Breastfeeding at MK

[MataHari22]

I wanted to post Kristina Kuzmic's video, Four Reasons Why Women Shouldn't Breastfeed in Public, in my prior post, but I was too chicken I'd get in trouble with the moderators. For anyone who hasn't seen it, it's pretty funny.

 

[DetroitDisney]

Well I don't like the folks in three-sizes-too-small spandex, but I just avert my eyes.

Really, though, I've yet to meet a nursing mom who leaves themselves exposed for long. Usually we're like ninjas in how fast we can unlatch the baby and adjust the clothing. But that could be that I'm just not paying attention, in the same way I don't really pay attention the the guy eating that nasty-looking turkey leg. It's all just food to me.

To be fair the giant guy eating a turkey leg is probably more disturbing.

I still mostly agree with you. It's just ridiculous that I should be attacked for not enjoying people exposing themselves in public. If I can't see anything I don't care, if it national geographic then I'm uncomfortable.

 

[artemis4]

You're describing someone that is attempting to cover up. If there's nothing to see, I don't have any issues. The fact that a baby is eating isn't disgusting. What I DONT want to see your business hanging out fully exposed, something which I have seen multiple times in public against my will.

Oh I hate seeing people's business hanging out fully exposed, which I've also seen far too many times in my life. I've seen it with men and women wearing skimpy outfits, skimpy swimming suits, even baggy pants drooping far to low, men in unbuttoned shirts and women in plunging necklines. Of course, people get to chose their own style of dress, and while I may pass mental judgement, I won't demand that they cover up just because I don't like to see butt cracks or deep armhole tanktops on young men that show as much as they cover.

Then there are all of the scantily clad advertisements for everything from cars to fast food. I haven't figured out why mostly naked women and men are needed to get me to consider purchasing a hamburger. Ugh. I wish that stuff would stop.

As for breastfeeding, though...feed that baby whenever and wherever both mother and child are legally allowed to be. Period. No coverups needed. Ever. Sittiing on the side of the pool wearing your swimming suit? Feed the baby. Sitting on a park bench wearing a tee shirt? Feed that baby. Sit in a public place if mom wants to be where there are others to talk with or wants to people watch or whatever. Sit in a quiet, private room if mom wants a little break from the parks to help baby fall asleep or if baby is too easily distracted or whatever. Do whatever works for the nursing mother and the nursling.

Kudos to the OP's wife for standing her ground.

 

[Dismama2boys]

To be fair the giant guy eating a turkey leg is probably more disturbing.

I still mostly agree with you. It's just ridiculous that I should be attacked for not enjoying people exposing themselves in public. If I can't see anything I don't care, if it national geographic then I'm uncomfortable.

Totally get that. But the peeing comment....come on now. Surely you knew how that would go .

 

[Dismama2boys]

Totally get that. But the peeing comment....come on now. Surely you knew how that would go .

My smilies aren't showing up!! That was said light-heartedly with a wink and a smile, I promise.

 

[Rosebud123]

I wanted to post Kristina Kuzmic's, Four Reasons Why Women Shouldn't Breastfeed in Public, video in my prior post, but I was too chicken I'd get in trouble with the moderators. For anyone who hasn't seen it, it's pretty funny.

That's awesome, especially the eating the salad under a tablecloth scene!!!!

 

[TexasPete]

I'm glad Disney made it right for your family. Kudos to your wife for nursing her baby.

 

[danny1649]

Fellow Disers i am going to bed soon but have reported several posts as inappropriate replies. Most are fine but a few are crossing line in my opinion.So if you are the few your posts will be deleted so maybe want to edit your post. Opinions may differ on this topic but does not give you license to be rude in your replies.

 

[Meeko5]

Be careful, not liking public breastfeeding makes you an ignorant caveman that hates kids apparently. Even when you say it's fine provided the mother isn't fully exposed.

But it is and should be fine, regardless of the exposure level. Legally, but apparently not morally? Isn't it so much easier to look away then get disgusted and offended?

I realize I'm not going to change your mind on a public message board. But if I can save just one mom the embarrassment of being harassed or judged for nursing in public by trying to educate people on it, then I am good with that.

