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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Aibu to consider breast feeding on holiday on France?

33 replies

boardingschoolbaby · 08/07/2013 17:00

We are going to trinity sur la mer in a few weeks. I haven't been brave enough totey public feeding here yet; due to a tongue tie which is now sorted, and a very enthusiastic let down reflex (which can result in poor Ds looking more like he has tried to bathe in milk rather than drink it). So to avoid hosing down any passers by I would obviously use a muslin or something as a cover, but I wondered how it was viewed in France- I can only find wildly differing things online and mostly they relate to Paris not southern Brittany. I just don't want to get in trouble for doing it, or not be able to feed him somewhere if it is frowned upon.
Any experiences welcomed.

OP posts:
Caitycat · 08/07/2013 17:04

I don't think you'll get into trouble at all, French people are a little bit more squeamish about it than us but (obviously massive generalisation!) but if you do it discretely in a cafe or restaurant I can't think you will have any problems.

louloutheshamed · 08/07/2013 17:04

I breastfed in public in France when ds was 5 mo. no negativity at all, but I had done it side he was 10 days old at home so I was fairly confident and good at the 2 top technique

BartyFottom · 08/07/2013 17:09

I've never had a problem with breastfeeding 'in public' in France. Go for it! :)

SanityClause · 08/07/2013 17:10

The let down reflex may have calmed down in a few weeks, anyway.

The French tend not to take tiny babies out and about as much as we do in the UK, so you might not see many other BFing mothers, but so long as you are discreet, you will be fine. (And I have never actually seen anyone BFing on public with it all hanging out, anyway, so I'm sure you wouldn't, either.)

Llareggub · 08/07/2013 17:14

My memories of France in the summer are 20 years old but I'd never seen so many topless women on the beach. My impression of the French is that they were far more relaxed about nudity. Has that changed?

AllSWornOut · 08/07/2013 17:24

Llareggub, don't think it's anything to do with nudity on beaches (or in adverts) but I believe bf rates are even lower in France than the UK, so it's not that common to see someone bf when our and about. But I've never really spotted women bf when out and about in the UK either...

OTOH I've bf in many places in France and never had a problem and I've seen a handful of women bf in the local shopping centre and they've seemed quite relaxed about it too (and they can't all have been foreigners like me!)

However there's no legal obligation like in the UK to let you bf wherever you need/want. But I've never had anyone comment/suggest I use the toilets either. You get the odd miserable restaurant owner but they usually manifest themselves by complaining about you bringing a pushchair in so it generally never gets as far as complaining about bf as I would have already left Smile

OP I wouldn't even think twice, if that's what you want to do just do it.

unobtanium · 08/07/2013 17:25

It may depend on your child's age...

Laughed at the idea of "hosing" down the passers-by.

Find quiet, discreet corners and, as you say, be crafty with the muslin.

And with muslims, be especially aware of cultural "sensitivities". In areas with lots of veiled women, to be honest, I would avoid feeding my baby.

eragon · 08/07/2013 17:26

I have breastfed on a beach in france, older baby though, nearly 2yrs.

no one blinked and eye, its helpful that i dont understand much french!

Lilliana · 08/07/2013 17:28

We went to France in May while ebf and was a bit worried too but had no problems- fed all over the place and everyone loved DD, go for it.

Original poster
boardingschoolbaby · 08/07/2013 17:30

Ah good to know that other people have been ok. He will be 10 weeks old when we go so it is not as though I am trying to feed a teenages so hopefully that will make it more acceptable to some people.
It hasn't occurred to me about being conscious of Muslim populations etc (probably because I haven't tried feeding outside our home or friends homes yet) but that is a good point. Thank you.

OP posts:
CheungFun · 08/07/2013 17:34

Feed your baby however you want, honestly, if people don't like it surely they can avert their eyes for a short while?! Enjoy your holiday :)

littleomar · 08/07/2013 17:34

I've fed both mine in various locations in south Brittany at various ages. No problems. I have no idea how it compares to Paris. S Brittany not very cosmopolitan though. Trinite s m is lovely.

VikingVagine · 08/07/2013 17:35

You'll be fine, I live in France and BFed both mine. Where ever you are, regardless of the country you'll get people who frown upon it, but you just ignore them and think about what's best for your baby!

motherinferior · 08/07/2013 17:35

I got my tits out in front of the Bayeux Tapestry Grin

DinoSnores · 08/07/2013 17:40

"And with muslims, be especially aware of cultural "sensitivities". In areas with lots of veiled women, to be honest, I would avoid feeding my baby."

