Do you think breastfeeding in public or around others should be done only under a blanket?

Question

The reason I ask is that many people are offended by a mother not covering up with a blanket. I am not one of those people. I remember when a friend flew in from Norway several months ago with her 8-month-old nursing infant. She breastfed in front of us without covering up, and none of us had a problem with it. I was a little uncomfortable at seeing my former babysitter accidentally 'flashing' me, but I was smart enough to realize that that is MY problem, and my job to look away if it makes me uncomfortable.

I know that there are babies who get extremely fussy or upset when their parents try to make them eat under a blanket--hell, I was one of those babies. So I believe that, as long as she's not lifting up her shirt and actually saying 'hey look at these', a woman's choice to cover up should be just that--a CHOICE. Not one that others try to bully her into making?

What do you think?

Answer 1

Yeah I have very large breasts so I had to hold them back as to not suffocate my child lol....but basically I could not have a blanket cover me because my son would simply pull it off. It was hard to be discreet. I believe people have no problem seeing boobs and butts all over bill boards and on commercials and on tv and movis...why do they mind so much when the boobs are actually doing the job they are MADE for lol.....I think it's beautiful and no mom wants to show off their boobs, it's just no mom wants to stay home all the time forever until they are done nursing either....and babies still want to be fed on demand soooooooo all you people who dont like it...Turn away and get over it lol!!

Answer 2

I think you are exactly right... if you're bothered by it, DON'T LOOK. I never breastfed my baby under a blanket, how ridiculous! Let's throw a blanket over anyone who even suggests such a stupid thing and see what they say about it then. What uptight, hypocritical people there are on this planet. It makes me sick to my stomach to see all these 'adults' insinuating picking your nose and taking a crap are similar in any respects to a woman breastfeeding their child. And just because you are not smothering your child with a blanket doesnt mean you are not being discreet. There are about two seconds at the beginning and end when you are putting your baby on or taking them off the breast that there might be something worth seeing, otherwise all you see is a baby's head... what is disturbing about that? I grew up a strict Catholic, I know all about being modest. As I said the other day on here, I'm modest to the point where I find it hard to change clothes in the women's locker room. Thanks alot for making me ashamed of my body (which actually isnt even that bad) is all I have to say to all these 'Modesty' toters of the world. Those people who say it's being disrespectful not to cover up are those who are disturbed at the very thought of a mother breastfeeding and thus probably want breastfeeding mothers to stay locked up in their houses so they don't have to 'see that', or else very prudish and need to seek counselling to loosen up. I'm just so sick and tired of this issue. I'm not even a breastfeeding mother anymore, but I am thinking of having my second child soon and know I shall be faced with this again.

Answer 3

I agree with you. I breastfed both my children in public without a blanket for a few reasons. The least one was that they wouldnt nurse if covered because they couldnt see anything. My main problem was strangers on the street walking up to me and removing the blanket to get a peek at the baby. Which made me feel violated. So I gave up using a blanket.

I can understand that some women feel more comfortable if covered by a blanket and that is their choice. But I do not feel its neccesary at all. It is quite easy to be discreet whilst breastfeeding and is completely different than totally removing your top and jiggling your breasts around for the world to see. (Baby covers mopst of it and your top covers the rest)

To those that say well pooping is natural too but we dont do that. Excrement is completely different to breastfeeding. One is eating for survival and yes the other is a natural body function but it's also unhygenic to do in public. Breastfeeding is not unhygenic at all.
Breastfeeding mothers are also not responsiblew for the education of strangers children. So if a parent is unhappy that another women is publicly breastfeeding then that is their problem not the breastfeeders. And they should take the time tpo explain to their children that the mother is feeding her child and it's not something to gawk at. If this was done then we wouldnt have so many uneducated,ignorant people shocked and horrified that people breastfeed and worse yet breastfeed out in public!!
To those freaks that get a kick out of seeing a woman breastfed, I always found asking them if they had never seen a woman breastfeed was enough to shame them and make them move on. We(breastfeeders) are not responsible for the weirdness of others.

