I'll breastfeed where I bloody well want when my baby is hungry!

[MsKLo]

Following on from another thread that got the old cogs whirring, I am always saddened by the fact that some people have a problem with women breastfeeding in public and expect bf mums to 'hide away' because it makes them feel uncomfortable.

I will always bf my baby where-ever and whenever she wants a feed and if someone doesn't like the fact that I am giving her amazing milk with amazing benefits they can do one!

Getofmoiland: take it you have never experienced any problems? I don't want approval but I don't expect to made to feel weird for feeding in public either. I guess in can't be helped to a certain degree because there will always be opposers but I do think Britain has more than most countries.

Now - how on earth can you know, unless you have undertaken a breasttfeeding tour of the world nations

I bf DS all over the place in all sorts of circumstances and never attracted any negative attention at all, as far as I know. A few friendly positive comments, but that's it.

Negative reactions and discrimination (chucking people pout of cafes etc) should be challenged and dealt with, but is there a need to assume a comabative expectation from the off? Reading the OP many new Mums might fear that if they bf out and about they would face a daily onslaught of condemnation and humiliation!

Oh dear. Well this will teach me to respond to a fairly reasonable and seemingly tongue-in-cheek OP after a glass of wine...

As for comments from strangers a MNer a few years ago reported that an elderly gentlemen on the bus nodded approvingly and said, "Very nice. I'm going to have that when I get home too" thinking it was a lovely cuddle and was absolutely mortified when he realised that she was feeding

Statistics on how many women breastfeed in other countries, presumably ours is lower as it is less socially aceptable. Plus I have friends in Portugal, Spain and Germany where they say everyone breastfeeds and for longer too.

nowonthepill - if you go to the BF/FF forum lack of BF support is cited as the main reason for people stopping BF, as opposed to lack of social excptance. I am sure one of the BF gurus can find statistics to back it all up.

Toddlerwrangler: isn't that the same thing?

No. BF support is realted to (the lack of!) Midwife/HV/lactation advice/training and support offered to new mums. Social acceptance is about mums having the right to feed thier babies where they want, when they want, how they want (I include BF mums and FF mums in that comment).

To me 'support' means both, from professionals and socially. I think if anything was going to put me off, it would be the fact that there is nowhere private to feed in public and if you do feed in a cafe/on a bus/ in the park, etc you run the risk of sitting really close to someone who doesn't really approve, whether they say anything or not, you can often sense it.

nowonthepill - yes, but the lack of 'support' cited by mums who stop BF is typically linked to lack of support to learn how to BF, and NOT to fear of BF in public.

People should NOT have to go to private areas to BF. Neither should places be expected to provide such areas. Feeding a a baby is not a crime and is 100% natural, so if you want to 'support' BF (unlike OP) then go out and just BF!

MrsKLo: Please get a bloody grip.
I bf my 20 month old and have never had a negative comment.
People have been bf since time began and all is good. You either bf or you don't nobody really gives a shit until some loon like you comes along which then encourages people think all bf women are nutters.

You my dear are the type of person who would just love people to ask you to stop -I can see you now just dying for someone to tut or make a comment and it is all a bit sad TBH.

Now calm yourself down and have a cuppa all this anger will turn your milk sour .

There aren't loads of private places to breastfeed, in fact I struggle to think of one...in Boots they have those feeding rooms but only in the really big stores. I'm not really speaking personally cos I don't give a shit anymore, but it shouldn't be the case that women feel uncomfortable feeding in public. i have one friend who sits in a toilet cubicle to feed her DC, how gross is that?! And sad that she feels too embarrassed to do it publically.

The fantasists crusaders (snurk) ought to bloody shut up about all this disapproval they claim to have experienced.

It hardly encourages new mothers to BF in public now, does it?

I'm all for discussing the downsides of BF. Sore nipples and fuck-me-that-hurt letdown in the early days, yoghurty bras. But the actual downsides. Not the imaginings of some wouldbe lactation hero.

Why is the such cynicism for disapproval they've experienced? Maybe some people do milk it (forgive the pun) a little, but there are definately a bunch that see it as disgusting.

Did you have a strange sense of deja vu reading this thread? It followed a very familiar pattern! Where is MaryZ when you need her?!

I think there is far more righteous indignation about the oppression of breastfeeders than there are actual incidents of oppression, if that makes sense.

I have never, personally, encountered anyone who has been subject to disapproval or harassment and it is relatively rare for someone to give a personal account of real, overt discrimination even on places like MN.

There seem to be a lot of "my mate knows someone who" type stories.

I agree with the "just get on with it" suggestions. If someone takes issue then you have the law on your side and really should be confident enough in your position to stick up for yourself. If no-one takes issue then there is no problem. There seems to be quite a lot of borrowing of trouble going on.

This has been bugging me since earlier today that this has to be the same MsKlo that was so very cross at Denise VanOuten a little while ago that she had a rant about her in AIBU, - it turns out it wasn't MsKlo but MsKalo.

Then I pondered for a moment why any rational person would namechange to something so similar, - and then I answered my own question.

MsKalo name changed to MsKLo in the middle of one of her other threads a wee while back. Prior to that thread she had always seemed quite normal.

I think I've only seen one old man look aghast when I used to BF in public. If he'd been closer and I actually managed to hear what he said (body language said enough though) I was just going to tell him I find extremely over weight people offensive and can he please move soI can't see him (he looked about 15 months pg). A harsh come back maybe, but bf is natural and his 'portly' pie induced body shape isn't.

When DC2 joins us later this year I fully intend to bf in public again too. It's not like anyone can see anything anyway.