breast feeding in public.....what the hells the problem with it? ffs

[robinredbreast]

cant believe that programme last night even the spock woman that makes out shes into your baby your way ,highly disaprroves of bf in public and yes yet again everyone is slagging off bf in public

this is going to put a hell of alot of expectant mums off

id love to meet that spock woman and cv and tell them what i think

[lazyemma]

It was shocking, wasn't it. Perhaps it's a generational thing? Especially alarming that the Spock woman, who seemed quite progressive otherwise, was against it. But, as CC lady pointed out, at least the law is against them.

[niceglasses]

Shocked too. I do wonder if it is slightly generational, still, appalling. Was surprised the silly Spock woman was against it. Grrr annoying - esp the bit about feeding in the toilet - gross! (even tho I was forced to do it a few times!)

[bobsmum]

I was really shocked too, but again think it's a generational thing. They look the same age as my mum (although CV says she's 41....)

My mum's come round to the idea of b/f since I've had my dcs, but previously would never have considered anything other than bottle feeding, because when she was having children it was seen as "modern" and "progressive" and just the norm.

It's still the norm nowadays, but hopefully breastfeeding is at least considered to be an option rather than something to be sniffed at in disgust.

I can't believe that breastfeeding in public was compared to dropping your trousers at the dinner table Was fuming.

[TheApprentice]

I just don't get this, they all go on about not wanting to see someone's boobs in public, but the point it YOU CAN BREASTFEED WITHOUT SHOWING ANY BREAST!! It is perfectly possibly to be discreet, I breastfed in public loads of times and certainly didnt flash my norks as I would have been too embarassed! Why don't they understand this?

[TheApprentice]

And yes, its got nothing to do with dropping your trousers - the nearest thing to that would be changing a nappy in public - I agree that wouldn't be pleasant while eating a meal, but breastfeeding - HOW can that be a problem?

[bozza]

did she really say that fio? Her knowledge of female anatomy seems a bit askew. I don't get the problem with breastfeeding in public either, having done it many times.

[hotcrossbunny]

I 'm sure Dr Spock isn't anti b/f in public...I think its just that womans own hang ups coming through...
I followed Dr Spock and I fed whenever and wherever dd needed it. And being larger of norkage, probably did flash my boobs a bit too. So shoot me. My baby was hungry and I had the food. End of.
Even my parents (v v old fashioned and strict) got used to it.

[leo1978]

Agree with FloFlo - the programme is hideous. The representation of a range of issues is problematic - breastfeeding is depicted as something extreme and slightly hippie, ignoring your baby crying is normalised etc.

[spookykitty]

It's because breasts have been sexualised mostly by men and a lot of women think they are only for men and you shouldn't be showing them in public but lets face it you see a far greater amount of tit in a club on a Saturday night than you ever would BFing, where you might catch a glimpse if you are lucky when the baby is latching or unlatching.

It's because the baby is sucking on the breast something that some people see as a sexual act, well in this country anyway. Oh BFing in public is terrible but looking at an 18 year olds tits in a ational newspaper every day is OK??!!

IMHO they need to get over themselves FFS it's a baby feeding the way it should!

[bozza]

Right a mother goes in a cafe with a hungry baby. She can either sit down and have a drink and a cake and feed the baby or she can sort of half sip at her drink and try and distract the baby who is crying more and more loudly because he is hungry. Now it is obvious which is the better option for the mother and the baby (well maybe not to CV, but to all the rest of us) but is it not also obvious which is better for the other diners?

If I was in a cafe I would far rather see a mother sitting feeding her baby, than a mother getting harassed and stressed and a red-faced crying baby. Now I know that scenario will happen sometimes and can't be helped but if there is an obvious solution?

[bobsmum]

I hadn't seen it before until I stumbled across it last night. Felt as sickened by it as after I'd caught the first 20 minutes of 28 Days Later.

I used GF's methods (plus a lot of illegal feeds ) with ds, but by no 3 I'm going to be a full blown sling wearing tribal mummy - I can see it now

[Mossy]

Oh that made me so last night.

You know what? I'm not particularly discreet. Because I have ridiculously huge norks and my ds is going through the "oooh that's interesting let's take a look at that while taking Mummy's nipple half way... hang on, I'll drop this nipple for a second... actually it wasn't that interesting, let's go back on... yum yum... oooh what's that?" stage.

So shoot me. Why should I have to be discreet?

Is this discreet? You can see a lot of boob in that one.

Is this discreet?

These are two images from previous centuries... displayed in public art galleries. So why in the 21st century do we suddenly have such a hang-up about seeing - shock horror - boob in public, when it is feeding a baby?

[TheApprentice]

Sorry everyone, didnt mean to imply you HAVE to be discreet - just that you can if you are like me and would feel uncomfortable.

[blueshoes]

mossy, those images from years gone by celebrate bf-ing as a beautiful selfless act.

Shame that it has now become marginalised in the mainstream into something slightly sordid.

[vole3]

Slightly off thread, but ds had his 3rd lot of jabs yesterday and the practice nurses were very complimentary about him still being exclusively bf. As I said to them, it's a lot less faff than sterilising, making up bottles, carrying them around and finding somewhere to heat them. Besides the fact that, so far, I have never run out or dropped my norks on the floor

[chipmonkeyPumpkinNorks]

Don't know about that vole! I do worry that one day my norks will hit the floor!

[Spiderhammer]

Nork descent has nothing to do with breast feeding and everything to do with pregnancy. So let's stop that myth in its tracks.

[SpawnChorus]

Great post Mossy.

[EmsMum]

There is NO problem except in the minds of some strange people. And with the antidiscrimination bill announced today, they will soon have to keep their silly traps shut.

I don't know about it being a generational thing. I was shy of BFing at ILs the first time so went round corner of L-shaped lounge so it wasn't in their faces. PIL (80, ex ww2 army type)brought me a cuppa and stayed for a chat.

[chipmonkeyPumpkinNorks]

Wasn't saying it was anything to do with bf! I am 38 and never had perky ones anyway!

[katwith3kittens]

I know, I just dont get the fuss either .....

I've BF 2 children before I'd ever come across MN and never even thought gave it a second thought,

Now, with baby 3 and all my new found MN knowledge I'm constantly expecting someone to be giving me some grief. It just doesnt happen ...not in my world anyway.

CV 41 ???? Never !!!!

[covenhope]

Mossy I was nodding reading your post, then realised it was you! Might have guessed My DD is also doing that "what was that? I'll just spin round and have a look" during feeding.

I was quite nervous of bf in public this time round because in the 21 years since I had DD1 it seems that fewer mums bf and there is even more public disapproval. Having now fed DD2 on the promenade at the seafront; in Pizza Express; in the middle of a square in Amsterdam; at the Hard Rock; in an open air cafe; and on the floor in a corridor at Newcastle Uni I no longer bat an eyelid.

Nodoby has ever said anything negative to me. I've had "Aah, a baby"; a discussion with a 2 yo in the changing rooms at Ikea about "mummy milk"; and "would you like a chair/ drink?"

I've even got my 16 yo DS onboard now . 6 months ago he was leaving the room in embarrassment when his sister started to feed. Now he's shouting at CV on the TV that of course it's OK to bf in public you stupid woman