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AIBU?

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Original poster

Mum asked to stop breastfeeding a TWO YEAR OLD in shoe shop.

464 replies

GinaDavva · 20/11/2025 11:30

Mixed feelings with this one. Shaming a mother publicly breastfeeding a small baby is never acceptable but breastfeeding a two year old child in a shop? Surely at that age a bottle is more convenient in the middle of a shop? My first thought was that this was more about attention than the actual principle of the matter. After breastfeeding 3 of my own I can honestly say there has never been a time where it felt necessary to start breastfeeding any of mine in the middle of a shop at two years old. Frankly at that age they wouldn’t find much in mine anyway!

www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cj3z31jn7v1o

OP posts:
Outside9 · 20/11/2025 12:51

Bananaandmangosmoothie · 20/11/2025 12:45

I’m not at all triggered: I mostly formula fed my kids. I just think you’re a terrible person.

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Oh no. A faceless stranger who doesn't know me thinks I'm a bad person. How will I rest.

Lavender14 · 20/11/2025 12:51

SouthLondonMum22 · 20/11/2025 12:39

Eh, I don't care how long someone breastfeeds and obviously, mothers can breastfeed wherever they like but there is a difference between breastfeeding a small baby who is reliant on milk and a 2 year old where breastfeeding might be something the child wants in the shoe shop but it can probably wait.

I don't agree with how the mother was spoken to or that she has to ask for permission to breastfeed which is against the law as it should be but I do think there's a time and a place for breastfeeding an older child and just because you can, it doesn't mean that you should. A 2 year old can wait.

This depends on the child. An autistic child may well not have been diagnosed at age 2 but would not be able to wait in the way another 2 year old might.

Pinkandpurple225533 · 20/11/2025 12:50

Lavender14 · 20/11/2025 12:48

Says who? None of the medical professionals. Not the PHA or WHO. So what exactly is it that qualifies YOU more than those people to make that statement?

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The reference providided is you tube, I haven’t clicked it but probably that shows the level of evidence that went into forming this opinion

opinions are fine but I hate seeing them presented as fact when the evidence is to the contrary

TenWeeCaramelJoeys · 20/11/2025 12:50

I breastfed both of my children until they were 3. By the age of 2, I wouldn’t have done it in a shop, partly because I would have been worried about some ignorant arsehole making a big deal out of it and partly because, by then, my children were too busy and distracted to worry about breastfeeding when we were out and about. BUT I fully support the right of other women to breastfeed their babies and toddlers wherever the hell they like. Some children are overwhelmed when out of the house and breastfeeding is their source of comfort. A child might be feeling a bit unwell or have various other needs. Who gets to set some arbitrary limit on what age of child a woman can breastfeed in public? People need to get over their ridiculous repressed attitude about women’s breasts doing what nature intends them to do. Look away if you don’t like it.

Tiddlyswink · 20/11/2025 12:50

Anonymous07200408 · 20/11/2025 12:22

Surely people aren’t thick enough to think that breastfeeding is just about food?! Why on earth wouldn’t you offer the most naturally comforting thing in the world to a distressed child?! Have we become that disassociated from the fact that we are mammals and that’s what we do? Is someone else’s prudish discomfort worth a small child crying, disrupting the shop and being distressed when it can quickly and easily be soothed? So weird.

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"small child crying, disrupting the shop and being distressed when it can quickly and easily be soothed" ......because a child at 2 should be being supported to learn how to self soothe...we don't live in a society any more where we are with our young children 24/7 - mothers work, children go to nursery and then school, mothers have younger babies and other responsilities. At some point, that child has to learn that a. their demands aren't always able to be met straight away b. that their mothers breast is not the only source of comfort. We have an issue with dental caries in older BF children who co sleep and continue to nurse in the night because their mums dont understand that after a certain age , teeth need to be brushed after feeding! By all means do extended BF but ultimately dont treat a 2 year old as if they are a baby, they are a growing child with all of the emotional and behavioural development that involves and mums need to understand that.

StartingFreshFor2026 · 20/11/2025 12:50

Shortandfatandpaleandlovely · 20/11/2025 12:46

Mother and baby homes can stop this nonsence happening, for all mothers.

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Eh? What does this mean? Have I missed something?

Isthismykarma · 20/11/2025 12:49

When I was a kid my mum gave me a Greggs sausage roll to eat in a shoe shop and I got all the flakes everywhere so the owner had to get the hoover out and hoover up all my crumbs 🤣
My DM was certainly feeding her child in a more unreasonable manner than the lady in the article!

Muffinmam · 20/11/2025 12:48

😳

dodgeball boobies GIF
Lavender14 · 20/11/2025 12:48

Muffinmam · 20/11/2025 12:47

When they are walking and talking, have all their teeth, are eating solid food and asking for “bitty” then it’s absolutely time to stop.

When a child is that age they may have a bottle at night time - but they get their nutrients from food.

m.youtube.com/watch?v=FmD2Y6WxpIw&t=2s&pp=ygUUYml0dHkgbGl0dGxlIGJyaXRhaW4%3D

Show quote history

Says who? None of the medical professionals. Not the PHA or WHO. So what exactly is it that qualifies YOU more than those people to make that statement?

BusyExpert · 20/11/2025 12:48

At 2 years they should be able to drink from a feeder cup

Lavender14 · 20/11/2025 12:47

Hons123 · 20/11/2025 12:30

My mammals (cats and dogs) always breastfed their pups in the privacy of their own space.

