Breastfeeding in Public... When is it not ok?

[NellyLou]

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/story/2012/12/29/ns-breastfeeding-store-apology.html I just head this story. While I am 100% for nursing in public, I really don't understand why this mother felt the need to ask for a chair and nurse in a Claire's store. It's a teeny little store with barely enough room to move around as it is without sticking a chair in there. I just don't understand why she couldn't go out to a bench or the food court. If she had time to ask for a chair and wait for someone to get it, she definitely had time to go out in the hall and sit on a bench.

 

[marley2580]

Well, judging from the comments, it was the busiest shopping day of the year - sounds like there wouldn't have been any seats free. Storm in a teacup imo

 

[gryphongrl]

Maybe she had been browsing in the store for a while and had a basket of items... so figured they wouldn't mind. You never know.

 

[staralfur]

Hmm, on one hand I do think it's likely she could have waited, because knowing my baby who's a similar age it's not the same as a newborn where it's an immediate sense of urgency to feed. But if it was super busy it's possible the baby was overstimulated and having a total meltdown, in which case I could see needing to nurse right in the store.

I saw a lady pull up a chair right in the entrance of a grocery store and breastfeed once...I kind of laughed that she chose the front entrance to do it, but it doesn't bother me.

When I read the title I was thinking that maybe a funeral or something might be considered inappropriate by some people, a store in a mall doesn't seem like a big deal to me even if she could've waited/gone elsewhere.

Though your point about it being a small store is a good one. I personally would not ever choose to feed my LO somewhere where I was in the way/inconveniencing anyone. I could see the manager asking her to leave simply because she was in the way, not because she was breastfeeding.

 

[Dragonfly]

Maybe she thought people would actually help here. A big LOL to that. As if. Far easier to chuck mum out, why not as if its not hard enough for her. Looks like breastfeeding mums should be locked away permanently. Make sure no one gets offended and all. Sigh.


Personal opinion on breastfeeding in public, why not. I dont impose what I think someone should do to please me. If I dont like I dont look. Its only feeding a baby not giving some dude a blow job.

 

[NellyLou]

I am definitely all for nip, I have done it everywhere lol, just her choice of location is odd lol. It's just as easy to ask someone to move over on a bench IMO.

 

[NellyLou]

I should have made the title 'odd location choices'.... I don't ever think it's wrong to nip.

 

[special_kala]

I have breastfeed in Tesco, marks, walking round the mall. I wouldn't ask for a chair but if my baby is hungry it gets fed.

 

[special_kala]

The only place I think breast feeding would be a bit odd would be a swimming pool. I formula fed River so I think if I would have fed her somewhere then I'll feed Willow there too.

It's just feeding a baby

 

[Nibblenic]

In a room with 33 14 year old boys watching lactation porn. Think that's pretty much it

 

[Button#]

I don't think I would ask someone to get me a chair so I could feed but I would feed pretty much anywhere.

 

[Dragonfly]

I would ask for a chair if I felt tired, faint, hand my hands full, no seats outside, hard to feed standing up. Dont know why fixation on the chair I would give any one a chair nursing or not who needed one. I dont understand why asking for a chair is so wrong?

 

[special_kala]

No body said it was wrong. I just never felt the need to ask for a chair

 

[Dragonfly]

I couldnt breastfeed standing up. Sometimes some need them.

 

[Button#]

I would ask for a chair if I felt tired, faint, hand my hands full, no seats outside, hard to feed standing up. Dont know why fixation on the chair I would give any one a chair nursing or not who needed one. I dont understand why asking for a chair is so wrong?

I've no problem with anyone else asking for a chair I just meant I probably wouldn't.

 

[staralfur]

I personally would ask someone sitting on a bench in the mall if they'd give me their seat before asking the store for a chair.

 

[whit.]

I don't even know why she would have wanted a chair in a tiny store like Claire's that's cluttered and you can hardly move around in anyway.

I don't think the issue really is that she asked for the chair, but it seemed like they kicked her out for BF'ing in general? Which obviously isn't ok.

To answer your original question "When is it not ok" - the only place that I've ever known of anyone to feel awkward at someone breastfeeding at was this past weekend at a funeral. The person wasn't doing it discreetly at all and it was just an uncomfortable situation. Not that it was "wrong" to be feeding her baby, but she could have gone to a separate room, out to her car or at least wore a cover.

 

[Lina]

People talk about funerals being inappropriate places, have you seen some of the clothing people wear to these places? The flesh above the nipple is often squeezed and fully visible, yet people are uncomfortable with the inconspicuous nursing of an infant.

Infants should be nursed, preferably somewhere where it isn't inconveniencing others but western society increasingly want natural acts banished, whilst scantily clad posters adorn most public places. Crazy.

 

[Erinsmummy]

I don't really see the difference in a woman asking for a chair to feed her baby on the breast, or with formula. I am am formula feeder all the way and when my baby wanted feeding I did it there and then, where ever I was and yes id ask fr a chair in a store to do it! Do it where ever whenever I say! Stuff anyone else, if they don't like it stuff it. What's the issue? That she asked for a chair? Or that she breast fed in public?

 

[staralfur]

People talk about funerals being inappropriate places, have you seen some of the clothing people wear to these places? The flesh above the nipple is often squeezed and fully visible, yet people are uncomfortable with the inconspicuous nursing of an infant.

Infants should be nursed, preferably somewhere where it isn't inconveniencing others but western society increasingly want natural acts banished, whilst scantily clad posters adorn most public places. Crazy.

Well I would hope that most people would be uncomfortable with someone wearing a revealing outfit to a funeral.

I personally don't care if anyone breastfeeds at a funeral but I wouldn't do it. While I normally don't care if I offend anyone by nursing in public, a funeral is a very sensitive situation where I'd just take into consideration that some people might not be comfortable with it.