Breast feeding in public... gross or okay?

[ols386]

I have no problem with a mother nursing in public...but there are ways to do it without attracting attention, and I think most women don't really want the attention.

But if someone is offended by it, I'm not going to beat-up on them for having their own personal opinion about it. What's offensive to some, isn't offensive to others.

 

[threecrazykids]

But if someone is offended by it, I'm not going to beat-up on them for having their own personal opinion about it. What's offensive to some, isn't offensive to others.

Great post!

I don't by any means think that breastfeeding is gross...BUT, I also don't like that SOME breastfeeding mothers assume that if you don't want to see it then YOU clearly have something wrong with you or you're "sick" by thinking of breasts for something more than just nourishment.

There ARE some older generation people who simply don't understand why mothers aren't covered up while breastfeeding...it's just a generational difference...even though they DID breastfeed their kids, they didn't find it ok to whip out their breasts for the world to see and then scream "SICKO" when people looked.

I breastfed 2 of my 3 kids, but I just didn't feel comfortable doing it standing in line at a grocery store or in the middle of church...so I just timed my feedings around it the best I could, or I would find a place that wasn't right out in the open...I don't think people mean to gawk they just double take...it's a b**b...lol

 

[KiKi Mouse]

Where else would you feed your baby if you are at the mall or at a restaurant?

Not sure what people expect.

I nursed DD#1 til she was three. DD#2 gave up on me at 9 months.

I smile when I see women nursing their babies. It is the best thing they can do for them.

 

[december]

It's something that I don't care to see. I have the feeling that most mothers who do breast feed in public are trying to prove a point.

Yep! The point is that my baby is hungry and I'm going to feed her. I am discreet, mainly because I don't want any of my back or belly fat showing while I'm nursing. I have some cute "udder covers" that I always take with me, or use when I have company at home. But when it is just us (dh, ds12, dd10) at the house, I don't worry about it.

My sister thinks bf is awful, and wants me to wean Katie before our WDW trip in May. She will be barely 1, and I plan to nurse until at least 18 mos. She is my last baby, and we both enjoy our nursing time, so no one else is going to dictate to me when to stop feeding her, or where to feed her!

I just really wonder where some of you are that you are seeing full breasts out on a regular basis. I've rarely seen anything that can be construed as exhibitionist. Mariah Carey showed more in her Golden Globes dress than any breastfeeding mother I've ever witnessed in public.

 

[threecrazykids]

Yep! The point is that my baby is hungry and I'm going to feed her. I am discreet, mainly because I don't want any of my back or belly fat showing while I'm nursing.

This was me to a T!

 

[DizBelle]

Yep! The point is that my baby is hungry and I'm going to feed her. I am discreet, mainly because I don't want any of my back or belly fat showing while I'm nursing. I have some cute "udder covers" that I always take with me, or use when I have company at home. But when it is just us (dh, ds12, dd10) at the house, I don't worry about it.

My sister thinks bf is awful, and wants me to wean Katie before our WDW trip in May. She will be barely 1, and I plan to nurse until at least 18 mos. She is my last baby, and we both enjoy our nursing time, so no one else is going to dictate to me when to stop feeding her, or where to feed her!

I just really wonder where some of you are that you are seeing full breasts out on a regular basis. I've rarely seen anything that can be construed as exhibitionist. Mariah Carey showed more in her Golden Globes dress than any breastfeeding mother I've ever witnessed in public.

Just because you haven't seen it doesn't mean that it doesn't happen. Since these events are a bit shocking to the observer, they are brought up as a topic for discussion.

I also think that the point some mothers are trying to make has nothing to do with their child's hunger but that they can breastfeed in public and can display as much as they want while doing so.

 

[december]

Just because you haven't seen it doesn't mean that it doesn't happen. Since these events are a bit shocking to the observer, they are brought up as a topic for discussion.

I'm not saying it doesn't happen, which is why I used the word "rarely" in my pp. For example: Dh was an insurance agent that went door to door collecting payments at one time. A lady opened the door with no shirt on, and her baby attached to one ****. She saw who he was, went and got her money, and paid, with no attempt to cover up. We didn't have kids at the time, so he was in major shock!

But the title of this thread deals with the grossness of breastfeeding in public. How can that not be offensive to breastfeeding mothers? My point is that the vast majority of bfing moms cover up (to the point that most people don't even know what they are doing, thus no discussion), and they are not doing this to make a point! That is simply ridiculous.