The Koran commands women to breastfeed for 2 years so Islamic countries are often far, far more BFing friendly than others, so I wouldn't worry about BFing around Muslims at all!

annis51 · 08/07/2013 17:44

I breastfed all my babies in France; all premmies. No trouble at all. French people like babies very much. Need lots of muslins though and don't leave your bosom hanging out in public but nobody minds a quick change over. With the let down reflex use an extra pad on the breast not being used. Also don't get upset about it. I used to hold a muslin to absorb the initial lot of milk for about 20 seconds this helped too. You must drink lots more water/fluid in France cos it is usually a lot hotter than England and rest so your milk doesn't dry up cos you're rushing round too much. If you find your milk going rest and drink water. Make everyone else do everything else. In the event of the milk going don't panic take a Tommee Tippee bottle with the right size teat just in case. Gold SMA is just like breast milk. We found this out when our elder grandson was rushed to hospital (blue light etc etc) leaving month old premmie baby at home. Mum was terrified elder boy was not going to survive (so was Granny) so went with him in the ambulance. Granny used a left over tin from No 1 and baby gobbled it down. 2 am feed so Granny felt wrecked. Very glad to have mobile phone call from ICU Paeds that dear Benny was going to be ok. Short night. Tommee Tippee bottles are pricey but just like a breast so babies know what to do. I hope that you have a lovely holiday. PS if you can take nappies with you cos French ones aren't as good and cost almost twice as much as in the uk. Ditto wipes and clothes.

KatAndKit · 08/07/2013 17:56

Just wanted to add to the point that Muslims do not specifically have any more of an issue with breastfeeding, and are probably more tolerant of it than the rest of the French population. French women on average don't tend to breastfeed for as long but that is probably also due to crappy short maternity leave there. I wouldn't assume you'd have any problems and if you arrange your clothes discreetly then there is nothing to see anyway.

TarkaTheOtter · 08/07/2013 18:37

I was expecting France to be very baby friendly (if not bf friendly) but actually found the reverse was true when dd was 6 months. We were strongly discouraged from eating out with her and often ended up just eating snacks in our hotel room. By comparison, every restaurant we ate at in Italy had at least one other baby and they always had lots of highchairs.

neunundneunzigluftballons · 08/07/2013 18:50

Hi snap, snap and snap I had the same problems with ds tt, fast let down the works we went on holidays to France last year. I had no problems bf anywhere. I was lucky though there was safety in numbers and my sil was there and bf too. But no one batted an eyelid. Have a ball.

Booboostoo · 08/07/2013 19:05

I've been bfing DD in France for the past two years in all sorts of public places without a problem. I have had nothing but positive comments, e.g. how nice it is to see a baby bf, or in restaurants waiters comment that she's ordered already. I've never felt the need to hide in any particular way, although DD has a good and quick latch so you can't really see that much anyway.

I also bfed on holiday in Marrakech and everyone was very positive about it there as well. I was told that the Quoran suggests that the woman who bfs for two years goes straight to heaven!

Booboostoo · 08/07/2013 19:06

Oh and if anyone is rude to you about it, don't go all British (apologetic, or cooly sarcastic 'did you mean to be rude?' stuff), just be completely rude back. The French respond really well to being told to fuck the fuck off.

loopyluna · 08/07/2013 19:12

The French don't tend to bf more than a few weeks, but don't give a toss what other people do. I bf im public on many occasion and never had anyone bat an eyelid, muslim, christian or other.
La Trinité is lovely and Brittany is very family friendly. It's v v hot at the moment so you may well be bf-ing a lot!

SelfRighteousPrissyPants · 08/07/2013 19:18

The only problems I had bf in France (Loire valley area) was eye-rolling from my (English) FIL.

BriocheBriocheBrioche · 08/07/2013 19:55

Agree with booboostoo I fed my baby here there and everywhere from the day we were out of hospital! Often had positive comments and was even offered a glass of water by a salesman in a car dealership!! Go for it!

YoniBottsBumgina · 08/07/2013 20:01

Your milk won't dry up due to rushing around or not drinking enough, that's just not how it works. Drink to thirst but don't worry about it beyond that.

Don't waste your luggage allowance on nappies either! French nappies are exactly the same as English ones.

I doubt you'll have any issues at all. Enjoy your holiday! :)