 

[Aurora0427]

It's not a "weird sexual hang up". By your logic, I should be able to whip it out and pee against any tree or bush in the magic kingdom because it's "natural". Unfortunately in modern society, sometimes you need to consider that other people don't want to see your business.

Really? You're comparing your genitals to a woman nursing her child? Feeding a baby to peeing? It's not like she was walking around topless. Sounds like she was being as discreet as she could possibly be.

 

[eyehartdisney]

Isn't it so much easier to look away than get disgusted and offended?

If it were that easy, then gay marriage would have been instituted years ago, civil rights would have been a breeze, and women always would have been able to vote. You don't just get to decide to stop having hangups. Best you can hope for is gracious civility, and that the next generation isn't raised like that.

 

[Aurora0427]

I'm not saying people need to trek to some place far away. But if you don't have bottles with you, and you need to feed a baby, the polite thing to do is to cover up. Especially in a family place like Disney.

Uhhh, lots of babies DO NOT USE BOTTLES. They're BREASTFED.

Besides, it's 100% legal in Florida to breastfeed, even if your boobs are in full display. It is not legal to pee in public, to reference your earlier post. So wit all due respect, this nursing mother was in the right. It may make you uncomfortable, but that's your own issue.

 

[eyehartdisney]

Uhhh, lots of babies DO NOT USE BOTTLES. They're BREASTFED.

Besides, it's 100% legal in Florida to breastfeed, even if your boobs are in full display. It is not legal to pee in public, to reference your earlier post. So wit all due respect, this nursing mother was in the right. It may make you uncomfortable, but that's your own issue.

I don't disagree with you, but polite =/= legal.

 

[Aurora0427]

To be fair the giant guy eating a turkey leg is probably more disturbing.

I still mostly agree with you. It's just ridiculous that I should be attacked for not enjoying people exposing themselves in public. If I can't see anything I don't care, if it national geographic then I'm uncomfortable.

I think people have a problem with you viewing feeding your child as exposing yourself. Pulling down your pants in public is exposing yourself. Feeding your infant is not.

 

[Meeko5]

I don't disagree with you, but polite =/= legal.

Agreed, but polite and nursing under a cover in the heat don't always mix. And if I'm choosing between my baby's comfort and the hang-ups of strangers, it's a no Brainer.

Hang ups are there, and we all have our own issues. But this is legally protected and nursing moms are harassed more and more. We need to raise awareness, and support. It's disheartening how sexualized breasts have become, that a baby can't eat when they need to. But Victoria's secret can have 5 foot boob pictures in the window and people don't bat an eye.

 

[eyehartdisney]

And if I'm choosing between my baby's comfort and the hang-ups of strangers, it's a no Brainer.

Yes, well being of your loved ones always comes first, which is one of the reasons that I find the child-on-my-shoulders debate on the disboards to be laughable. Of course parents are going to try to make sure their kids can see, regardless of how you feel about it. It's just basic human nature.

But Victoria's secret can have 5 foot boob pictures in the window and people don't bat an eye.

I'd really rather they get rid of that, too. There's nothing secret about victoria anymore.

 

[Aurora0427]

"Harrassment", no it wasn't, just an uninformed CM. Don't try to make some big deal out of it.

I didn't mean that it was sexual harassment or anything like that. What I meant was- if I was the mother feeding my child and two CM's came up to me and told me I needed to go elsewhere to do that, even though I am protected under FL law, I would feel harassed. It would upset me.

 

[Paigesmom2013]

I breastfed a few years ago on Pirates of the Caribbean. Problem was, I didn't know that ride had a dip! We survived. I also nursed at AK watching some random movie at conservation station or whatever it's called. My husband was embarrassed but whatever. I was never near a baby care center at any convenient time.

 

[bumbershoot]

If you are one of the decent people with the large shield things to keep covered up, then I have no issues.

don't let people with weird, sexual hangups make you uncomfortable.

Yes.

Women's breasts were designed to feed babies. Period.

End of story. Anyone who feels otherwise just doesn't understand biology.

the polite thing to do is to cover up. Especially in a family place like Disney.

Family places have babies who need to eat and the original way nature intended to feed babies was...?

Ok cool i will give them a bottle in public and then immediately pump in public. I bet everyone would love that!

