Do you ever get strange looks for breastfeeding you child?

Question

When you are properly (when your breast is covered)breastfeeding your child, do you ever get strange looks from people, as if you were doing something wrong? What do you do?

I recently dropped my three month old son at daycare. When I did he was hungry, so I fed him. In his nursery. He was completely covered & so was my breast. One of the workers in another room came by, saw me then shut the door as if it did not need to be seen.

Answer 1

IGNORE IT. i never got strange looks, i think most peopel just choose to look away. i HAVE in the past however, have women come up and APPLAUD me for not being afraid to breastfeed in public :)

Answer 2

If you are being as discreet as possible, just smile at them. They are being rude. Do they stare at the guys who adjust themselves in front of God and country every five seconds? You are feeding your child. You are not whipping it out and shoving it in their faces. (Had that happen to me last week.) I am a total proponent of breast feeding your child whenever and where ever ( with the exception of church and restaurants) If there is a restful, clean place for you to go, then use it. Most places do not have lounges for nursing mothers.
I think those who feel the need to stare or make comments need to get over it. Do they think breastfeeding mom's should be locked away until their children are weaned? They need to show you the same courtesy you show them by covering up.

Answer 3

My guess is she was probably shutting the door to give you privacy - for your benefit not to be snootie - of course I could be wrong. My daughter is 2 1/2 and I still breastfeed her on occasion. If you think you get looks imagine me! heh. I've come to realize that I don't care what others opinions are on breastfeeding. My daughter will quit when she is ready, or I will wean her when I feel it is time. It is ok to breastfeed your child as long as they need to be and as long as the feeling is mutual between mother and child. Some people have a problem with this in the US as breasts are viewed as something sexual rather than something that is actually used to care for your child. Don't worry about it - people will think whatever they are going to think and there is nothing you can do about it. Do what you feel is right.

Answer 4

I never got strange looks, but before I was a mom, I would disapprove of breastfeeding in public. That all changed when I realized that there really is no other way to feed a hungry baby!

It's all about eye contact. With my youngest, I breastfeed in front of my friends, and it's a non-event because I keep my eyes on them, and not on the baby or the boob. They don't even notice, and they're not uncomfortable. Can't say that about my first...I was self-conscious and people noticed.

Good luck... and kudos for choosing this way to nourish your child!

Answer 5

I've only once gotten a funny look when breastfeeding my baby, and that was when I was nursing her in the sling while grocery shopping- I turned a corner, and I think a fellow shopper was surprised...

And, I might add, I *don't* nurse "properly". I figure, modern styles being what they are, even when I pull the neck of my shirt down and expose the entire top side of the boob, I'm showing no more cleavage (once my daughter is latched on) than many non-nursing women on the streets anyhow.

But honestly, I think people don't notice. Even if, like me, you're one of *those* women, who "whip the boob out" and nurse, "even when the baby can walk and ask for it".

If people were to give me trouble, I would either ignore it (if it were just looks or whatnot) or, if they actually said something, politely inform them that in my state, breastfeeding is specifically protected by law (hell- in my state, women can walk around topless if they so choose. No lie), and request them to stop illegally harassing me.

In any case, it's their damn problem, not mine.

Answer 6

I have never ever ever tried to make my baby wait to eat because we were in public. I never got strange looks and if I would have I would not have let it bother me. I don't think there is anything wrong with breast feeding in public, I have done it many times. I don't agree with having to feed your child from a bottle, if you choose not to. There are quite a few states that have public breast feeding protected by law. It's ridiculous and I would have a talk with the owner of the daycare and let her/him know what happened. It's not right for ANYONE to make you feel uncomfortable while you are feeding your child.

Answer 7

Isn't it awful how narrow-minded people can be?
I didn't have anyone give me strange looks apart from my mother- we were coming home from visiting my Nana , were waiting for a train and my 3month old was crying. I had to breastfeed her at the train station, and my mom was the only one shooting me disapproving looks. I just ignored her for a while, then shot one back. I just told her that it didn't matter where I was, if my daughter needed feeding then I would feed her. It was as simple as that.
The way I see it, if people don't want to see a woman breastfeeding her baby, they should just not look.
I wasn't ever challenged for feeding her either, but if I had been, for example, if I had been asked to go and feed her in a toilet, I would have asked that person to go and eat in a toilet- why should my daughter have to eat in a public toilet whilst I am allowed to eat at a table in comfort?
I get really annoyed when others don't like mothers to breastfeed. If they can, they should!
I don't know if I answered your questioned or vented a little, but I sure feel better now! Thank you for asking this.

Answer 8

Yes, unfortunately I have gotten mean, disgusted, and rude stares from people while breastfeeding.

Thankfully, on a few occasions I have also gotten smiles, thumbs-up, and encouragement. (Not just from earth-mother granola goddesses either!)

I just smile serenely and keep on with what I'm doing. I don't make a big show of nursing, just quietly sit down and do it, but there's not always a private area or whatever, so sometimes I'm in full view of people walking past.

Try watching the next time you see a mom with a SCREAMING baby, see how many dirty looks that gets. I'd rather have a quiet happy breastfeeding baby, and tick off a few dinosaurs who refuse to join us in the 21st century than have my baby all upset and screaming.

Answer 9

Yes, I did get strange looks. I was always careful and never exposed myself. I also always had a light sheet weight blanket over the baby and my breast, but still got looks. Of course, I didn't care where I was if my babies were hungry and needed to nurse. I have nursed in the mall, museum, grocery store, park, doctor's office, etc. And I nursed while I continued about my business (ie: shopping, looking at the exhibits, walking along the paths, etc). About the only place I have not nursed is in the church chapel.
If you get strange looks just smile and remember that you are doing what is best for your baby and enjoy it.

Answer 10

nicely for me i think of breastfeeding in public is incorrect via fact then each and every physique is staring you and can see what you doing yet- not all department shops however the dept shops the place I stay have a kin room the place the bogs are like chairs to feed your infant, changing tables, a microwave so which you would be able to warmth their formulation up and feed them,and there are privateness curtains which you would be able to circulate at the back of in and breastfeed your infant if it quite is your determination which makes it great for breastfeeding mom's too try this and alot of circumstances even little ones and adults will use the privateness curtains merely via fact human beings pick their privateness

Answer 11

No, I usually don't... but then again I usually go to places where they have special breast-feeding rooms. I don't do this because I'm embarrassed or feel like I need to be private, I do it for my son who gets easily distracted. He's been like this since about 6 months of age (he's 9 months now). But before that I would just BF where ever I wanted to -- and to hell with what others think. It's a natural thing to feed your child!