What do you think about breastfeeding in public?

Question

Just curious I was out the otherday and had to feed my little one. I ended up going to my car because of the stares. A woman I was with told me not to worry because I was being really discret, she told me a story about a woman that just plopped her nipple out in the middle of church and feed her baby. Also why are people so naive and immature about this?

Answer 1

I haven't a clue- at all. I have a now 14 month old that is nursing- and it's ridiculous that when I nurse her, I get stared stared at and dirty looks, even when nothing is showing. Ironically, it's usually from other women.

We have a long way to go in this country to make breastfeeding easier on breastfeeding moms. A LONG WAY!

I have heard, "Nurse in your car..." Is that really wise when it is 90 degrees outside or in the winter, when it is below freezing???

I have heard, "nurse in the bathroom..." Gross! I might add here that I had done this once- and was given dirty looks for that as well.Again, by women. It was in the vestibule area where you sit and there are couches and chairs- ridiculous!

I have heard, "pump and put it in a bottle..." Any mom who has breastfed knows that a baby who is breastfed is going to refuse the bottle for mommy when mommy is there.

We have sexualized our breasts instead of remembering what natures intent really was for them.

I applaud any mom who breastfeeds.

At our pediatrician's office, she rolled her eyes and stated, "she is 1 now, time to cut her off..." Wrong. They are still receiving benefits from the breastmilk. Our pediatrician raises cattle and has no children of her own. I often wonder if she would feel differently if she did. We are in search of another pediatrician now. We had waited in her office for over an hour to be seen- which is common. We had the first appt. of the day- and she was 1.5 hours late to see us. Late to get to work and to make her rounds thereafter at the hospital thereafter. No food or drinks are allowed in the exam room, we were nearing lunch and naptime. Our baby was tired at her 12 month visit. I nursed her. So, it is pediatricians that are "old school" that also need to change their beliefs. At our baby's first appt. our ped. gave us several cans of formula- which I donated to the homeless shelter. Yes, I work full-time and our baby nurses. She has never had formula- ever.

Lack of support and the attitudes are just ridiculous.

Keep nursing- and try not to feel uncomfy- it is a natural thing. I now refuse to go to my car or to a restroom. Wherever and whenever- that is when the time to do it is. I am discreet, but I will not put our baby out for the comfort level of someone who just cannot handle an exposed breast under a shirt as our little one nurses.

Answer 2

If breastfeeding in public could be banned then so would desire to incredibly everyone ingesting in public!! Hell breastfeeding is greater organic then those shoes you have on your ft! i think of this is disgusting that breastfeeding is even talked approximately in this variety of way!! So what? There would nicely be fashions showing there bits and bobs yet a mom feeding her baby is incorrect? So ill

Answer 3

I have never noticed it as being naive or immature and I am a breastfeeding advocate. I think that it's normal for some people to feel uncomfortable at the sight of a woman breastfeeding. I.e men, children, etc.Whether you do this or not, some women don't care about being discreet or having their entire breast exposed during a feeding and to some people, an exposed breast can be disconcerting. I know of a lady that breastfed her son til he was 5 and it made me creeped out because the AAP doesn't reccomend that ! I can't fathom a woman giving you a dirty look, but I am sure it happened. Who cares what anyone else thinks anyway ? You are doing something wonderful and beneficial for your child and I think it's great. People will always have something to gripe about or we will always have something to feel insecure/ aggravated/whatever over it so don't concern yourself with the people who obviously don't understand nor appreciate the benefits of breastfeeding.

Answer 4

To the person who said women shouldn't nurse in public because they are "exposing" themselves when men can't.. umm, have you NEVER seen a topless male? They have nipples, too. And I've seen men walking around without a shirt who have bigger boobs than ME and I'm a 38-C. At least when I nursed my kids I had a shirt-slash-baby combo covering 99% of me. If some curious person caught even a flash of pink while latching on, I'd be surprised.

