to feel saddened about " breast feeding covers

[Theas18]

lady on the next table in the cafe I'm in ifs beat feeding a lovely month or so old baby under a huge bib.

maybe she feels " happier about it" and all that but really. What do you see for a happily breastfeeding b baby-the back of a sweet little head? no big deal and very normal.

Why are we ( society) doing this to mums and babies. surely a 6 month old won't tolerate it anyway, so I guess they give up then :(

I don't get how some people must spend their whole life looking at and judging people. Just live your own life.

that too,

Oh I dunno if it makes the mum feel better then heyho. However, After number 2 I just whip em out.. In factit's a bit of a joke among my friends.

Oh god yeah, those "LOOK AT ME IM BREASTFEEDING TYPES" - I mean, how dare they not cover up?!

I agree, sovery and mrsjay.

It is truly a case of live and let live; no woman should feel they have to "take a stand". They are just feeding their babies and are perfectly entitled to do as they wish.

Personally I think those purpose-built covers are seriously fugly, but that's my opinion

I honestly cannot believe that women using covers to breast feed is an issue.

If lots are being noticed then maybe that means more women are breast feeding - women who may well feel totally out of their comfort zone or just have a nosy easily distracted baby.

As long as the baby is being fed does it matter? Really?

Breast feeding is by its nature, free. So, they have to sell us something to make it better. Et voila, we have breast feeding covers.

'LOOK AT ME I'M BREASTFEEEDING' types?!

I honestly see women breastfeeding all the time, just casually, sat in the park, sat in cafes, on the train etc. Not shouting 'look at me', just getting on with what they are doing- reading the paper, playing with a toddler, whatever! It's just not a big deal. This country just has very weird attitudes to breasts.

Why do you think women in countries where breastfeeding is done everywhere in an unselfconscious way without the need for special clothes and covers tend to have far fewer breastfeeding problems than western mothers and breastfeed for longer? And usually without any formal breastfeeding tuition? I can tell you why - it's because they grow up seeing over and over again what a baby who's feeding normally looks like at the breast. They see that the mother doesn't usually hold her baby in the crook of her arm like a mum who is bottle feeding (which is what the vast majority of Western women who have not yet breastfed do if you hand them a doll and ask them to hold it like they were going to breastfeed it). They know that a baby has to have a good, deep latch and a wide open mouth. They just know these things without necessarily being able to verbalise it, because they have seen it as part of their lived experience. It does make a difference you know, it really does.

The fact that the majority of UK mums have never seen at close range a baby breastfeeding normally until they have their own child really impacts on the experience of breastfeeding and can make it much much harder.

We really do have a dysfunctional situation going on in the UK when breastfeeding is being strongly promoted by health professionals while becoming less and less visible in society itself.

My friend has one,and is a significant factor in why she continues to bf

I do agree if women who were previously happy to breastfeed without a cover now feel they need to use one then that is sad.
BUT if the women you see now with covers would previously have not been breastfeeding in public, or even not breastfeeding at all then it is a good thing.
The thing is, nobody on this thread knows which is which.. you'd need to do a proper study.

It does depend on the baby and the situation, I don't really worry about people seeing my boobs, and certainly don't worry about them knowing what i'm doing.. but I would worry if I had oversupply and was spouting milk across the cafe, and I would care if I had a distractable baby who didn't stay latched if there was stuff going on around him, and I would care if I had thrush or mastitis or cracked nipples and had to do a LOT of fiddling during every feed to rearrange things.... and I also would like to keep all my skin covered when I'm outdoors most of the year in the UK... or even indoors if it's likely to result in goosepimples and shivers..

For me, the most important thing is that women feel able to breastfeed in public or even at all. If they choose to use a breastfeeding cover to do so, then that's great! I didn't use one specific for the purpose, but nearly always had a long cardigan or muslin at the ready to give me some privacy. It wasn't so much to shield myself for the benefit of others, but to make me feel more at ease.

OK so I agree women shouldnt need to use any sort of cover but why is that the problem of the women using them why should they feed bare breasted to make a stand these women should not make any stand.

This thread has upset me. I use a breast feeding cover, DD 3 months won't take bottles and frankly I've got massive boobs and I'm shit at feeding discreetly.

To get out of the house, I use cover - yep, I feel like a bit of a twat & get sick if those mum's that can discreetly feed saying 'oh it's easy'.

But it never dawned on me that people would feel sad. I'm trying the best I can. Take your sadness and stick it

I'm not talking about the women who just breastfeed and get on with it, with or without a cover, I see this a lot (especially as I frequent a vair naice John Lewis cafe )

I'm talking about the types (I know a couple) who like to have a quick look around to ensure that someone is watching, before making a big thing about getting their boob out, while discussing how wonderful breastfeeding is. Every time. And then moan that they feel they can't breastfeed in public because people 'stare and criticise'.

Or worse, the ones who take part in breastfeeding frigging flash mobs.

I know somebody who did a breast in in the middle of her town OKAY THEN

Minifingers that was a really interesting post. I had certainly never seen a real-life baby attached to a breast before I started feeding my first.

public Bfing was fucking awesome for my body confidence. I was the fattest least attractive I have ever been but I had an exhibitionist baby so people were going to see things whatever I did. So I got on with it and stopped viewing breasts and nipples as something shameful to be covered at all times. It was so very liberating.

Today I was getting changed at the swimming pool and realised I was delaying so I wouldn't have to get my boobs out in front of the other ladies. I am 4 stone lighter and looking fantastic in comparison to when I was public Bfing. But the body confidence is gone.....and breasts and nipples are shameful again.

Does anyone have an answer to why male nipples are allowed to be seen in public and female ones aren't?

Also if you consider the statement "I am not ashamed of my but I wouldn't ever show my in public" you can see instantly that it is a total lie by substituting any body part NOT considered to be immodest by Victorian standards. Try it with arms, legs or face.

If you wouldn't show it in public then you ARE ashamed of it, whether consciously, unconsciously or simply due to peer pressure.

doing are you saying that big breasts are more shameful and in need of covering than small ones?

Doing don't worry I never even got to feeding ds in public as I had to be in an exact position on the sofa surrounded by cushions, and I gave up at 3 weeks. If I had gone out in public I would have needed a breastfeeding tent never mind a bib!

It's not enough for some that a woman is breastfeeding her baby, they have to criticise how she is doing it.

Or is it fussy eating babies that one should be ashamed of

Haven't read the whole thread, but I'm the type of person who does have bigger breasts and bigger when breast feeding and I wouldn't even dream of feeding outside the house without a shawl or cover up cloth because I don't feel comfortable hanging my boobs out in public, and believe me they'd hang out if I didn't cover up.

That's quite a stupid ill thought out comment you've made OP. Can't quite work out what to say to you, apart from Fuck off with your sympathy.