My wife does and I do not like it. She will breast feed at the dinner table, out in public and anywhere else. Kind of makes me feel uneasy. I do not care if someone else sees her breast just the breast feeding in public makes me feel uneasy. Plus it makes it hard for me to take care of the child for any lengh of time. If she is hungary then I am out of luck. I know she could pump but she does not.
2007-01-11 08:34:07 · 10 answers · asked by Brian 5 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Newborn & Baby
I have no problem with women breastfeeding, but I am creeped out by it in public.
Yes, breastfeeding is natural, but to quote Al Bundy, "so is peeing."
I'm sorry, but it makes me uncomfortable. I feel like I have to look away when I'm talking to a breastfeeding mom.
2007-01-11 08:43:12 · answer #1 · answered by Tina 3 · 0⤊ 3⤋
I too breast feed only and my husband is eager to feed our son when he can start solid food. I know he felt left out in the first two months - left out and also sorry he could not take some of the burden off of night feedings. Now though as our son nears 3 months my husband enjoys the longer alert times. i.e play times He is also excellent at soothing him. Why your wife might not be pumping may be the same as I stopped. I had to find a time when my baby was not in my arms, would not need the food in a little while (my breasts would be empty), keep that same pumping time daily, and I would still have to pump when he was being fed by my husband. So for me it was a lot more work & now I only do it if we are leaving him with a sitter or I will be out for an extended period.
You are going to have to ask yourself why breast feeding makes you uneasy. Uneasy is a broad term. Is it the breasts = sex thing? One being feeding off of another? Is it the sound your baby is making when she feeds? Or do you feel that this bond is interfering with the one you and your wife have?
2007-01-11 18:11:49 · answer #2 · answered by Laurie K 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My husband is all for it. I would never have married a man who cannot separate the nurturing and feeding of his child from the sexuality of breasts.
Of course your wife nurses everywhere! Babies are hungry everywhere and bottles are not necessary in a situation where the mother is available.
Pumping is a big pain. it takes time away from the whole family. You have to wash and sterilize all the parts and the bottles and sit there with a machine attached to your chest while you hold up the bottles instead of holding your baby.
A good father and dedicated husband will find other ways to support his wife and bond with his baby and wil realize that the breastfeeding relationship only lasts a short time.
As for bonding. There are other ways to bond than food. Why take a chance on harming the nursing relationship with fake nipple when there is bathing, cuddling, rocking, slinging, singing and diaper changing to be done? Dads can do all of these.
As for the person who quoted Al Bundy, of all people. Breastfeeding is EATING and people do that in public all the time! It is nothing like peeing.
2007-01-11 19:30:19 · answer #3 · answered by Terrible Threes 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
A womans ability and desire to nurse is THE most natural and benificial thing she can do for your child. You should be ashamed of yourself for not supporting her and making her feel like she's doing something wrong because You feel uneasy, how selfish!
Breast milk is optimal nutrition for your child, decreases their chances of allergies and illnesses. It's also good for your wife, decreasing her chances of breast cancer.
I can understand that you may feel "uneasy" about it in public, but there is really no reason and you are only showing your lack of support for her decision. As for in your own home, she should be able to nurse your child anywhere she pleases, afterall, it's her home too!
I suggest you do some research about breast feeding and it's benifits and put your personal "uneasiness" aside for the sake of your child and your wife.
2007-01-11 19:10:54 · answer #4 · answered by Dragunlady 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I breastfed our son till he was 1yr old, my husband encouraged it.
I am now breastfeeding our 2mth old and he still is very encouraging.
What your wife is doing is wonderful and healthy for your child, so please dont make her feel like it makes you uneasy. Its very natural and beautiful. Nursing in public makes so many people cringe for some reason....and I dont know why. You see half naked women on magazines everyday out in the open but the minute a women puts her breast into a baby's mouth to feed it they act like she's a pedaphile or something. I wont just whip it out anywhere and everywhere, but if my child is hungry I'm not going to let her starve just so I dont make others uncomfortable.
Support your wife as much as possible...nursing is hard, uncomfortable and sometimes emotionally draining so she needs you to be there to encourage her and not make her feel badly. Yes she can pump, and you can encourage her to do so if you want to take part in feeding baby.
2007-01-11 16:40:25 · answer #5 · answered by alexis73102 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋
I breastfed and My husband was cool with it. Just cause you breastfeed in public doesn't mean you have to do it in the open. My favorite hideaways were dressing rooms, and I also scoped out who was nursing friendly before going out, Many places have nursing rooms now. As for nursing at the dinner table, tell her how you feel. Use "I" statements instead of "you" statements. My husband had the same problem with the caring for the child. I pumped but my son rarely took a bottle, so I tended to arrange my outings around his feedings. A little inconvenient but no one said having a baby was convenient.
2007-01-12 03:52:52 · answer #6 · answered by gourmetkid 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I don't have a problem with anyone breast feeding in public. But I do think men get left out of the bonding process in those first vital months when the moms don't pump. I think if you expressed to your wife that you want to bond with your daughter by feeding her (it really is one of the most magical things to feed your child and have those minutes where they are looking up at you while you feed them...it's just so important to identifying their care givers) then she will hopefully consider pumping so you can have a more active role in that part of caring for her. Hopefully she will understand. Ask her what emotions she has while she is feeding her and tell her you want that too...how she gets to spend that quality time with her. She may not want to give up some of that time but I think it is very sweet of you to want that.
2007-01-11 16:46:54 · answer #7 · answered by az 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I breastfeed my 7 month old and my husband whole-heartedly supports me. With my first daughter, my ex did not support me at all and it was very frustrating. It made me feel embarrased and ashamed even though I knew I was doing what was best for my daughter.
Shame on you for not supporting your wife. Think of how you are making her feel. She needs your support. She is nurturing your child and doing what is best for both of them. Do you know the longer she nurses the less chance SHE has of developing breast cancer? You can supplement formula if she does not want to pump when she goes out.
2007-01-11 16:55:03 · answer #8 · answered by formetoknowandu2findout 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Breastfeeding is the BEST for the baby and this has to be your number one priority right now.
Babies fed with formula develop allergies, asthma etc. more often.
I agree with you that breastfeeding should be a little bit more private.
Just talk to her and tell her how do you feel.
I'm breastfeeding as well, but I would never do it at the dinner table in public. Just for respect for others.
2007-01-11 16:43:40 · answer #9 · answered by Just_Me 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Men!!! get a grip and get over yourself! the world doesn't revolve around u, your childs health is far more important. u should be ashamed of yourself
2007-01-11 16:38:22 · answer #10 · answered by Serry's mum 5 · 3⤊ 0⤋