do you get offended by watching a woman breast feed in public?

Question

I'm not, if it's done somewhat discretely.

Answer 1

Americans have a breast fetish. In my day, I breastfed (discretely) in public. If you do it right, people don't have to notice. If you flash your boob in public, someone is likely to find it titillating.

Answer 2

NO, i think it is absolutely natural and I am supporter of breastfeeding because I firmly believe in its nutritional and psychological benefits for infants. It should be done discreetly but people shouldn't make an issue of it. Its only because society has become perverted that it even comes to attention that a woman is breastfeeding. Just because we have become 'civilised' does not mean things need to change so drastically. Companies like Nestle are thriving on these insecurities. Even as a straight man I am not perverted enough to ogle a woman breast feeding and have enough respect to look away. Although it should not be done in the middle of a mall or something, because obviously people are people and it is in essence a visible 'breast'. So it is unfortunate that baby's need to suffer because of all of us. I think the best way to do it is in a car with a shall over her chest and the babies head under it, like in some countries I have heard.

Answer 3

As long as it is discrete no. The ones that I dislike are the ones that think they can just put their boob out anywhere without covering up because they have a kid attached.

This is why they invented the breast pump. I never breast feed in public. If we were going out for the day I packed bottles.

Answer 4

I agree. Breastfeeding is a natural and beautiful thing. Some people get offended because of their own insecurities. Women have been breastfeeding since the beginning of time. If your child was hungry you just fed it. This was long before bottles and uptight morals. We as people get all up in arms over the tiniest thing these days. I think we all should just loosen up. I mean unless the kid can unbutton the shirt itself, breast feeding is fine no matter where you do it.

Answer 5

No I am not offended by it...it is one of the most natural things a mother can do. People can be so up tight about it though... why? Woman show more of their breast now a days with the low cut shirts than a breast feeding mother usually does with all the newly designed shirts they make for them.

Answer 6

I get more offended by the reactions of the people around her.

The last time I saw this happen was in a public library.

She was as discreet as she could be - minimal skin exposure, covered her breast as much as possible with a scarf. But she wasn't hiding the fact that she was breastfeeding.

REACTIONS:

Teenage guy (15-16) started ogling her, while trying real, real, real hard not to make it too obvious (unfortunately, teenage guys suck big time at this game, and usually just call attention to themselves).

He actually got up after a while and started walking around behind her (pretending to look at the shelves) so he could get a glimpse of 5 square inches of REAL FEMALE FLESH, then go home and jerk off later.

Middle-aged lady (48?) very theatrically got up and left, scraping her chair loudly as she stood up, in order to underline her departure and her total moral outrage.

Guy (32?) reading the paper next to her was petrified. Refused to turn his head anywhere in her direction. The purpose of this was to announce to the world:

"LOOK EVERYBODY! I'M NOT STARING. OR PEEKING. SEE? I'M BEING A GOOD BOY. I AIN'T NO GODDAMN PERVERT, NO SIRREE. JUST LOOKIN' AT MY PAPER. FINE DAY OUTSIDE. YEP. NOT LOOKIN' AT THE FREE SHOW. NOPE."

It came across as just self-conscious and artificial.

I don't understand why all of this was necessary, and why a mother nourishing her child with a body organ created especially for that purpose is more offensive than a mother nourishing her child via a plastic substitute.

I just don't get it.

Answer 7

I bottle fed my kids, but I have to say that people who get uptight and angry at breastfeeding in public have serious issues. I mean, a couple of your answerers said, "there's a time and place for it". Obviously those people don't have kids. The time and place to feed a baby is whenever and where ever it's hungry.

I just think it's unfortunate that something as natural as feeding a child has gotten to be so sexualized. People don't realize that breasts are first and foremost for nutrition, not for sex.

Answer 8

Its inappropriate for public because its rude to others. While there is nothing wrong with the action itself, its like guys that ajust themselves. You should do it in the privacy of the bathroom or something else. If you dont have access to a private area you should always have some breast milk pumped into a bottle for public use. If you dont show your parts to the world. I have seen women breast feed with a blanket over them and that wasnt offensive.

Answer 9

"Discrete" is the key. A baby has to eat, doesn't he? You can't blame the mother or the poor little baby for getting thirsty at an awkward time or place.

I don't like an exhibitionist who uses breast feeding as an excuse to show off how much bigger her breasts are than everyone elses. It is sometimes kind of obvious, isn't it?

Answer 10

Not at all,most mothers are discreet,I breast fed all 3 of my kids and they were never sick and are now all straight A students,Breasts were made for feeding babies,thats why milk comes from them,however when baby is weaned I agree they are for the guys/girls to enjoy!But discretion is the key!

Answer 11

Nope - I agree. If it's discrete, who cares what she does? I think a lot of mothers kind of go wrong in the militant stance that it's their right. Inevitably there are some boys staring with eyes glazed over as she exposes her breast to the world and then attaches her child leaving the functional part of her body - which these boys see as sexual - exposed.