do you breastfeed in public?

Question

let me know where you are from and what you have dealt with, i'd like to have answers from other countries as well... thanks

Answer 1

Hey, I have breast fed four babies in and out of public. I always cover up with a blanket because some narrow minded people dont like the fact a baby needs to eat in public. I live in Indiana and i think alot of people have put too much SEX on the breast and now it is not to be bared in public for any reason. People show more on the beach. Breast feeding is a natural thing and it is super healthy for the baby. each to his own. I will breast feed in public and no body better say a thing to me because i think i do it with respect for others by covering up in public.

Answer 2

Yes. I am in British Columbia Canada and I have breastfed my 16 mo son pretty much whenever and wherever he needed to. I never had any problems, though some people (usually other women) have glared at me. No one ever said anything. Most of the time, though, I don't think many people realize that he is nursing.

We don't nurse in public so much now that he's over a year, since he often seems to just want to play and goof around. But if he really wants to get down to business and actually nurse (usually when he's really tired), then he'll nurse.

I'm glad there are laws protecting breastfeeding moms where I live. If I was ever asked to leave a store or a restaurant or whatever, I'd know they had no right to ask me to do that. I guess they know too, since it's never been a problem. :)

Answer 3

I breastfeed in public when I need to. I feed my daughter right before we leave in hopes we will make it back home before she is hungry again. If I am close to the car I will feed her there, but If we are out and she's hungry I use a blanket or my jacket ( I put it on backwards with the arm on the side she is nursing on through) I REFUSE to feed her in a restroom. The risk for disease or staph infection is too great. I would never recommend anyone nurse in a bathroom, if you feel you have to "go somewhere" to nurse a dressing room is an option I have used before. Breastfeeding is natural and breastfeeding moms show far less skin while nursing than most teenage girls while at school.

Just to add, I think it's sad that someone gave porsha a poor rating (thumbs down If you will). At least she is giving her baby breastmilk. It's not like she said "EWWW" or anything.

Answer 4

This is a great question. I live in sacramento myself and got so fed up that places to not provide a chair or anything in restrooms so i could nurse my baby boy. I got so fed up i just started feeding him how ever I had to, I did not want to be limited to going out just because I nursed. I would even take a chair from the store, sit in an aisle, use a blanket. Or even take a chair to the bathroom. I will nurse anywhere now and don't care what people think. I cover up, and nobody has said anything, not even store employees. Trust me you will get use to it. Maybe more young mothers would nurse if they made a place to breastfeed in public places. As it is only 20% of women in the united states breastfeed! ok im done.

Answer 5

I am from Idaho and California, I have four children (one currently 2 months old) all of which I have (or do) nurse. I nurse anywhere and everywhere, with the exception of a public restroom. I REFUSE to ever nurse where someone urinates and/or deficates! I was asked once to nurse in the bathroom with my first one, I was still learning to breastfeed in public so I apologized if I'd somehow offended the person but politely refused to do it in the restroom (I did end up in my car though since my daughter was so upset to begin with - I'd let her cry too long hoping to hold her off before I fed her out of fear of nursing in public).

So now that I've gone off on a little tangent . . .

I ALWAYS use a blanket or my shirt to cover my breast - a person can only see my baby's head if they look at me while nursing. I personally don't find a thing wrong with nursing in public. I in fact want someone to ask me now if I have to do that in public, my responce will be "do you have to breath in public?" :~D I for one am greatly offended that anyone thinks negatively about breastfeeding period. It's a natural, wonderful and beautiful thing. My only advice is to get the hang of breastfeeding prior to attempting to do it in public if you're a little nervous about it. Good luck and have fun!

Answer 6

In america, people freak out, why I don't know it is a natural thing, when traveling around the world and working in different countries, no big deal a natural thing, in Sweden, in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Russia, Finland, in Asia, places like Thailand and Cambodia and Laos etc, even on public transportation, no big deal no one even looks, unless it is a smile to the mother of happiness from another woman. Men pay no attention, because their wife's have done the same thing, but America, they will give you that look of a pervert, when the only one perverted is them! Do it and don't worry about what others think, it is you and your baby against the world, and your baby is much more important!