Answer 4

With my first I probably stopped around 20 months. We pretty much didn’t need to when he passed 16 months as he only nursed a couple times a day. I did keep nursing when we traveled (like on a plane) until he was about 20 months (but didn’t after that because we didn’t fly anywhere again until he was weaned. I had no problem nursing in public, but since he wasn’t nursing very much the point was moot. The worst flight of my life was the first airline flight I took where I wasn’t nursing him. Holy. Cow. It was awful. As far as tips, if I wanted to delay him from nursing, I’d tell him that he needed to wait until we got home, got to the car, or wherever I was going that I preferred to nurse there for some reason. Generally, he was pretty accepting. If he wasn’t being serious, well then, he could nurse later when he wanted to get down to business. After 12 months it’s my personal belief that you can place limits or enforce nursing manners in a way that it works for you and the baby. Sometimes that means distracting until you’re ready to nurse. I now have a 1 year old that I’ll keep nursing in public as needed. It’s just not an issue for us.

Answer 5

Do I think they should cover themselves with a blanket? No. Do I think they should be as discreet as possible? Yes. I've seen women just "flop it out", let the baby nurse, sit the baby in the stroller, then finally cover themselves back up. That's a little too much for me. A woman that discreetly pull her shirt up just enough so that the baby can nurse, that's cool. When I was nursing, my son had a bad habit of stopping and turning his head. Anyone around at the time got a good peek of my nipple. Wasn't much I could do about it though. I was a little shy about it, so I would use a small, light-weight blanket to help conceal those incidents. Other woman.... they aren't shy at all and that's fine too. To each their own.

Most people can tell when a woman is preparing to or is breast feeding their child. If you don't wanna see it, don't look. That's my opinion. Its not like they are standing directly in front of you with a big neon sign that reads, "LOOK AT MY BREAST!"

Answer 6

i dont think they should have to breastfeed under a blanket if they have to breastfeed in public. i think its up to the mother and the baby as to what they feel comfortable doing and what works. in different countries uncovered breastfeeding isnt considered offencive, just a fact of life. i dont feel comfortable "watching" a woman breastfeed, but the baby has to eat! and theres nothing better than the breast to feed it, and a blanket or other cover can be very hot and hard to keep in place anyway, the baby can pull it down, or the mother cant see the baby to make sure its latching properly...etc theres alot of issues to that, there are some products that are supposed to help but i dont know of any that help fix all of those issues 100%. if i see it i just look away and try to be polite, i dont wanna just stare or something lol, but i dont wanna be rude and make her feel bad for feeding her baby. i think its just something that we as a people need to learn to deal with, as gerber says "anything for baby".

Answer 7

Most nursing tops make it easy to nurse without flashing everyone and without having to use a blanket coverup. As long as you are discreet about it, the baby covers up all that.

I nursed in public with ease, and the only time I felt uncomfortable was whenever my Grandmother fussed at me for breast feeding my daughter at 13 months old. "Your breasts are gonna end up lookin like an old sow's if you don't wean that child already!" lol I kept on nursing till Z was ready to stop, which turned out to be around about 16 months old.

It takes just a little bit of practise but anybody can achieve the quick unhitch, baby up, latch on, distract with conversation bit. It helps to have the right equipment, such as a good supportive nursing bra and a nursing top with easy access slots that are positioned just right.

And to the lady that suggested going to the bathroom to feed, that is the absolute worst place to have to feed your baby! All those germs, and there is nowhere to sit!!! WHAT the hell were YOU thinking??? Nursing mothers should be able to feed their children where ever they are. End of story. If you don't like it, you don't have to look. It's actually VERY easy to ignore it, and no, your breasts don't always show without a blanket if you use the proper top. So get over yourselves, people.

