once received anything but smiles and positive comments. A couple of older ladies have sparked up a conversation with me about how lovely breastfeeding is and that they fed theirs that way etc. I've even had one woman congratulate me on doing it in public and say that she wishes attitudes were the same back in her day cause she always had to go and sit in the car, even when it was freezing cold!

Most people just assume that baby is sleeping and will look and go "Aw, how cute, he must be tired!" and stuff like that.

The only slightly negative i've had, which is entirely my perception (that could be totally wrong) is that twice i have sat near to an older couple - man and woman (not the same couple, lol) and when i started to feed they kind of finished their drinks rather quickly and left.

I find though, that mostly people do this sort of thing not out of disapproval, but more because they are concerned about making me feel at ease. They probably thought something like "Oh the poor girl probably doesn't want me sat opposite her when she needs to get her boobs out to feed her baby. I'll just move."

But obviously without interviewing them about why they are leaving and making them feel proper uncomfortable i guess i will never know!

Oh, and about showing your boobies - It may just be me, but i get far more concerned about my nasty muffin top hanging out when i have to lift my shirt up to feed!! My best tip is to wear a vest top that you can pull up or down to get your boob out and another top over that which will hide your back fat / muffin top / boobies. Something like a cardigan or oe of those wrap front tops. You don't need specialist breastfeeding wear.

 

[Lizzeh]

Personally I think breastfeeding in public should be perfectly normal, and I think it's quite adorable to see. I fear, however, that I'm maybe a bit too prudish to do it if there were men around.

 

[HannBanana]

I would soooooo rather breastfeed in public than have a crying baby who is hungry in public....crying baby every body stares at you, discretly feeding your baby hardly anyone notices :O)))))

 

[scuffer]

I have breastfed both of my boys in public and have mostly had positive comments.

If anyone suggested I fed my baby in a toilet I would suggest that when they eat their dinner in the toilet I might consider it.

I was feeding my first baby on a bench one day when an elderly man came over to say hello, then look mortified because he thought I was just cuddling my baby. I invited him to sit with me and chat, it was lovely. He couldn't see anything and I didn't want him to feel embarrassed.

I don't like to feed babies in those rooms because it's soooo lonely! I will always find a coffee shop and sit and feed them. It is possible to be discreet and if concerned a muslin draped over your shoulder and the baby's head works, though I like to be able to see my baby while he feeds.

I'm glad the UK has brought a law in though it's a shame it had to. Babies need feeding, breast feeding is natural and it would be a very lonely time if you stayed at home everyday.

 

[Cattia]

I breastfed my daughter in public. Since she would not take a bottle until she was 5 months old there would have been very little alternative! I never had a bad look or comment from anyone. I got very accomplished at latching her on and honestly people would never know that I was feeding her, it just looked as though I was cradling her in my lap. There used to be some good threads in the BF section about answers to give if people ever say anything negative to you. I would never ever feed in a toilet as I wouldn't want to eat in one myself. I use feeding rooms sometimes if shops have them, but otherwise just a cafe or somewhere comfortable. I've fed her pretty much everywhere, even outside in the park.

 

[special_kala]

I will be BF in public and if anyones got a problem with it they are going to get a gob full!

Obviously i will be as discreet as i need to and im not just going to wap it out but i do have very big boobs so covering up completely is going to be hard, I will probably have a muslin handy but i know some babies dont tolerate that so cant guarantee it will work.

Because ive got River i dont really think i have a choice not to as warmer weather we are out and about alot so wouldn't be fair to River to drag her to a changing room everytime baby needs feeding so if we are at the park then the baby will be fed.

I cant wait to be able to sit in park watching my little girl run around playing and have my littlest girly nursing