Breastfeeding in public

[alicecooper]

For those that say they prefer breastfeeding room, just remember those are not so much an option when you have other kids, as they'd br bored out of their mind. Besides, I enjoy being out, and do not enjoy having to stit in a boring room every time my baby is hungry! My moto is, if you can bottle feed here ican breastfeed here. My state legally protects my right to BF anywhere.

When I had my kids (2005, 2007 and 2009) we didn't have such a law here in the UK. Thankfully the new Equality Act came into effect in October 2010 which protects breastfeeding women.
Prior to that I think a lot of women got a lot of hassle when they were breastfeeding in public.

 

[CatherineK]

I was only confronted one time, by a mall cop who told me to go the restroom to nurse. My husband took him aside and straightened him out. Not sure quite what he told him...but that same cop never bugged me again! My husband has become such a breastfeed expert/advocate over the years I swear he could be a lactation consultant! Lol

 

[3Beans]

When I'm in public nursing a baby I use a nursing cover to cover everything up. I'm not shy about things but I also like a wee but of privacy for baby & me.

 

[xxyjadexx]

I used to chuck the babies blanket over us and feed him everywhere! After a while it doesn't bother you what people think or how they look at you, as long as little babas happy! You would get worse looks if he was screaming the place down because he's hungry!

 

[roomaloo]

I breastfed my tired hungry 13 mo in a busy doctors surgery the other day. But I really don't care what people think anymore. If they don't want to see my boob then they don't have to stare! I'm sure people would rather a bf baby than a screaming one

 

[Dk1234]

I usually breastfeed in dressing rooms or something along those lines.

 

[aliss]

For those that say they prefer breastfeeding room, just remember those are not so much an option when you have other kids, as they'd br bored out of their mind. Besides, I enjoy being out, and do not enjoy having to stit in a boring room every time my baby is hungry! My moto is, if you can bottle feed here ican breastfeed here. My state legally protects my right to BF anywhere.

I totally agree with you.

To those who think it is easy to shower, do your hair, do your makeup, look puuuurty and then wrangle 3 kids into a dressing room to feed a screaming baby with the grace of an antelope, good for you!! Please share your secrets with mothers, we'd love to know.

 

[Piper84]

There are some great slings which allow you to feed LO without too much hassle, and nursing scarves as well. See what works for you and LO

 

[Lisasmith]

I just feed my babies (and toddlers) anywhere. Don't stress yourself or set expectations for yourself while you're still pregnant, it's just unneeded stress! If people don't like it they don't have to look!

 

[iwantabub]

For those that say they prefer breastfeeding room, just remember those are not so much an option when you have other kids, as they'd br bored out of their mind. Besides, I enjoy being out, and do not enjoy having to stit in a boring room every time my baby is hungry! My moto is, if you can bottle feed here ican breastfeed here. My state legally protects my right to BF anywhere.

I totally agree with you.

To those who think it is easy to shower, do your hair, do your makeup, look puuuurty and then wrangle 3 kids into a dressing room to feed a screaming baby with the grace of an antelope, good for you!! Please share your secrets with mothers, we'd love to know.

I have an 8yo a 4yo and a 3yo and manage to dress in business atire and look professional every day for work ontop of having them up ans ready aswell and whenever I go out I rarely look disheviled or not together.
I cant wait to breast feed this little one as I the other three are not my biological children so I didnt have the opportunity however they have been with me since ds was born so I bottle fed and coped just fine then with 2 other little ones running around. Saying that I have very well behaved children who I have taught manners and reapect for other people so taking them into a parenting room or a quiet place and asking them to be good for a little while has never been an issue for me or dh. Just lucky maybe.

 

[2ndtimeluckyX]

I really can't understand why some people have a problem with women breast feeding in public?? We really shouldn't have to worry about feeding our babies!! It's all so bizarre!

 

[77Tulips]

For those that say they prefer breastfeeding room, just remember those are not so much an option when you have other kids, as they'd br bored out of their mind. Besides, I enjoy being out, and do not enjoy having to stit in a boring room every time my baby is hungry! My moto is, if you can bottle feed here ican breastfeed here. My state legally protects my right to BF anywhere.

If not in a mall etc I breastfeed where I am, I've fed on buses, in trees, park benches, at markets, in slings, on trains and at theme , but my kids get bored sitting in cafes etc while I feed, the parents rooms have play areas with slides and toys, far more interesting for them and I don't have to watch them I can just spend time with my baby.