Answer 8

i do not cover up....i might the blanket or burp cloth over me for a sec in public if i think i might show some nip while getting started but then i don't even worry about and blanket gets removed

i really think they blanket or nursing shawl or whatever those things are put a big flashing red light over the nursing pair....it's tells everybody what you are doing

edit.......and i am competelty ******* baffled at the notion that taking a dump and breastfeeding are somehow equal....that is such a false analogy

how about this for an analogy.....your eating in public is natural.....if i were to see you eating a nasty *** greasy hamburger and fries it could possibly offend me i think i just may come over and vomit next to you because that grossed me out so much.....my having to vomit is natural too right?

now does it make sense that i equate eating and vomiting???

of course not idiots

Answer 9

It's a cultural problem. That means it is not a problem in other situations or places. As much as possible, the mother should seek privacy in nursing the baby especially in public places-as a matter of decency- but not if it is impossible and inconvenient to her and the baby. Women give birth to male and female humans. It is sad that they are often treated like dogs by most men and mean women. Raisng a child you have carried in your body for 9 months is not a joke. If I ever knew that a person had a problem with my mother nursing me in public as a child ,That would make me greatly sad. If we are truly human, such a natural god-given way of nursing should never trouble us. Those who are bothered probably are reacting to their own lack of decency or something wrong they may be wanting to express. The same kind of people, it appears to me, never use the rest room, they smell nice, look good; they are "angels" of some sort.

Answer 10

I totally agree with you!!! And now to all those who say its equal to pooping or peeing... plz educate urself about the difference between feeding and excreting and then start blabbering here. Well.. first things first. If you dont want to look, then carry a blanket with you and put that blanket on your head and walk when you come across a breast feeding mom. As many of them mentioned here, most babies hate to be covered while they get fed. They would scream and yell and arch and create a havoc which would make heads turn and look at the breast feeding mom which would look more like advertising and make ppl realize that she is breast feeding. Instead if she is going to feed in a quiet way and calm the baby and quench the baby's hunger, no one around would even know whats happening unless you really peep at her boobs. Well... can you just keep your eyes under control? Why do you want to see who is showing their boobies out?

Then again if you have a probelm explaining your children what that woman is doing, then what are you going to do when you get younger babies in your own family? For instance your child himself or herself get a sibling?!? Would you always cover yourself with a blanket and feed? Or will you be dwelling inside your restroom and feeding your little one inhaling all those dirty smell around? Have some common sense people. How much ever hungry you are, will you be peeing and pooping inside your restroom and having food simultaneously? Dont you ppl have brains?

Feeding a child is such a divine thing. What does Mother Mary do? Feed infant Jesus covering herself up? Havent you seen those statues when you go to pray? Well take time to look at reality and stop hunting for boobs.

You ppl can tolerate watching ladies wearing LOW CUT tops and walking around half exposed showing their boobies dangling 'jigly jig jigly jig' but cant tolerate a woman feeding isnt it? If youre worred if ur husband would look at a breastfeeding mom, then be kind enough to marry a blind man. We are not here to educate perverts. Perverts will look at boobies even if they are covered tight under a T-shirt.

Breasts are made for breast feeding and ppl use it as a fringe benefit for sexual pleasure. As simple as that. Understand the purpose and stop acting crappy.

Get over it ppl... and let moms around feel comfortable in giving life and nourishment to their little ones. Please let them live in peace and for heavens sake cover your heads with a blanket and walk if you arent able to tolerate a woman breast feeding.

Amen!

Answer 11

I agree. My son will not allow me to cover up. The best I can do is wear a nursing shirt and act like I'm not doing anything wrong - which I'm not. Nobody even notices. The few times I've tried to cover, though, he has yanked the blanket away and pulled off, leaving my breast out there for all to see. I can be more discreet by not covering!

Really, most mothers will do what they can to keep from flashing anyone - especially strangers. I don't see why people think they're TRYING to do it.