Your opinion on public breastfeeding...

[Unexpected212]

I'm not offended by the poem and I bottlefed my first lol. I think the sentiment behind it is good.

I'm going to try and breastfeed this time and if it doesn't work out It won't be the end of the world.

Love your poem though lol.

 

[MrsPear]

I am all for it. It wouldn't bother me if I did catch a glance of full boob when someone was trying to breastfeed. It can be hard work with a nosy baby and big boobs or sitting on a seat that isn't quite comfy and so on. I've been there too.

I'm all for being as discreet as you can but I do think women should be comfortable in showing as much as they need to show to get the job done. It's just a bit of skin.

 

[Leliana]

I am all for it. It wouldn't bother me if I did catch a glance of full boob when someone was trying to breastfeed. It can be hard work with a nosy baby and big boobs or sitting on a seat that isn't quite comfy and so on. I've been there too.

I'm all for being as discreet as you can but I do think women should be comfortable in showing as much as they need to show to get the job done. It's just a bit of skin.

For me, this sums it up perfectly It isn't a political or public statement. It isn't about making people feel comfortable or not. But about getting the job done, nothing more nothing less. If baby is breastfed and needs to eat I support anyone who gets it done as quickly and easily as they can. If they want to feel comfortable and be discreet all power to them but it doesn't matter to me either way - full boob or not.

 

[purplecupcake]

Most states in the US have laws that women can breastfeed anywhere in public they please. Breasts are for feeding babies...it is their original purpose. If someone has a problem seeing nature's bottle then they can look away, it's as simple as that.

 

[squirrel.]

We have those laws here in the UK too, but sadly I don't think they apply in cafes/restaurants etc. I think the law only covers public spaces and areas. In a cafe or restaurant I've heard the manager is allowed to ask women to leave for breastfeeding. It never happened to me the 14 months I breastfed my son, but I've had friends who've been asked to leave cafes for breastfeeding. I don't know how I would react if someone asked me to leave. I'd like to think I'd protest eloquently and loudly about the injustice of it.... but in truth, I know I'd bustle us out full of embarrassment with my eyes stinging only to start crying outside!

To those people who are asking breastfeeding mothers to be considerate and respectful of other people's sensitivities and feelings; would you say the same about kissing in public? For some people (particularly for religious reasons) kissing in public and public shows of affection are very offensive or make them feel very uncomfortable. Would you suggest that people stop holding hands and giving their partner a quick kiss (we're not talking full on snogging in the middle of town) just to preserve the feelings of a select few? If we're going to start curtailing our normal-everyday-behaviour just in case our actions offend people then we'll find there is very little we are left able to do in public, as you will always find someone who might be made to feel uncomfortable by just about anything.

I plan to breastfeed this little one up to at least a year and will definitely be doing so in public if we're out when she screams for milk. I may use a cover if there are lots of people around, but I hope not to use one. As for going to seperate rooms to feed when at people's houses; yes I did this last time and due to the sheer amount of times my son needed feeding I found myself a social outcast. Thankfully after a few months I overcame my own social awkwardness and stopped finding a seperate room to feed; I was so much happier for it. Why go round to a friend's house or to a social gathering only to sit in a room effectively on your own for hours at a time? It's not fair to expect breastfeeding mothers to be outcasts just because their child needs to eat.

 

[RaspberryK]

Squirrel you're wrong there, it is unlawful to ask anyone in the uk to stop breastfeeding anywhere except for true health and safety risk eg near radiation, and service which provides to men only.
Any other place providing any service to public regardless of what or the size can't ask you to stop breastfeeding xx

 

[loopy82]

Seconding RaspberryK, in the UK it is illegal to ask a woman to stop bfing or leave a place because she is bfing if it is a place that both her and her baby are allowed to be generally. Personal opinion is that bfing in public is normal and there shouldn't be any limitations on it at all.

 

[pinkstarbinks]

I breastfeed baby minus any cover as both him and I get so hot.

 

[squirrel.]

I'm glad I'm wrong about that one I was just going by what someone had told me. It's so shameful that it still happens though and people are asked to leave.

 

[Bex84]

I just don't get what people find uncomfortable, its just so sad we are so sexualised that breast feeding a baby is seen as wrong when it is the furthest thing from sexual. I find it sad that even family see it as something uncomfortable. I know my inlaws I was banished to the bedroom in my own home when they visited as they found disturbing. I am their daughter in law and sister in law, surely they can see it is just me feeding lo and really not sexual and that its there own problem (I do think some people are socialised into it, but surprisingly the people I know who get bothered about it are not bothered by lads mags and porn)

 

[Dragonfly]

Why is it always said that breastfeeding woman have to be discreet, secretive, hiding, respectful, offensive. Why is breastfeeding linked in this way? its not disrespectful , shameful or like doing something nasty you have to hide? its degrading telling another woman how she should feed. Cover of you wish. The choice should always be yours.