 

[staralfur]

I cant wait to breast feed this little one as I the other three are not my biological children so I didnt have the opportunity however they have been with me since ds was born so I bottle fed and coped just fine then with 2 other little ones running around. Saying that I have very well behaved children who I have taught manners and reapect for other people so taking them into a parenting room or a quiet place and asking them to be good for a little while has never been an issue for me or dh. Just lucky maybe.

I think you'll find that breastfeeding a newborn is a lot more time consuming/frequent than you seem to think. I got tired of going to a separate room every time my LO needed to feed because I felt like I was missing everything...I can imagine small children will get fed up with it a lot quicker than I did.

 

[iwantabub]

I dont profess to know everything about bfing... but like I said its just my personal opinion that I dont wanna get my boobs out after bubs.coz I never did before. . ..
Everyones different I guess.. ...
Hey I might come back wrong and in a few months say omg breast feeding was so much harder this time and all of a sudden my chilren lost their manners out in public and I didnt have time to do my hair and dress nice anymore...
Somehow i dont think its gonna dramatically change from when I bottle fed my ds (yes I know they need to be fed more frequently with boob than bottle) but I have two good friends one has ds is now 18months and has another older son and also my cousin has three children the youngest still bfing and they don't seem to have issues with their children and when theyrw oht doing it in a bfing room or anything. ..dunno maybe our facilities where I live are just a lot more adequate for that sortnof thing.

 

[iwantabub]

Dont missundrstand me here btw .. im not judgin anyone else at all.. I can walk past 10 women bfing in the shops and not bat an eye lid... I feel if your comfortable... cudos to you! I just feel like coz im feeding doesnt mean my boobs arent my boobs anymore .. I still have the same amount of self respect and that for me means im only comfortable for my dh and xlose family to see those parts of my body. ..

 

[aliss]

It's probably not best to have the attitude that you are above other women, it's a pretty hard fall down from the top?

(Yes, I do my hair & makeup every day, and no, I actually haven't found the urgency to nurse outside of a toddler group, I guess I am just irked by your catty backhanded comments about mothers...? What for? Ain't nothing "pretty" about that...)

 

[iwantabub]

Huni if u actually read any of my post I havent had a go or an opinion about anyone else... ive simply stated my views on the.topic which is that I dont feel comfortable myself...
Im in no way trying to be catty or negative towards other women at all and dont in any way think im better... I just have some thing I am trying to achieve within my own goals and that in no way (as I have stated in previous posts) affects my judgement or thoughts on other parenting or mothering styles an opinions of anyone else.

Im sorry if thats the opinion you got or the message you felt I was portraying. Was not my intention at all.

 

[ChattyCathy]

I used to think that I could never expose myself in public; then I had kids! I've breast fed everywhere - museums, restaurants, LL Bean...the only time anyone ever said anything to me it was a woman who yelled "you go, girl" at a clothes store. I think if BFing is really important to you that you will find a way to get comfortable with it, even in public. First time is definitely awkward though!

 

[LadyL]

So a bit of an odd one but very much want to have a go at breastfeeding for so many reasons, bonding, health of my baby and cost effectiveness! But there comes the problem of what happens when baby needs regular feeds and you want to go out?

I don't intend to be housebound for months on end but equally find it uncomfortable the thought of breastfeeding in public. Now I know that there are the shawl things etc, but is that really acceptable? Probably asking the wrong crowd but I'm very self conscious at the thought of it and also don't really want to upset other people. I guess I shouldn't care what people think and there's no way I'd let it sway my decision but equally don't want to be stuck with either going out for short bursts between feeds or drawing disapproving looks that to be fair would take all enjoyment out of taking my new baby out anyway.

Another alternative to what all the other ladies have suggested so far....
If the thought of nursing in public really does bother you (it was something I could never do. I'm just way too self conscious to do it), you could always take expressed or pumped breast milk out in a bottle when in public and keep it in a small cooler until feeding time. It's what I did with DS and will do with this one as well.

I don't mean to sound like I think NIP is wrong or anything. I really admire you ladies who can do it. Here where I live, most women don't even breastfeed, so I know I would catch stares if I did it.

 

[Dk1234]

For anyone with anxieties on nip, it is completely possible to bf and not nip. I was t comfortable the first few months, I nursed in dressing rooms, mothers rooms, nice bathrooms, or my car. I also took expressed milk quite a bit and I never had an issue. I can imagine it would be harder with other children.