Topic: Breast feeding

[Borlotti]

I breast for 6 months, but never did it in public, but I am an OAP.  I also managed to go out, get the shopping and take dog in the park.  Poor child had to wait until I got home, never out for more than 4 hours.  Feeding as I remember took a very long time, 20 mins each side on each tit. My sister lost a baby, and my daughter had a miscarriage, so if I had taken them out for tea as a treat, I don't think it would have helped if someone had got their tits out whilst we were having tea.  I know I am old fashioned.  Did sit next to a lady on the bus and she breast fed her child but it was so under her jumper that I wasn't really aware of it, so no problem.  I do think some of these people are attention seeking.  Also I do not like the summer fashion of showing off their bumps.  Yes I know you are pregnant, you are so clever.  I have never seen anyone breast feed in my local McDonalds, and there are plenty of children, young mother, babies there.  But I don't suppose anyone would mind or even notice. 

[goodlife]

 ...and I thought I saw the subject 'name' for this post wrong.. ..nope, I didn't this time....it indeed was about breast feeding..

I supposed it is like with everything else...there is always those that think they will stand out or make them feel that little bit more important..I'm sure there is some mothers that breast feed in public to make 'number of it'.
Personally I don't have issue with it if anybody would wish to do so..I've seen it happening many times and feel it is most natural thing...one never see anything else but baby's head anyway.
Is it generational thing in UK..? I see to see these discussions popping up quite regularly..what's the fuss?
BTW...I don't have personal experience other than having witnessing it happening..

[Borlotti]

It has been on the news all day.  All a bit stupid really.

[goodlife]

It has been on the news all day.  All a bit stupid really.

Ah...I haven't been keeping up with news today. No wonder then why you bought it up...I thought maybe something happened  today to you personally that upset or got you going.

[alkanet]

I just know that when we had a café, we didn't take kindly to people eating their own food

[galina]

I find it strange that people don't mind obvious bottle feeding in public, but breast feeding is an issue!  Get with it - it is the most normal thing in the world.  Like many women I used to seek out a quiet corner (or a cafe) for the comfort of my children and myself and for no other reason. 

Bottle feeding doesn't 'have to happen' discretely underneath jumpers, so why should breast feeding?  Mind you, I could never get the 'discrete' thing happening myself, but that is not the same as 'deliberately making a spectacle of myself'.  It is time that people stopped making mothers feel awkward and self-conscious, when what the mother is doing is the right thing and the best thing for the baby.

I breastfed both children for over a year.  To an extent, if you take it for granted as a mother that you can and will breast feed in public and can confidently deal with people who are squeamish for the wrong reasons, you can perhaps educate and make it easier for others.  Just my tuppence, but I do feel rather strongly on the subject.   

[Silverleaf]

Many people seem fine with Page 3, but as soon as there's a baby involved they think mothers should hide their breasts away in shame.

I don't have children and don't plan to have any, but if I did, I'd breastfeed in public and to hell with what anyone else thinks. If the baby needs feeding, it needs feeding. Why should it go hungry just because some people are so squeamish about what breasts are actually for?

[Obelixx]

I don't see why being an OAP or any other age group has anything to do with having an open, rational mind.  Berast feed ing is the most natural thing in the world, provides the best food for a growing baby with no need to carry round a lot of paraphernalia or for all that sterilising technology involved with botttles.   Breast feeding is safe, clean, nutritious and protects against illness.

Given current levels of obesity and current fashions for inappropriate clothing, there are worse sights on an average day walking down any high street, especially in warm weather, than the sight of a bit of boob doing what comes naturally.

 

[galina]

Given current levels of obesity and current fashions for inappropriate clothing, there are worse sights on an average day walking down any high street, especially in warm weather, than the sight of a bit of boob doing what comes naturally.

Quite so!  A worse sight is definitely a politician publicly and hypocritically displaying his large 'jug' of intoxicating 'comfort juice' and poisoning the air with smoke to boot!      

[Digeroo]

I had a large light shawl I put over my shoulder.   Gave me and the babes a bit of privacy and kept the sun/wind off them.  No one knew what was going on until they belched.

Feed them all over the place.  Actually used a small chapel in Austria and when babe belched the lady doing the flowers was rather cross, but when she saw the babe she flapped about like a mother hen.

[Borlotti]

Must have turned into a grumpy old woman overnight without realising it.  Sunny day so better go  and do some digging and stop moaning.   

[ACE]

Feeding in public no issues for me. But changing them in public gets me going (usually far away)

[artichoke]

I'm not sure how much of a generational thing it is as I am in my 70s and breastfed three babies all over the place in my time. My husband was not the sort to be grounded by the mere birth of a baby, so we carried on going out to concerts, parties, shopping, teaching, stately homes, whatever, as usual. Like Digeroo, I had various cloths to make sure we were not chilly (or too obvious), and I would sit somewhere near a door so that if the baby cried, I could slip out without disturbing anyone.

One thing that did make an impression on me at the time was the visceral reaction of an older employee of my husband's. She was always sweet to my toddlers, gave them presents and chatted to them, but she visited us one day when I was feeding my third and was visibly shocked and horrified. She simply could not help it, and she was very apologetic, but had to leave. We can say she should not feel like that, but she just did. I suppose there must still be people who can't help reacting in the same way, and I know it is their problem, not the feeding baby's, but I think mothers should be reasonably careful not to upset the strange few.