I know I am walking on thin ice asking this question, but does anyone else feel that women who are breast?

Question

feeding should cover themselves in public? Please understand I am not trying to offend anyone. I don't have a problem with breast feeding, and I praise the mothers who do breast feed their children (I did many years ago). However, I think there is such a thing as modesty with it. I am not asking women to go shut themselves off from the world to breast feed, but I think they should cover themselves. Am I alone on this issue? I used to cover myself when I breast fed my children and never whipped out my breast for the world to see, and none of my children have emotional problems. I just didn't feel the need to say to the world "Hey look at me I am breast feeding. Woohoo". This question came to mind because we have a lady in our church (Catholic) who sits in the front pew with her family and she nurses her baby during the service.

Answer 1

You're very right. Even if the mother doesn't feel self-conscious about it she should have the common courtesy to understand that it makes other people feel uncomfortable. By just using a small towel or a wash cloth the mother can easily make it much less blatant. To me it seems that some (not all) mothers have a tendency to become very oblivious to others when doing something involving child.

Answer 2

I always tried to cover up - not because I cared what anyone thought, but because I didn't want to be bothered by perverts. News flash, people - the purpose of breasts are NOT to be sexually entertaining! Women have them so they can FEED THEIR BABIES! What's gross or offensive about that? Why should a women have to cover up if she's exposed for the sole purpose of feeding her baby? I don't think she's doing it as a "Woohoo, look at me" thing, but as a "My baby is hungry and I don't care what you ignorant bottle feeders think" one. If you're all for breastfeeding, give the woman a break. Stop being yet another person who turns a the natural function of breasts into something that should be covered and shamed; I say good for her for responding to her baby's needs and not caring what anyone else thinks! Maybe she's offended by the idiots who make breasts into something sexual, don't understand that nursing isn't the same as a Girls Gone Wild video, and would rather stick a piece of plastic filled with substandard, chemical garbage in their children's mouth than "offend" others by giving their child the best nutrition possible.
*Edit* To the woman who said covering up might help protect sex crimes - great job, moron! Yeah, it's the VICTIM'S fault when she's sexually assaulted! Just goes to show which ones were bottle babies, doesn't it?

Answer 3

I'm Catholic myself, and thus was raised with a great deal of modesty. I find it hard to change in front of other women at the swimming pool, for crying out loud. But I never had an issue with breastfeeding in public, and never 'covered myself' which I shall assume is referring to some sort of blanket you'd throw over your baby. I discreetly unbuttoned my shirt or pulled up my nursing top so that only the important part was available for my baby, and her body would be blocking anything from being seen by onlookers. Only once or twice did I receive the evil eyes of strangers who must have disapproved of a baby eating... but whatever.

Ok, you are in church so you expect modesty, but what do most statues show Mother Mary doing with Jesus on her lap? Nursing her babe. And no, there isn't a blanket over him. I just dont get why people think the breastfeeding mother who isn't smothering her baby with some blanket to be saying 'Woohoo, look at me, I'm breastfeeding'.

Edit: Have just read the other responses because I do want to keep up-to-date on these types of phobias. I was about to go to bed severely disappointed as all I saw where the 'ewww, breastfeeding is disgusting' responses or the 'I support breastfeeding, I just dont want to see it' remarks when I finally saw some fairly rational responses like 'If you don't want to see it, don't look'. Breastfeeding in public, without a blanket thrown over your baby, is protected by law for a reason. You certainly aren't alone feeling the way you do, I just have to wonder WHY you feel the way you do. I was born and raised in the US, but I became a mother in France. Formula is very much forced on you there however, so even if seeing a boob is no big deal, you aren't more likely to breastfeed. I had difficulty breastfeeding not for the exposure issue, simply the 'it's not done' issue.