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Are we really comparing sentient human mothers breastfeeding to animals now. Apes (if you want to pick the most closest to humans in terms of cognitive ability) will breastfeed anywhere they feel safe often in public as they're moving around. So this is a (quite offensive) non argument.

Muffinmam · 20/11/2025 12:47

Motomum23 · 20/11/2025 11:31

I breastfed my 2 year old where ever was needed - regardless of your personal experience its not legal to ask a breastfeeding mother to stop.

When they are walking and talking, have all their teeth, are eating solid food and asking for “bitty” then it’s absolutely time to stop.

When a child is that age they may have a bottle at night time - but they get their nutrients from food.

m.youtube.com/watch?v=FmD2Y6WxpIw&t=2s&pp=ygUUYml0dHkgbGl0dGxlIGJyaXRhaW4%3D

Bruisername · 20/11/2025 12:47

I think it’s odd she went to the papers

and I think it’s odd that her 2 yo suddenly became ‘hungry and unsettled’ - that sounds more like a 2 month old

Pinkandpurple225533 · 20/11/2025 12:47

Shortandfatandpaleandlovely · 20/11/2025 12:43

I think the mum is stunting the development of this 2 year old to the extent that the child probably wouldn't even be able to buy themselves a Twix as you've suggested.

It’s true, my previously breastfed two year old has never had a twix which is surely essential for his nutrition.

Squirrelmirrel2 · 20/11/2025 12:46

Hons123 · 20/11/2025 12:26

My dc (teenage) was invited to a friend's house at the week-end, lunch, etc. In the middle of lunching, his friend's mother whipped out her breast and started feeding a 3-year old at the time, as if it were normal. 'They are bloody crazy as a family' was my teen's verdict. I totally agreed.

Chip off the old block then.

Shortandfatandpaleandlovely · 20/11/2025 12:46

youegg · 20/11/2025 12:19

It’s really not okay for anyone to eat or drink anything in a shop irrespective of what it is. A 2 year old can probably wait until they’ve exited a shoe shop to be breast fed bearing in mind they are probably eating three meals of solid food a day.
If the kid is getting fractious they can wait until you take them somewhere else more appropriate rather than whipping out a snack or a boob instantly and taking over chairs that customers genuinely need to try on shoes.
I was on a shoe shop recently hoping to purchase some specialist shoes. They have machines etc that show your foot shape and pronation but I couldn’t use them as there was a whole range of families with the kids lining up to have a go, pushchairs everywhere and babies on laps of adults watching said kids. No one was buying (they don’t do kids shoes) so I couldn’t use the machines and there was nowhere to sit to try on shoes.

I left. The staff looked frustrated but clearly couldn’t say anything lest the mummy mafia come after them.

Mother and baby homes can stop this nonsence happening, for all mothers.

Bananaandmangosmoothie · 20/11/2025 12:45

Outside9 · 20/11/2025 12:39

Sorry, I don't care to respond to the triggered quotes.

I also don't care if you want to BF your 6 yr old.

My opinion is my opinion.

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I’m not at all triggered: I mostly formula fed my kids. I just think you’re a terrible person.

Outside9 · 20/11/2025 12:44

Daaaaahling · 20/11/2025 12:43

Translation:
I have nothing to back up my unreasonable position, so I'm not going engage in any discussion. Deep down I know I'm wrong, but I'd rather stay wrong than admit that!

You're welcome.

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No, I just don't believe you're all sane.

Daaaaahling · 20/11/2025 12:43

Outside9 · 20/11/2025 12:39

Sorry, I don't care to respond to the triggered quotes.

I also don't care if you want to BF your 6 yr old.

My opinion is my opinion.

Show quote history

Translation:
I have nothing to back up my unreasonable position, so I'm not going engage in any discussion. Deep down I know I'm wrong, but I'd rather stay wrong than admit that!

You're welcome.

Shortandfatandpaleandlovely · 20/11/2025 12:43

I think the mum is stunting the development of this 2 year old to the extent that the child probably wouldn't even be able to buy themselves a Twix as you've suggested.

Outside9 · 20/11/2025 12:42

ClairN · 20/11/2025 12:42

You’re entitled to post your uninformed and ignorant opinion on a public site. Others are entitled to point out the myriad of reasons why you’re wrong.

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They certainly are. Haven't seen one that isn't nonsensical yet.

BluntAzureDreamer · 20/11/2025 12:42

The mother's reasons why are hers and hers alone. I thought we were past the point of shaming breastfeeding mothers tbh

ArabellaSaurus · 20/11/2025 12:42

YABU

Humans are mammals.

Mothers feed babies and children for as long as both are happy to do so.

This is protected in law.

That's it.

Pinkandpurple225533 · 20/11/2025 12:42

eqpi4t2hbsnktd · 20/11/2025 12:36

I agree with all of those. Can you list reasons for breastfeeding in a shop?

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Because all of these benefits apply regardless of the location of feeding?

ClairN · 20/11/2025 12:42

Outside9 · 20/11/2025 12:39

Sorry, I don't care to respond to the triggered quotes.

I also don't care if you want to BF your 6 yr old.

My opinion is my opinion.

Show quote history

You’re entitled to post your uninformed and ignorant opinion on a public site. Others are entitled to point out the myriad of reasons why you’re wrong.

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