 

[Katy Bug]

It's hard to take society's idea of being modest and keeping yourself covered seriously when ads feed us almost nude to nude models in their stores and media outlets generate crazy stories about sex and all that.

Yeah, I'd say I'm all for public breastfeeding. Why people think it's okay to show cleavage and go out to public swimming places in bathing suits and speedos and not do what a woman's body is supposed to do for a baby in public is beyond me.

 

[EarthMama]

I breastfeed in public all right...my two year old, starting when he was a newborn. I never cover. I always have fed in public when needed. It's downright natural for me to tend to my child when he needs me to. I couldn't give less of a damn what people think. I don't flash my titties around, I simply get the job done.

 

[Yo_Yo]

I'm actually amazed anyone voted it's gross fair enough if the vote was about walking around the supermarket naked, but we are talking about feeding a baby here-how can it be deemed inappropriate or gross?

 

[ready4num2]

Why is it acceptable for the female gender to be in public dressed and exposing some skin, but not seen as acceptable for a mother nursing her baby exposing some too?

 

[noon_child]

Why is it always said that breastfeeding woman have to be discreet, secretive, hiding, respectful, offensive. Why is breastfeeding linked in this way? its not disrespectful , shameful or like doing something nasty you have to hide? its degrading telling another woman how she should feed. Cover of you wish. The choice should always be yours.

It's hard to take society's idea of being modest and keeping yourself covered seriously when ads feed us almost nude to nude models in their stores and media outlets generate crazy stories about sex and all that.

Yeah, I'd say I'm all for public breastfeeding. Why people think it's okay to show cleavage and go out to public swimming places in bathing suits and speedos and not do what a woman's body is supposed to do for a baby in public is beyond me.

I agree with this. Of course I would never force a woman who was uncomfortable with it to show more than she wished, but honestly some parts of breastfeeding can be SOOOOOOO HARD that having people layering on additional stressed such as whether or not I look "tacky" while I trying to feed my child is very hard to deal with. I will show whatever flesh I need to in order to get my child latched on properly and comfortably and I will do it where I feel comfortable sitting/standing.

Plus in the early days a baby can be breastfeeding for 10hours a day - it is unfair to expect someone to be isolated away from friends, family or just anyone for that amount of time. We need to be ensuring new Mums are NOT isolated and have support structures around them or we are increasing the chances of PND. Increasing the acceptance of any type of public breastfeeding (not just "so called" modest feeding) can help towards this.

 

[lauraemily17]

I prefer to use a cover. I have huge boobs and it's impossible to latch without them hanging out which I feel extremely uncomfortable about doing in public, especially where people see my nipples. I feel this not through anyone else's opinion of breast feeding, my own desire that that part of my body be private. Its purpose is to feed my babies & to share with my husband, I don't want to share that with anyone else if I don't have too. Once latched if I can cover my breasts without a full cover over baby I will but that's not always easy.

I wish I was like some of my friends who could latch their baby on in a second with barely and flesh visible.

 

[Jaycrew]

I have breastfed in public since the first time i became a mother. I dont have an issue with doing in it public. I choose to put a cover over my boobs depending on what im wearing. I dont want a pervert looking at my nipples LOL uugh...sometimes though i just pull my boob out and if my shirt at least covers the top of my breast i dont cover, my only concern is when my babies move their face away abruptly and give everyone a peep show-my nipples while breastfeeding are like guns - i dont want anyone getting sprayed with milk LOL

Breastfeeding is very beautiful and funny (considering my personal mishaps) lol, and totally looking forward to it again!!! I take it all in pride!!!!

 

[Maybe1daysoon]

I'm actually amazed anyone voted it's gross fair enough if the vote was about walking around the supermarket naked, but we are talking about feeding a baby here-how can it be deemed inappropriate or gross?

^^^wss.

 

[lauraemily17]

I have breastfed in public since the first time i became a mother. I dont have an issue with doing in it public. I choose to put a cover over my boobs depending on what im wearing. I dont want a pervert looking at my nipples LOL uugh...sometimes though i just pull my boob out and if my shirt at least covers the top of my breast i dont cover, my only concern is when my babies move their face away abruptly and give everyone a peep show-my nipples while breastfeeding are like guns - i dont want anyone getting sprayed with milk LOL

Breastfeeding is very beautiful and funny (considering my personal mishaps) lol, and totally looking forward to it again!!! I take it all in pride!!!!

I'd totally forgot about the accidental flashing thanks to a nosey baby turning their head!