Answer 4

The problem you are having is mostly a factor of our culture. In Europe, people are casual about it, but they also allow the showing of female nudity in most advertising - so they are deluged with breast imagery and no longer have as strong a taboo against it. In America we have created a more puritan ethic which maiintains that in order to show how civilized we are over here, we need to be more up-tight about nudity. Eurpeans think we are hilarious! If we were exposed to more breasts, their sexual impact would be reduced, but the drive to accept breast-feeding in public has proceeded without the bow to the fact that we need to become de0sensitized first in this country. It does seem like exposure in America and it does seem sexually exhibitive. It may be beautiful and natural (and convenient) for the parents to just pop a breast out in a restaurant over coffee with their bff and kids in the cafe, but it is still culturally taboo here. If we had more topless beaches and other such areas, it would seem less bizarre, but we are still trained that exposing the breast is wrong all our young lives, so the breast-feeding in public will make us uncomfortable all our lives, probably.

Answer 5

ABSOLUTELY NOT. I found, from the time my son was a newborn, that nursing was a special time. You all do realize that a newborn can only see a short distance right? And that is normally about the distance to the mother's face while breastfeeding. My son always wants to look at me while nursing, even now at 10 1/2 months old. Sorry, but while I am disreet in other ways while nursing him I WILL NOT force him to eat in the dark. Don't like it, don't LOOK.

Answer 6

Some babies do not allow a blanket to be placed over them...especially an older one.
And what about people who live in warm climates? Using a blanket is unrealistic in many situations.

Breastfeeding in public is about feeding your child on demand. Nothing more. It is ignorant to assume that a woman is doing so with ulterior motives.

I also don't believe in double standards, do you?
If not then you must think bottle fed babies should cover up too.
Now doesn't that sound silly?!

Answer 7

If you dont like to see.... THEN DONT SEE and keep that eye of yours under control rather than asking moms around to CLOSE! Why the hell do you want to peep at her when she is feeding when you should be PRAYING?!? May be you want to see the color of her areolas or want to see how large her boobs are? Seriously you ppl have nothing better in this world to do rit? I see women walking around with transparent clothes and half of their boobs exposed with those low cut tops and protruding **** which looks disgusting. Those things are OK for you ppl rit? Breast feeding is such a divine thing and equal to godliness.. A mom is feeding her child and giving some life and nourishment to the baby who depends on her milk and you find it gross? And you call yourself a human? U ppl are EVIL.

And thanks to all those who give a thumbs down for me. That proves that you definitely are not a human and come under the EVIL category. GOD SAVE YOU!!! Amen!

Answer 8

Humans are the only animal that has a problem with feeding it's young in public.It's because society says it's something to be ashamed of.I believe it should be a personal choice and if the woman is comfortable leave her be.

Answer 9

I constantly tried to conceal up - no longer simply by fact I cared what all and sundry concept, yet simply by fact i did no longer prefer to be bothered by perverts. information flash, human beings - the purpose of breasts are to no longer be sexually relaxing! women have them so as that they could FEED THEIR toddlers! what's gross or offensive approximately that? Why could desire to a women could desire to conceal up if she's uncovered for the only purpose of feeding her infant? i do no longer think of she's doing it as a "Woohoo, look at me" element, yet as a "My infant is hungry and that i do no longer care what you ignorant bottle feeders think of" one. once you're enthusiastic approximately breastfeeding, provide the lady a injury. end being yet yet another individual who turns a the organic functionality of breasts into something that could desire to be lined and shamed; I say solid for her for responding to her infant's desires and not being concerned what all and sundry else thinks! in step with hazard she's indignant by the idiots who make breasts into something sexual, don't understand that nursing isn't the comparable as a ladies long previous Wild video, and could particularly stick a bite of plastic crammed with substandard, chemical rubbish of their baby's mouth than "offend" others by giving their baby the superb food attainable. *Edit* To the lady who mentioned overlaying up could help preserve intercourse crimes - super pastime, moron! Yeah, this is the sufferer'S fault whilst she's sexually assaulted! merely is going to coach which of them have been bottle toddlers, does not it?

Answer 10

Why is this even an issue. Women in other countries {Africa especially} openly breast feed. We are "uncomfortable" with it because somehow the female breast is considered "nudity". I also think we need some modesty, but seriously the kid has got to eat! I hate this far less than a diaper change in public!

Answer 11

I know many breast feeders, and never have I seen anything like you describe. The only time I would whip out a b**b was when I was comfortable at home, without sensitive eyes peering at us. I do understand and defer to your experience, and I have always agreed that women should cover in public. If even to save it as a private experience for her and her child.