I nursed all four of my kids until they were all about a year old, and I was too busy to run to the car every time they were hungry. I had groceries to buy, bills to pay, library books to turn in, kids to pick up from school... Yay for you if your kid takes a bottle and you can just pop one in his mouth, but my kids wouldn't. They would actually rather have been miserably hungry and crying rather than take a bottle if mom was handy. Sorry, but I wasn't about to let my baby be miserably hungry and crying. They were hungry, they needed to eat, they were fed, end of story. Their need to feed is just more important to me than some stranger's need to feel "comfortable" in what he or she perceives as their personal public space (yes, that is an oxymoron, and yes, I meant it to be.)

Yes, I had people give me dirty looks. No, I wasn't going to go feed my kid in the bathroom. Hell, I don't even like using the TOILET in a public toilet - why on earth would I want to feed my precious child in there?

Answer 5

god gave that woman nipples to feed her baby-why should she hide it from him? i think it doesnt matter. only uneducated imature people care about that stuff. i breastfeed my 6 month old and i do it in public but i do cover up so i dont attract too much attention. i am out way to often to walk out to my car all the time. also, i refude to feed my son in a bacteria infested bathroom where people release their bowels. fat men can take their shirts off so why shouldnt a woman be able to feed her child. once i was breastfeeding in burger king because i took my little bothers there and they were playing in the play place and an onlder woman came up to me and told me she thought i was a wonderful mother.
CASEY a breast is not a sex object a penis is so please educate yourself. do you expect breastfeeding mothers to shelter themselves for a year, i think not. its not good to use a bottle before the first 4-6 weeks of breastfeeding so you dont cause nipple confusion. i refuse to do all that pumping work just to satisfy someone elses lack of education

Answer 6

I don't care as long as you don't flash your bbs to the world. At least cover up. I think people freak out because they either haven't ever had kids or have never seen anyone breastfeed before. While it may be natural for you, it's not something they're used to seeing & it makes them uncomfortable. But it definitely isn't a big deal if you're covering up. Look at it from their point of view too.

Next time, ignore the staring. Don't break down & go to your car. There is NOTHING wrong with it & you shouldn't be ashamed in any way.

Answer 7

I breastfed in public all the time with my 1st and plan to do it again (12 weeks pregnant with my second). However, I was very discreet, I had a nursing shawl, and was always polite, turned away to hook-up, and kept a blanket or the shawl around me so I was completely covered. Most people never knew what I was doing. Our babies need to eat too and you can't always be running to the car every single time. Be proud and congrats and good luck!

Answer 8

americans are immature and terrified of natural functions in public. it's wierd i mean grown ups eat in public... anyway get over the stares. it's normal, natural, healthy and other countries are fine with it. anyway it's what the mommy jugs are for.
there was a parenting magazine in a pediatric office waiting room. the cover was a baby at the breast. the patrons of the office and many other people reading the magazine that the office pulled the issue and others followed suit.
are these people serious????? it just shows you can't please people, just do your thing and as said above they can choose to pay you no mind.

Answer 9

i breastfeed whenever i need to and i never get nasty looks....i have had ppl look....but truly think it's out of curiosity .....do you realize how many americans have never seen a baby breastfeed??

when i get looks i just look them in the eye and smile....i have a great smile and ppl can't help but smile back....it also invites them to ask about my baby....they come over and gush over her and when they confirm their thought that is she nursing they smile again ....i ask if they feel okay with it and they say of course....no biggie

i think alot of it has to do with our attitudes as nursing moms...i treat it as completely normal

good luck

edit....and i never feel the need to "be discreet/cover up"....that just draws more attention....when shopping my baby is her front carrier sling thingy and she frequently nurses in that....the top of my breast is exposed but not anymore than some hot chick walking around in a push up bra with massive cleavage....same thing....except what i am doing is not sexual

Answer 10

It's been pretty easy for me. I nurse my baby wherever she's hungry, if someone is offended, then I invite that person to mind its own business, since they really can't see anything unless they are purposely looking.