What's your opinion on public breastfeeding?

Question

today my mom and i were shopping at nordstrom & the baby had to be fed. she was being very discreet, but then some saleslady told her to leave and do it in a bathroom outside of the store! i think breastfeeding is a natural thing, and my mom should be able to do it wherever she wants...

Answer 1

I think people who have a problem with it need to worry more about women who wear low-rider jeans and thongs, revealing bathing suits at public pools, and every murder/rape/assault/abuse scene on television before they start whining about when my baby eats. This country is so out of touch with reality and humanity, it's disgusting.

Answer 2

If your mother was being discreet then the saleslady should not have told her to leave. That was rude behavior and should be reported to the store's management.

Breastfeeding is a natural thing, as you said, but many people do get embarrassed about it. I don't know that your mother should be able to do it wherever she wants. I'm a grandmother now but I breastfed my baby back in the 70's. I was never comfortable with breastfeeding in public. I always sought privacy when it was time to feed my baby. Now I'm confronted with a new generation of women who will pop their breast out and let the baby nurse at a busy restaurant. They don't cover up anything. They don't care who is watching - man, woman or child. I do wonder about their lack of modesty.

Answer 3

That's so rude - especially if your mom was being discreet about it. I would call Nordstrom and ask to speak to a manager or better yet go on the internet and see if there's a contact email for higher up and report that sales lady. People make me mad sometimes, it's not illegal - she can breastfeed wherever she wants.

Next time your mom needs to politely say NO, I will not leave - a bathroom is gross.

I'm proud of your mom feeling comfortable enough to nurse in public and I think it's great she's got support from her family.

Answer 4

I can't believe that in our "forward-thinking society" this is still even an issue.

It is natural. And I will not equate it to a bathroom function or sex. It's EATING. We can eat in public, hell, we can even BOTTLE FEED in public. Breasts are not for Hustler or Playboy. Breasts are for babies.

People need to just get over it.

And by the way, what the saleslady did was 100% illegal.

You can stage a nurse-in at theis nordstrom. This is done to bring attention to the discrimination breastfeeding mothers experience STILL, TO THIS DAY. Breastfeeding was around long before people started getting "uncomfortable" or "grossed out" by it.

I can't even believe people can get grossed out about breastfeeding, it simply boggles my mind.

I don't even buy the whole "discreet" thing. I can't use a blanket, because my baby will throw it off his head and scream and won't eat. I just wear shirts that sort of drape down over the breast (average clothes do this), and there is a little nip visible for the split second it takes my baby to get latched on.

Grow up, people. It's not gross. What's gross is seeing thirteen year old girls wearing push-up bras and see through shirts, with glitter slathered all over their boobies.

Answer 5

Some people are made uncomfortable (for any number of reasons) by a woman breastfeeding a child. Clearly this is a controversial issue and there is no cut and dry answer.

I agree that "it's a natural thing" - that doesn't make it OK to do in a public place. There are a lot of "natural" body functions that aren't generally accepted in public. In fact we make specific rooms in our buildings for several of them! There are people that are not offended by ANY "natural" function - that doesn't mean we can simply ignore the social norms and start doing what we want, where we want, when we want.

As to the specific situation with your mother. In my opinion the sales lady was right in approaching her, but should have offered to allow her the use of a private office area, or suggested a dressing room be used. Asking her to leave the store was not very customer friendly - bad move for Nordstrom!

One other thought, perhaps carrying a privacy bib would prevent this issue in the future.

Guess I need to add an edit for all the Yahoo! "Lawyers" out there! Breast feeding is NOT always legal and unless state or local laws say otherwise the decision to allow or disallow the practice is often left to the business owner or the local police (on public property). For a VERY informative article and other links, read below:

Answer 6

I totally agree there is nothing sick or perverse about breast feeding that's what the are for society sexualized them it is the most natural thing we live in a country that is unnatural the breast is the best for baby but you got doc who get kick backs from formula companies to push the stuff the in courage mother to bottle feed with makes babies more prone to getting sick breast fed babies are less sick they get antibodies from mama I usually don't eat in the bathroom and I'm sure this lady didn't either write the company and complain if enough people do it things might change

Answer 7

i think of that is completely positive. even though it makes me sense uncomfortable and awkward while i'm around a breastfeeding mom. even while she is roofed. i do no longer comprehend why, I do purely. I breastfed my son for a pair weeks on and stale (take meds that would decrease IQs in babies so wasn't gonna try this lots). I did it a pair circumstances in front of close acquaintances, i became into no longer delicate.

Answer 8

if people are so uncomfortable with breastfeeding then they don't have to look. For hundreds of years women have been breasfeeding in public and its not like you are exposing your entire boob for the world to see. I live in canada and they have breastfeeding stations now but obly because of one woman who got kicked out of a mall for doing it.
Breastmilk is the best and the government in every country should not look down upon those who do it in public because they are providing the best for the baby. That saleslady should be ashamed of herself.

Answer 9

People eat while they are walking around stores, why can't the baby. I think you or your mom should have spoken to the store manager, that lady had no right to tell your mother to leave the store, as far as I know, there are no laws about breastfeeding in public.

Answer 10

Your right. Unfortunately, the American people are made up of prudes. This is the only country in the civilized world that looks done ( or objects) to the feeding of a child through natural ways ( in public ) at least. Heck, We don't even allow nudity on TV like most of the other countries in the world. Go figure way breastfeed in public is taboo! I say hogwash!!!

Answer 11

Your mother needs to make a complaint to the store manage. What happened was illegal. The store needs to train their employees on how to deal witht he situation in a legal and proper manner.

And there is nothing wrong with public breastfeeding. The mothers are generally discreet, and if other people are uncomfortable, that's their problem.

This country needs to get over it's taboos. No one is bothered by girls wandering the mall with their pelvis exposed and thong undies peeking out but oh, lord forbid that we actually have someone using the boob in the manner for which it was intended!