Breast feeding in public... gross or okay?

[JVL1018]

I breastfed, but never in public, wasn't my thing, made me feel uncomfortable.
I don't mind seeing someone BF in public, but I will do a doubletake if they are letting it all hang out--which I've only seen maybe once or twice in my life. I don't get it, seems unnecessary when everyobe else can be discreet..but hey, do what you want.

 

[Deb in IA]

There are many, many ways to breastfeed very discreetly in public.

I personally found the slings and blankets to be awkward, and just used loose-fitting blouses. Nothing ever showed.

 

[zachnsamsmommy]

I'm so glad this thread is so civilized .

I BF my son until he was 26 mos old...he was/is a special needs child and that played a lot into how long I BF him. After his 1st birthday, I really tried to time our outings to where I only nursed him at home. You can't believe the stares you get BF a child over age 1, well actually the stares started a few months earlier.

He never nursed well covered up, but I found ways to nurse him with nothing showing. Most people assumed he was asleep and I was just holding him. Even without a shawl or coverup, you shouldn't be showing any skin.

With that being said, there have been BF moms that made me uncomfortable...showing most all of their chest...both sides . But I still wouldn't say anything...but it would make me a tad uncomfortable.

So...I can see being 'uncomfortable' around a BF mom if she was showing a lot of skin. But it doesn't faze me much anymore. I think once you have children, you tend to understand it a little better. Even if you bottle feed, you still know how sometimes babies get hungry at unpredicable times.

 

[tzolkin]

What I'm trying to get past is how comfortable that kind of a meal would be for the baby trying to eat while he/she is being jostled around. I can't imagine that being too easy on the baby's digestive system, but I guess I could be wrong.

My middle child always nursed in a front carrier whenever I went shopping. It was either that or screaming the entire time. She never seemed uncomfortable, but I usually kept one hand to steady her head so she didn't bounce around.

I don't mind it at all but I hate the miliant women who try and get a rise out of people by purposely exposing their breasts longer than necessary.

I have never seen such a thing in my life. The only place I have ever even heard people talk about a woman letting her breasts hang out while nursing is on the disboards.

I have known many people who are extreme proponents of breastfeeding and was even a member of a holisitc moms group and have never seen someone breastfeed "indiscretely" Having a curious baby pop off to look around and seeing a peek of nipple/areola for a brief second, yes. But never anything like a woman sitting on a park bench with both breasts out in the sun.

 

[HelenePA]

There has only been one time I did a double take of someone bfing... I was shopping in Old Navy and this mom was bfing her baby.. not a big deal right? Well instead of her pulling up her shirt up to nurse this baby she took her breast out thru the neck hole of the shirt.. she did NOT have a small chest.. it was quite a site.. I giggled and then went about shopping.

 

[BellvilleDad]

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Ok, just kidding. Don't kill me.

 

[Ride Junkie]

Funny...public breast feeding used to bother me. I guess because nobody in my family ever did it, so I wasn't used to seeing it. Then I had a baby of my own and realized that's the best nutrition you can give them. While I support a mom's right to BF her child anywhere, I would be discreet while out in public. I have a cover-up made especially for nursing, since I'm extremely modest. But if my baby were hungry and screaming, I would feed her wherever we were at, because a baby's gotta eat!

 

[Planogirl]

Militants are annoying but otherwise it's all good.

What, no fighting? Wow.

 

[pigletgirl]

you know, if the kid is hungry do you what you gotta do. it isn't something I plan on doing on a regular basis, however if my baby is hungry and we're out, there is no doubt that he/she will get fed.

But i would try to find a way to cover it up so it doesn't offend others.

 

[C.Ann]

I breastfed in public and have friends who do it. It doesn't bother me as long as it is done discreetly. Sorry but it does bother me when a woman just whips it out (and yes I have seen this) and lets both hang out while feeding. No attempts for covering up what is not being used. I am not even speaking of covering babies as much as covering up your skin.

I don't want to see a woman's chest flopping around anymore than I want to see a man in speedos.

It's about being discreet and not showy to me. Before anyone fights me on this, read my whole post. I have seen it done nicely and I have seen women baring it all literally and to me that is wrong and disgusting especially since most places I know have laws saying you can't go topless. Feeding a child is not an excuse to let it hang out IMO.

I agree.. Done discreetly and in good taste, no problem.. There are plenty of ways this can be done without letting everything "all hang out".. Of course I'm not sure from the OP's post exactly how much she saw, so her perception of "gross" may be different..

As for comparing it to bathing suits and such, just because people choose to run around half naked doesn't make it "right" - just makes them look trashy..

 

[smkiya]

I bf in public. Eating and going to the bathroom, not the same thing.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

There has only been one time I did a double take of someone bfing... I was shopping in Old Navy and this mom was bfing her baby.. not a big deal right? Well instead of her pulling up her shirt up to nurse this baby she took her breast out thru the neck hole of the shirt.. she did NOT have a small chest.. it was quite a site.. I giggled and then went about shopping.

OMG!!!!

Not that I haven't considered it--but if I hadn't....the mere physics of the maneuver is an impressive feat. I'd be wondering--HOW ON EARTH IS THAT POSSIBLE.

I mean--I may have tried AT HOME--and in that I can tell you....I can't accomplish there, I can't accomplish it anywhere.


That poor defenseless shirt.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

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Ok, just kidding. Don't kill me.

She could have at least used a blanket in the garden.

 

[BCDisneyFanatic]

One is legal and the other is not.

Is it a big deal or not, I woudn't know. However, my chance of landing in jail are 0 while yours....are higher.

Not the same thing and now you're asking for it. Just a warning.

Don't feed the troll

 

[Mermaid02]

She could have at least used a blanket in the garden.

Hussy..........

 

[Planogirl]

She could have at least used a blanket in the garden.

Some would say that she's not exposing anything. That is not likely the type of pics that were being asked for.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Some would say that she's not exposing anything. That is not likely the type of pics that were being asked for.

I was trying to honor DIS rules--and he didn't specify species.

 

[hrh_disney_queen]

We are such prudes in the country. It is a breast, who cares? Breastfeeding is a completely natural part of life so I say go right ahead. Nudity doesn't always have sexuality attached to it. Most of the world isn't nearly as caught up on nudity as we are, especially in Europe.

The only time I am annoyed by it is when it is obvious that the mother is trying to make a point. At that point it stops being about feeding the baby and starts being about making some kind of public stance and those are generally annoying in any situation.

Once they can jsut walk up and help themselves I think it might be a problem.

I have always thought this way, too. We had a good friend who nursed her son well into his third year. Very strange to see the little guy walk up to her, pull up her top and help himself! He nursed mostly for comfort, so it was only a couple of seconds. Her breasts were so tiny, I doubt he was getting much to eat.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I have always thought this way, too. We had a good friend who nursed her son well into his third year. Very strange to see the little guy walk up to her, pull up her top and help himself! He nursed mostly for comfort, so it was only a couple of seconds. Her breasts were so tiny, I doubt he was getting much to eat.

Well the size has nothing to do with the amount of milk.

Yeah--my son did this. But I stopped him in public. Due to his size, people would probably think I was nursing a 1st grader. I would not have minded meeting his emotional needs, but I really didn't want to be stared at and treated like an outcast.

We ended up weaning him cold turkey though. I just had no cues from him that he had any intentions of reducing his needs as I did for my others who did taper and we were ready to move on with baby plans. It was a tough couple of days--but we got him weaned.

 

[Rora]

IMO, it's perfectly fine- in certain settings. Do I want to watch you feed your baby at the dinner table? Not so much. But any other time is probably okay.

I will probably will breast feed in public!