 

[mill4023]

So, according to the way this law is written, a woman could be COMPLETELY NAKED but as long as she is breastfeeding, she is not breaking the law.

I was wondering if the law had any provisions for a minimal amount of clothing a woman had to be wearing while breastfeeding. It appears, at least for Florida, it doesn't.

Huh?

No, that's not at all what the law says. I think your interpretation is ridiculous.

All the law says is that the act of breastfeeding does not violate the law against nudity. It doesn't say that when you're breastfeeding, nothing else you do can be considered illegal. So if a woman stripped naked while breastfeeding, she'd still be breaking the law.

 

[pigletgirl]

I always feel a little uncomfortable, but I never think 'ew, gross!' or anything like that.

When I have children I plan on breastfeeding......

 

[OceanAnnie]

Yep! The point is that my baby is hungry and I'm going to feed her. I am discreet, mainly because I don't want any of my back or belly fat showing while I'm nursing. I have some cute "udder covers" that I always take with me, or use when I have company at home. But when it is just us (dh, ds12, dd10) at the house, I don't worry about it.

My sister thinks bf is awful, and wants me to wean Katie before our WDW trip in May. She will be barely 1, and I plan to nurse until at least 18 mos. She is my last baby, and we both enjoy our nursing time, so no one else is going to dictate to me when to stop feeding her, or where to feed her!

I just really wonder where some of you are that you are seeing full breasts out on a regular basis. I've rarely seen anything that can be construed as exhibitionist. Mariah Carey showed more in her Golden Globes dress than any breastfeeding mother I've ever witnessed in public.

I think you make a good point! It's not just Mariah Carey and Hollywood types either, that wear really revealing tops. I wonder if those that are offended by breastfeeding are equally offended by women displaying over the top cleavage?

 

[MommaMouse411]

its hard sometimes to be discreet..and I personally got to a point where I wasn't going to worry about who's around me when my child got hungry...I have a wrap and used it but sometimes getting the wrap and the baby right forget it, you're bound to have a "malfunction"...this topic will always be an issue...those folks that are disgusted by it..as long as they don't step to me they can keep being disgusted...what am I going to do run somewhere to hide and feed my child?? please! And so what if women are BF in public to prove a point...at least they are breastfeeding their child.

 

[DizBelle]

Huh?

No, that's not at all what the law says. I think your interpretation is ridiculous.

All the law says is that the act of breastfeeding does not violate the law against nudity. It doesn't say that when you're breastfeeding, nothing else you do can be considered illegal. So if a woman stripped naked while breastfeeding, she'd still be breaking the law.

The law, as written, clearly states "A mother's breastfeeding of her baby does not under any circumstance violate this section." Completely naked + breastfeeding = not unlawful.

A breastfeeding mother and her lawyer could make this case and would probably win. It will also probably lead to getting the law re-written. But my point is that the law, as it is written NOW, will allow naked breastfeeding.

I don't think it was intended this way but it is certainly written this way.

I certainly wouldn't prefer for a mother to take it this far. But, apparently, in Florida, she is within her legal right to do so. Maybe there are some mothers that think this activity should be performed "au naturale".

Also, my interpretation isn't ridiculous. My interpretation isn't an interpretation. It is clearly stated in how the law is written. The law is written how the law is written. Which may or may not be how the writer intended.

"Do what I mean, not what I say" doesn't fly when it comes to the law.

 

[Mrs.Toad]

I just really wonder where some of you are that you are seeing full breasts out on a regular basis. I've rarely seen anything that can be construed as exhibitionist. Mariah Carey showed more in her Golden Globes dress than any breastfeeding mother I've ever witnessed in public.

Ditto!

But the title of this thread deals with the grossness of breastfeeding in public. How can that not be offensive to breastfeeding mothers? My point is that the vast majority of bfing moms cover up (to the point that most people don't even know what they are doing, thus no discussion), and they are not doing this to make a point! That is simply ridiculous.

Breastfeeding seems to be one of the few issues where some people like to dwell on the few bad apples. If someone asked "are honeymooning couples at WDW gross?" and people answered with "As long as they aren't playing tonsil-hockey and groping each other in line for Peter Pan, they are OK, but some of them are really disgusting and should stay in their rooms."

While technically true, wouldn't most of us be scratching our heads and wondering "WTH?" at both the answer and the question?