'cuz pumping surely involves more coverage of the chest, LOL.

and need to be warmed before feeding

Psst. They don't *need* to be warmed. I pumped for "just in case" purposes, and the few times DS had milk from a bottle it was nearly ICE cold. Didn't bother him one little bit.

I know I'm outnumbered by the mom contingent that only sees miracle of life, so it's fine.

It's just a fun double standard.

Eating is not the miracle of life. If someone HAD the baby right in front of you that's a miracle of life. Feeding it is not.

I'm very sorry that men can't nurse babies. It's really a bummer that those colored bits on men's chests don't DO anything. If they did, and men had to cover them but women didn't while nursing, then it's a double standard. But men not having use for them isn't a double standard.

I had to distract my dad when he was staring at a european woman breastfeeding on a park bus one trip. Smiling at her might get a little creepy. At least for us men.

Yeah, my hubby is so glad to see babies that are nursed, and I've told him to just avert his eyes. Because a man giving an encouraging smile just looks like a creepazoid. Sad but...

But don't pretend like there's no grounds for people to be squeamish about it.

I don't have to pretend. There's no grounds. It's *feeding a baby*. Or toddler. Or child.

Farting in public is gross and rude, as is chewing with your mouth open. Breastfeeding in public is neither.

Well, actually, in some cultures farting is totally a part of life, and chewing with your mouth open is just chewing. Maybe not in America but...

What I DONT want to see your business hanging out fully exposed, something which I have seen multiple times in public against my will.

So...I myself was nursed until I was 4 (forcibly weaned, boo). All 3 of my brothers nursed until 2 (the first brother is the kid that caused me to be weaned when he weaned himself). My sister went to 5 years old. My son went longer than that. My mom nursed her good friend's babies a few times when her friend was having hard times. (which makes us brothers and sisters in at least one culture) There's a whole lotta nursing going on in my world from the very beginning.

I'm a hippie girl from a hippie mom and I know MANY people who nursed all over the place (though I myself have a kid who wanted me to be topless when I nursed AND I'm really modest, so I MYSELF didn't nurse much in public at all, and I MYSELF had absolutely no issues standing up in a bathroom to nurse DS just so he didn't show my back fat to the earth), and I know exactly ONE person who would let herself hang out. One. In 45 years. In a hippie life. California then the Seattle area.

What's going on out there in Detroit?

Babies in general kind of make me queasy, but that in specific, is partially being raised super conservatively, and partially just being very modest myself.

Conservative...I met a wonderful Muslim woman on the train from London. She was fully covered, head to toe, just her face showing. Totally modest. We ended up having a play date with her and her kids; her 5 year old boy adored my son and they played real football together and I had traditional British tea in her parents' home and it was brilliant. And every time her baby needed to be nursed, she just nursed the baby. The big Muslim dresses (can't recall the name) have space for that to happen. It's hard to get more conservative than a Muslim woman, but even they recognize what those parts are for.

If I can't see anything I don't care, if it national geographic then I'm uncomfortable.

Seriously, what's up with Detroit? If I were you, I might keep my eyes up at eye level going forward. There's something funny going on out there! Unless you're in a topless culture, it's just not comfy to let things hang, I promise. Most women in non-topless cultures just don't do that.

________________________________________________________
(those were asterices but then it looked like I had been censored! just making a distinction between topics, that's all.)

Yes, well being of your loved ones always comes first, which is one of the reasons that I find the child-on-my-shoulders debate on the disboards to be laughable. Of course parents are going to try to make sure their kids can see, regardless of how you feel about it. It's just basic human nature.

Ah, see, to me, human nature is keeping kids safe. And having kids 7 feet in the air, holding on by a few fingers, isn't safe by any definition. And I'm a parent and never once put DS on my shoulders for any reason. Even though he wouldn't have been 7 feet up LOL. He could see just fine on my hip. If he couldn't, neither could I, and why would I stand where I can't see?

 

[mondragon]

I don't disagree with you, but polite =/= legal.

You just don't get it. By law a woman can breastfeed in public where and whenever she pleases. It's not like she running around the park topless (hope you and Detroit dont ever end up in NY where it's legal to walk around topless). Tell you what, the next time you go to Disney in the middle of the summer and you need to eat lunch, go outside and find a nice bench to eat but make sure you throw a blanket over your head. Let us know how that goes.