why do people get so offended/upset when a woman breast-feeds in public?

Question

I am not a mother and it does not offend me at all.

Answer 1

I was at a restaurant and this woman whipped out her boob and started breast feeding. I know that you can be discreet but this lady wanted attention. The kid looked like he was 3 and she was saying all this stuff like"oh isn't this yummy?" I almost barfed! And when asked to refrain from it she put on her"I have every right to feed my child" speech. I don't care when its done just have a little common respect for others. Especially around food.

Answer 2

I don't particularly get offended, but -- like most things health-related (blowing your nose or taking eye drops, etc.) -- I prefer for it to be done discreetly.

I feel there's a world of difference between making an effort to cover oneself while breastfeeding and not. It almost seems sometimes as if some women want the attention they get by not covering themselves well or at all during the feeding process so that they can get indignantly outraged when someone points out that not everyone likes nipple with dinner.

I definitely don't agree that folks should have to go to restroom facilities to breastfeed. I do, however, think that an effort should be made not to overexpose the breast, so as to balance the natural process of breastfeeding -- which is wonderful and beautiful -- with general societal attitudes towards public nudity.

Answer 3

I personally don't find it offensive. But as a guy, I find it a little uncomfortable. I have a couple of examples.

I was in a mall one time, when a mom sat a table, and proceeded to breast fee her infant. Even though she was discreet, and covered herself up, I noticed the next table over several teenage boys started hanging out, and making comments. They were loud enough for me hear, and I know the mom could hear the comments. It didn't escalate beyond being rude, but I felt, that if she found a better place to due that, it would have saved her a lot of embarrassment by what the kids were saying.

The other story, happened at church when I was about 14. I ended up sitting next to a young mom who was I think about 25 at the time. It was her first kid, and she started nursing him during the sermon. Mostly when I was 14, I would sleep during the sermon. But about the time I was nodding off, I noticed what she was doing. The baby, was satisfied, and had gone to sleep.(That minister was a really good cure for insomnia.) The baby had turned his head, and the covering the mom was using, had moved, and created a gap, were her breast was in my full view. As a 14 year old guy, in church looking at a bare breast, of a very attractive woman.... Well, I wont go into anymore details, but just say that I was a little bit (ok a lot) uncomfortable.

Answer 4

In this day and age people can take anything, even the natural act of breastfeeding a hungry infant, and make it about them. Their feelings, and how uncomfortable for them that they have to avert their eyes from my chest (Why were you looking in the first place?). Instead, they'd rather we trudge through the snow to sit in our cold car rather than breastfeed in a mall. Or perhaps we should go and sit in the public washroom and breastfeed in the handicap stall while my two year old plays on the floor? Why didn't I think of that?

You know what offends me, pre-pubescent girls trapsing around in short shorts, or super low rise jeans and a halter top exposing their unsightly muffintop. Now there is no natural reason for that oversight is there? Yet, people (God forbid) don't try and ban these skin shows from public view. If my breastfeeding (and you have to look pretty close to see anything) offends you, don't look. Or better yet, leave. You choose to be offended, so choose to leave - and let me feed my precious baby in peace.

Answer 5

I think they get upset because in our culture the breast is so sexualized. And they're so self-centered that they're sure all their impulses are correct.

Many young kids have younger siblings and aren't in the least put off by seeing a woman nurse, because they see mom do it, it's just old stuff to them.

When I was nursing I preferred to be private if at all possible, but I would not nurse my baby in a toilet, that just seemed wrong. It would've taken someone who was staring to have seen something. I once was nursing in my car in a mall parking lot on a warm spring day, and the guy in the next car stared until he creeped me out... who had the problem, I wonder?

Babies do need to eat, and I think their mothers should be encouraged to feed them comfortably whenever the babies need to eat. One doesn't need to "flap one's breasts about," but I can understand the frustration that causes some women to want to.

Answer 6

i've got faith that as long as a woman does it in a fashion this is discrete, there is somewhat no longer something to be embarassed approximately. If I had little ones, i could be unbearably mad if somebody confronted me approximately feeding my baby, each and every time the youngster develop into hungry. Why be relegated to a bad public restroom? could people who naysay public breastfeeding desire to take their own food in a public restroom? My mom is from a huge family, or perhaps while the family develop into jointly for holiday journeys and such, if any of the girls had little ones nonetheless breastfeeding, they could the two stay with the gang and canopy discretely with a towel or blanket at an identical time as their infant ate or they could retire to between the bedrooms, however the different women contained in the family have been continuously welcome to connect them and proceed chatting. there is somewhat no clarification why a woman would desire to ever be made to sense embarassed for doing what nature meant and what's maximum suitable for their baby.

Answer 7

it doesn't offend me at all. I think women who are breastfeeding should at least cover themselves tho and keep this moment private and special with their kid. There are all kinds of sickos out there and me personally would want not to draw their attention to me and my child. I'm a mom and when I had to feed my daughter I would go into a dressing room or where there were not alot of people and I would cover up. I just don't see why some women feel the need to whip out there boobs at any given time and that goes for women whose breast pop out of everything. Wado!

Answer 8

Some people are obnoxiously puritanical in their views, feeling a need to impose their views upon the un-pious. Seems strange, given that most animals breast feed their young. Why should the human animal be so uptight about when a woman breast-feeds in public? I don't know.

Answer 9

it seems that anything that is natural in this world is becoming offensive..alot of woman that I know that are nursing say that most people complain because not everyone is discreet about it..most of the people don't have a problem with breastfeeding in public just not letting it all show while doing it..people that have young children often find it offensive for their children to see a woman's bare breast..personally I feel that nursing is the best source of nutrition for your child...and i am comfortable explaining to my children the circumstance if needed but alot of people aren't..its weird all the things that society excepts the one natural thing we disown

Answer 10

I'm not finding it offensive anymore because I'm seeing allot of ladies put their kids under a towel or their shirt to try and look inconspicuous. If they pull them out for everyone to see yeah it can be disturbing just what we want kids to see at a very early age like 4 or 5.