classic comments from mils, mums and friends and family about bf

[robinredbreast]

seems that alot of negative comments come from your "nearest and dearest"
rather than from the general public who seem quite happy for you

heres a few quotes ive had

"yuuukk a baby sucking on a tit thats disgusting"

"that should be kept private"

"dont do THAT when so and so is around"

"yes i agree with the woman on that programme that bf in public is inflicting it on others"

along with the standard anytime your having any problems with ANYTHING get her on bottles !!!

anyone else got any others to add

[Prunie]

"It's titillating for the woman, you know." From DH's mad Beligian aunt.

[SheepishPeachesMcLean]

Oooh am seething on your behalf.

Stupid people. Grrr....

[MaeWest]

robin, that's terrible!

[Mossy]

Add up how many points you get here!

[moondog]

One girl to another in baby group as latter was unclipping bra to feed
'Y'ss,that's what is so great about bottle feeding.The milk is just there. Instantly'

wtf

[stripeymama]

'You're not big up top, no wonder she's hungry - she needs a bottle with a bit o'rusk in it' (exMIL about 5 week old DD)

And when baby shopping about two weeks before DD was born, she asked me 'Are you going to feed the baby?'

Was momentarily (well nobody said you had to feed them - had been planning to chuck baby in a cupboard til it was about five) before I twigged and said yes. She then told me that we'd better get bottle feeding things anyway as bf is 'difficult and nobody ever lasts long'

Grrrr.

[lennygirl]

Message withdrawn

[WinkyWinkola]

"You're lucky he doesn't have hollow cheeks," said MIL when I said I wasn't weaning breastfed DS at 4 months like she told me to.

[Jacanne]

Nothing really terrible from me - my Mum did try to get me to stop when it was sooo painful in the beginning but now agrees that it is a wonderful thing. My Dad said recently "She's getting to look too big for that" but she is nearly 3 so though I don't agree with him it doesn't bother me too much.

[Sushipaws]

I lost count at 35.

The first time I bf in front of my sister at the dinner table, she put down her knife and fork and held her hand under her nose like someone had just poo'd on the table, she said "I can't believe your doing that while we're eating."

[moocowme]

how has this attitude come about? is this normal in the UK?

my MIL would never comment and when i told my mother I had managed to continue with some bf she said that was excellent and breast is best, keep it up if you can. they are Australians and would not be bothered really what ever I chose.

I find some attitudes bizare in this country. page 3 girls are ok everywhere but bf is not - weird.

[Trimum2]

I never had anything bizarre or rude but when really struggled with feeding DS1 both my mum and MIL were on the phone saying - oh give him a bottle.

I think that anyone who raised babies in the 70s when everyone seemed to bottle feed automatically, seems to still think that this is the way to go and find public BF in particular offputting.

I think that legacy is still having an impact. My hope is that overtime as BF makes a comeback it will become a virtuous circle.

Now that my mum can see the research / benefits of why breastmilk is better and can see me feeding, she actually now says that she feels very bad that she never tried to feed us. She was given tablets to dry up her milk . Never even tried as it was so "unusual" at that time. It seemed to be something for hippies or people who couldn't afford formula

The interesting thing is to see reaction of DH. This time around, he seems to find it much more difficult to bond with DC2. He is encouraging early weaning and an end to BF asap. he says its for me to "get my life back" but I know there is something else going on. I am not sure if the real reason is that he is envious of the close bond I have with DC2 or he is trying to make sure there will be no BF when we go to stay with his parents for the xmas holidays.

I really don't want to stop. Its so special and it makes me feel so happy and complete as a mum.

[onelittlelion]

Haven't had anything too awful except for the 'still feeding him comments'

Dh's childless friends said..."You won't think this is funny but you know what it reminds me of...you know in Little Britain...Bitty" I said no I don't sorry. Ds ws 14 months and did make me feel a bit funny but I love feed ing ds and doesn't feel too old to me.

My gran thinks ds is too old and and today whan I asked ds if wanted milk said but he hasn't had a biscuit yet

[RosaLuxMundi]

My MIL's classic (apart from the constant you'll never have enough milk for a big baby like that comments) was when DD1 was four months old and I had to retire to bed for a day with some virus or other. She turned up at the house, gloomed at me from the bedroom doorway and said in a tone of profound satisfaction: 'Well, your milk will dry up now, but never mind, you've done your duty.'
Needless to say, my milk did not dry up.

[pinkyminky]

Yes I scored highly too!

My mum has a real soapbox thing about how 'oh you just use that to cure everything' if I bf dd more when she is unwell or upset. I just say yes, isn't it great that I have this natural built in cure-all for my baby!

She quite into any story relating to vitamin deficiencies etc. she can find in the paper.

She once covered me in a brolly in bright sunshine so that I wouldn't upset any people walking past me in the park when I was bf my ds.

One of her best phrases is he/she needs a good bottle.
You have to laugh

[whomovedmychocolate]

Trimum2 - you stick to your guns and sod your DH's poor attitude.

I'm pregnant with number 2, still nursing number one and told DH I fully intended to nurse number two - his response ' I should bloody well think so, you are brilliant at it'

But you'd be amazed how many people assume I am now weaning DD because I'm expecting

[StealthPolarBear]

I had some "don't worry, you can stop and give formula" comments from mum initially, but I think that was because she struggled and expected me to. She's been very supportive since.
Best comment from MIL & FIL "Did you see that Bringing up Baby programme? They were saying you shouldn't feed a baby in public. What a bunch of idiots!"

[McDreamy]

"Did you find breast feeding difficult because you have blonde hair?"

and that was from a midwife

She had been told by a friend (colleague)that darker haired people find breast feeding easier pmsl!

[FairyMum]

"You don't look like someone who breastfeeds"

[ZacharyQuack]

My friend was bf her baby while her MIL was visiting. Friend reached for her glass of water and MIL reacted with horror "you can't drink that, you'll drown the baby!"

Apparently she thought there is a tube directly from (mother's) mouth to nipple....

[Mossy]

My absolute favourite though was when ds was going through his constantly crying phase. Mil said, "if this crying gets too much for you, don't worry. Just go back to work, put him on a bottle, give him to me, I'll have him and you can go to the Doctor and get your milk dried up."

This was when I was struggling with pnd, finding bfing incredibly difficult and had the aforementioned constantly crying baby.

[moondog]

At least she offered to have him which is more than some grandparents do eh??

[anchovies]

I was told that I was very selfish for breastfeeding because then not everybody could "get a go at feeding him"

[Mossy]

Moondog yes I suppose... god she wanted to have him every single bloody day she couldn't wait to get her hands on him... then spent every moment trying to force a dummy on him because he was "a very oral baby who just wants to suck"