Answer 7

I am American, but now live in Australia and while I was breastfeeding had no problem breastfeeding in public. In fact, it is widely accepted here and no one questions it nor did I ever have any negative responses from people while I was doing it in public. It was more of me becoming comfortable with it rather than other being comfortable with me doing it. In many malls and large public places here, they provide parent rooms with comfortable chairs and a more private place to breastfeed, but when this isn't available, and the baby needs to eat, I don't see any problem with feeding in public and neither did anyone around me. Breastfeeding is a completely natural process, and it really surprises me the negative attitude towards breastfeeding in public that seems to dominate the US mentality. If you don't want to see a woman breastfeeding, then DON'T LOOK! What is a woman who is breastfeeding suppose to do? Stay locked up in her home with her baby? Anyone who has breastfed knows that early on in the breastfeeding relationship, you simply feed on demand and will never know when the baby will want to eat. It isnt until around 3-5 months that its becomes a little more predictable, and even then if a baby wants to eat, a baby wants to eat. So, for those first few months if you are out in public and the baby decides the want to eat, you should be able to and feel comfortable feeding them, whether it is by bottle or breast.
Also, since it is now known that breastfeeding is best for baby, and if you are able to and want to do it (because, it isn't always an easy and natural thing for all mothers), then there shouldn't be any issues of WHERE you do it, it is simply a way of feeding a nurturing your baby. I am not promoting ripping off your shirt in the middle of a crowded place and popping you breast out for all to see and then put the baby on the breast, I think we all have a little more modesty than that, it can be done much more discreetly than this. I honestly do not understand why people in the US are so offended by breastfeeding. I recall recently on the cover of a parenting magazine they showed a woman breastfeeding and it received a lot of negative attention, which really floored me. You are told over and over that breast is best, but then it is considered socially unacceptable to do so anywhere but in your home or where other people are not present, and god forbid a magazine directed TOWARDS pregnant woman and mothers actually shows a breastfeeding woman on it. I had a very hard time breastfeeding and unfortunately had to give it up due to inadequate milk supply, but I did everything possible to make it work. I most other countries, nobody would take a second glance at a woman who was breastfeeding since it is such an integral part of their society, its just they way it work, woman breastfeed. Little girls grow up seeing mothers breastfeeding and when it comes time for them to do so, they have very few problems with it because they have grown up around woman doing it. In western societies, it is much different, and more problems arise, as most of us probably have never seen a woman breastfeed and so we set out to do it blindly and in the US with very little support. I think people need to loosen up a bit and learn to deal with something that is just a natural process. There is no need for you to look or stare at a woman who is breastfeeding in public, and woman can do so pretty discreetly, as there are special shirts and bras that leave most things covered anyway. Plus, once a baby is on the breast, there really isn't much to see anyway since the baby covers up almost everything. You will probably get an eyeful of more flesh by going to the beach or looking through a lingerie catalogue.

Answer 8

Colorado-

Absolutely. I'm very shy about whipping it out in public, so I bring a shawl with me. I figure it's a natural process, it provides SO many positive things for my baby, so the general public can get over it! The only place I don't breastfeed is infront of my father-in-law & brother-in-law.

Answer 9

I just don't understand the problem with breastfeeding in public. The funny thing is, that most of the rude comments you hear about are from women!
There is nothing wrong with nursing a baby in public. I wonder if people would rather hear him scream than let you discreetly nurse your baby. Do they think we just want to flash our boobs? They need to get real!!

Answer 10

I am from Louisiana and it is illegal for any place of business to ask a nursing mother to leave if she is breastfeeding. My baby is 4 weeks old and I am new to breastfeeding. My mom says that she used to do it in public and no one even noticed. I am thinking that I will get better at it and be able to do the same. But for now, I go somewhere private.