 

[disykat]

I just really wonder where some of you are that you are seeing full breasts out on a regular basis. I've rarely seen anything that can be construed as exhibitionist. Mariah Carey showed more in her Golden Globes dress than any breastfeeding mother I've ever witnessed in public.

Really? I don't think any of us are claiming to see full breasts on a regular basis, but I am kind of surprised you've never seen it.

I'm always surprised that it's impossible to have this discussion and not have a whole lot of people refuse to differentiate between showing your breasts or not. I think the majority of people are not offended by discreet breast feeding and an occasional flash of skin. When people get "grossed out" it's by the "I will breast feed wherever I want and I will do it with bare breasts, not making any effort to cover myself because doing so would be unnatural" crowd.

 

[ols386]

its hard sometimes to be discreet..and I personally got to a point where I wasn't going to worry about who's around me when my child got hungry...I have a wrap and used it but sometimes getting the wrap and the baby right forget it, you're bound to have a "malfunction"...this topic will always be an issue...those folks that are disgusted by it..as long as they don't step to me they can keep being disgusted...what am I going to do run somewhere to hide and feed my child?? please! And so what if women are BF in public to prove a point...at least they are breastfeeding their child.

As opposed to bottle-feeding? I'm not sure if that's what you're referencing, but nothing wrong with bottle-feeding a child either. Mine were both bottle-fed and were as healthy as any other baby/child.

 

[MommaMouse411]

actually yes as opposed to bottle feeding...My brother and I were bottle fed and we are healthy too....but I think Breastmilk is best milk...

 

[december]

Hmmmmmm......but the title of the op is "breastfeeding in public...gross or ok" and not "breastfeeding with full nudity or with breasts hanging out". I don't want to see full frontal nudity either. But a flash here or there has to be expected, since babies don't always cooperate!

FTR, I did bottle feed dd10. I bf ds12 for 18 mos, but almost died when dd10 was 4 days old, and had to go on some strong seizure meds. My choice to bf was taken away from me, for her sake. So with the new little one, I am determined to enjoy every minute of it! I see nothing wrong with formula, and the baby gets bottles of bm at daycare since I work. But when we are together, I bf (she is actually eating now......).

 

[squirrlygirl]

The law, as written, clearly states "A mother's breastfeeding of her baby does not under any circumstance violate this section." Completely naked + breastfeeding = not unlawful.

A breastfeeding mother and her lawyer could make this case and would probably win. It will also probably lead to getting the law re-written. But my point is that the law, as it is written NOW, will allow naked breastfeeding.

I don't think it was intended this way but it is certainly written this way.

I certainly wouldn't prefer for a mother to take it this far. But, apparently, in Florida, she is within her legal right to do so. Maybe there are some mothers that think this activity should be performed "au naturale".

Also, my interpretation isn't ridiculous. My interpretation isn't an interpretation. It is clearly stated in how the law is written. The law is written how the law is written. Which may or may not be how the writer intended.

"Do what I mean, not what I say" doesn't fly when it comes to the law.

Disagree. The law specifically says " a mother's breastfeeding of her baby"--they clearly defined what action did not constitute a violation, and it is limited to the act of nursing the child. Stripping naked is a separate issue.

Now if they had said "a breastfeeding mother"--THEN anything mom did would be allowed.

And my answer is okay. Unless done in a gross way. Same as anyone else that's eating

 

[threecrazykids]

As opposed to bottle-feeding? I'm not sure if that's what you're referencing, but nothing wrong with bottle-feeding a child either. Mine were both bottle-fed and were as healthy as any other baby/child.

actually yes as opposed to bottle feeding...My brother and I were bottle fed and we are healthy too....but I think Breastmilk is best milk...

Who's to say that the milk in the bottle isn't breastmilk? I bottle fed breastmilk all the time...pumped and put it in bottles so others could share in the fun of feeding the baby.

 

[Mouse House Mama]

I have bf 4 children so far (hopefully #5 will be a good bfer too!) and have been to so many activities/places that I have lost count. I have NEVER seen anyone whip off their tops to breastfeed. I am sure there are the few militant nutjobs out there but everyone I have ever encountered was covered up. Not with a blanket, but with their own clothing and the baby. Aside from the occassional flash that couldn't be helped I have never seen anything more. I have seen more skin showing at the mall from the girls/women who think that less is more. Should buttcrack be illegal? How about muffintop on low rise jeans? To me that is gross. Breastfeeding wouldn't even give me pause.