Is there a place it's rude to breastfeed?

Question

Tastefully of course...being covered up. Is there any place you should not breastfeed?

Answer 1

Ummmm in a mastectomy survivor meeting.

I take offense at the covered up thing. My baby will NOT deal with anything touching his face PERIOD. And putting a blanket over only draws more attention to breastfeeding. Nursing discreetly is easier to do without covers.

And if he and I are having a bad day and fighting with my shirt (which he won't let touch his face) and you happen to see my breast I really don't give a d@mn. The person being offended is the one with the problem not me. Particularly as where I live going topless is legal.

Answer 2

If the baby is under a certain age, I wouldn't think it's rude anywhere. Covered up or not. If the baby needs to eat, the baby needs to eat. I did it in church. I sat near the back, and was discreet, although my baby didn't like being covered up, so we didn't cover.

If the child is of an age where they can understand a concept such as "we don't eat in church", then I would say it's not so much rude as perhaps a lack of boundaries being inforced. A two year old should be able to go 45-75 minutes without food, assuming s/he was fed before going to church.

NOTE: I'm not saying it's inappropriate to breastfeed an older baby/child. I'm saying there are places where it's inappropriate to eat, period, and the child will need to learn that eventually.

Answer 3

It depends on who is answering the question. Many people think it is rude to breastfeed, period - covered up or not; at home or in public.
My answer: Anywhere you need to be, your baby needs to be. A newborn needs to be fed every one and a half to two hours and pumping is not always an option. Most moms just can't get the necessary quantity with a pump and some babies (like mine) will not accept a bottle. Be discreet when possible but do not feel the need to apologize when it isn't possible (like when the baby pulls the blanket away - again, like my son). Even if you are in church (yes, even a funeral), it is necessary and your only option.

It is rude to ask/tell a breastfeeder to do it on a public toilet.

Noggin Mamma - Since when is it inappropriate to feed a hungry baby in church? I'd rather see that baby with a breast or bottle in its mouth than hear it scream because the parents are afraid to offend. Or see one or both parents leave the service for the same reason.

Answer 4

You can breastfeed anywhere. Their are laws that protect women to be able to breastfeed in public. Here is a link that talks about laws that have been put in place to protect breastfeeding mothers and breastfed infants.
http://www.ncsl.org/programs/health/breast50.htm

I think most people would appreciate a calm, happy, nursing infant versus a fussy, crying infant. I have breastfed at the DMV, in church, at restaurants, at the park and even at the mall.

The way I see it, if someone has a problem with it, then they are the ones with the real problem, not me. They have the right to turn away and not look but I have the right to feed my child as I see fit, whenever and wherever I want.

Answer 5

Breastfeeding is the best way for baby to eat! There is no place where it would be rude to give a baby a bottle, then there is no place it would be rude to breastfeed! Babies were breastfeeding everywhere long before formula was invented. Rude are the people who think you should go hide out in the bathroom to breastfeed. You wouldn't eat in the bathroom for sanitary reasons, so why should your baby?

Answer 6

It's a matter of perception.

If you lift up your shirt and begin breastfeeding in a public place (restaurant, for instance) not everyone would object but you are bound to make some people offended.

Brestfeeding is what makes humans mammals and I believe that it should be encouraged. Anti-feminine attitudes among the male-dominted medical field, and society in general, have pushed breastfeeding into some sort of shameful act of paganism. That, and a lot of people are wound so tight that a sight of a woman's breast just sets them off.

I say feel free to breastfeed wherever you feel comfortable!

Answer 7

Why is everyone saying church? How do you think Jesus was fed? Sorry people but Jesus was breastfed. As long as you can be discrete about it you will be fine. I used to go into the crying room or the nursery just because the pews were really uncomfortable. A lot of churches have crying rooms where you can still see what is going on in the sanctuary. I never found a place I wouldn't breastfed. I was always discrete about it and no one was the wiser. Good luck.

Answer 8

Technically, it isn't really rude anywhere in my opinion. However, there are places that I would refrain from doing it, like somewhere it is extremely busy and noisy. While it might be inconvenient sometimes, it seems to me that you can use a little common sense when it comes time to feed the baby and seek out somewhere other than the main concentraton of people.
Not for their benefit, but yours and the baby's. Both of you should be as comfortable as possible and it will reduce or eliminate the upset stomach of the little one.

Answer 9

If baby needs to eat, baby needs to be fed. No matter where you are. I would never deny my son when he wanted to eat. As long as you are not up on a stage in front of a crowd, don't worry about it. If you don't feel comfortable you might want to move to the back of a room or something, but otherwise, I wouldn't worry about what others think. They don't have the best interests of your child at heart like you do. Sometimes after a while babies don't like blankets though, I found myself just wearing loose shirts that would cover everything after a while, instead of fighting with my son to keep the blanket on and drawing more attention to us, (or having it fall off)

Answer 10

I breastfeed exclusively. If your child is hungry, that need comes first. I do it discreetly, a blanket over my child and myself. I don't know of any place that is not appropriate to breatfeed . If anyone comes to me saying its inappropriate, I'd tell them to get lost and mind their own business.

The problem is our society is conditioned to just give a child formula and a bottle. So, people feel threatened when women take the initiative to give our children the best thing, our own milk.

Check out www.lalecheleague.org for more information about breastfeeding in public.

Answer 11

As long as you are comfortable with it, no. I personally would only breastfeed in the house or in the car. Other times I took bottles that I had pumped.