What's so offensive about breast feeding in public?

[TylerHopkins]

So, I'm watching the evening news with the updates on the breast feeding in the swimming pool story and Angela Epstein appears saying 'people should be considerate of breast feeding mothers however these mothers need to be aware that some people might find what they're doing as offensive'

Another viewer text in to say BFing in public is obscene.

AIBU to ask anyone out there that shares these views to please explain to me why it's offensive? Who are these offended people? Please don't be afraid of coming forward and admitting it if you feel like this. I need an offended person to explain this to me because I really can't get my head around it.

domino bfeeding isnt indiscreet or are you saying the woman should have covered up with a blanket? Many babies will not accept being covered whilst nursoing, mine certainly wouldn't and their comfort was my priority.

motherinferior yes I agree they are also for feeding babies. Its just quite often in these debates the whole problem gets blamed on western society or pervy blokes looking at lads mags sexualising breasts. When really nature did that already a long long time ago and they are part of our sexuality and designed in part to attract the opposite sex. That is no more 'wrong' than breastfeeding in public.

The only reason I can see that i would bf a baby in a pool is because you are watching a toddler/other child swim. At which point I'd be worried of inadvertently drowning it/dunking because I'd be busy doing something else really and multitasking (and my tits reach my knees so my arms drop so could get a dunking if mid height water!). However I wouldn't complain seeing someone else do it. I might think oh hey odd thing why not sit on edge? But I'm not sure I'd really give it that much headspace. Whole discussion isodd to me really.

My ex husband is Muslim and I thought it strange that a family friend who is a devout Muslim wouldn't dare show her hair in front of men who weren't family but would happily breastfeedin front of my husband.
I also work at a drop-in for asylum seekers and refugees where there is a Muslim majority and all of the women breastfeed their babies. Formula feeding would be more likely to be frowned upon.

Christ, is this thread still banging on ???

Some do it, some don't like it. Get over it purlease !!

Agree dackyduddles

As an above poster said you are not supposed to swim for an hour after eating and what would all that water pressure do on a babies tummy whilst they were trying to feed it doesn't seem the best idea.

Not swimming for an hour after eating is outdated advice because it was thought to increase the risk of drowning through cramp. Not relevant to babies in the slightest.

The mother's lower body was in the pool, the baby was not under the water. Not that there would be significant water pressure at the surface anyway. She wasn't at the bottom of the deep end.

On holidays last week in Barnstaple, there was a group of mums BFing in a cafe off the main street, it looked lovely - all sat round feeding and chatting...

Said so to hubby on the way out - he goes "What? eh? they weren't, were they - I said to the woman near the door, 'lovely little ones aren't they' " I hope she knew he meant the babies!

ICBENEG can I add to your list?

You shouldn't swim within an hour of eating!
so no babies should go swimming at all? How on Earth is anyone supposed to plan an afternoons swimming with this rule? sorry darling, we can't go swimming as your little sister only ate 30 minutes ago.

What if the baby pukes?
my 16 month old puked up milk yesterday for no reason at all. No reason. Maybe we should just ban anyone who might puke from the pool?

I'm a little baffled as a poster comparing anti-BFing to racism, otherwise most points are sensible.

The issue I had with feeding in the pool is the whole baby burping/vomiting thing. Obviously I realise that baby and toddlers randomly puke but trying to avoid it where possible would be kinder to others who are swimming.

I'm not happy with the posters on this thread who have been disappointed when noone has kicked off at them ever for BFing, because they were ready for them.

If you are saying that, it is actually you who has the problem with BFing in public, not the rest of the world.

my baby is 9 months and EBF she has puked projectile twice since birth we didn't even use a single muslin with her as she is simply never sick, not even dribble after feeding.

I feel feel slightly embarrassed myself, as an EBf when I see another mum bf though, if I see her boob, or we are chatting and I do not even realise she is doing it. I try and be discreet, less so if in the car.

I would never ever ask another Bf mother to cover up, or expect her too, or agree in any way shape or form of absolutely any hindrance to a mother feeding. If you feel un comfortable, thats YOUR problem, go and complain about vile top shelf magazines on display instead in FULL view of small children whilst they pursue their magazine choice!

loathe the honk honk ice

I do think its early days though in terms of us BF in public, we are a repressed uptight nation! There are bound to be problems one just has to ignore the leering looks from men, disgusted looks from some old ladies, and carry on!

At the end of the day if someone else is offended or sees it as sexual, that is their problem not mine.

I can't see I'm doing anything wrong, so therefore I wont stop it.

It doesn't hurt anyone it really, really doesn't.

I can't stand people eating fish in public it revolts me but I have no right to tell someone not to do this. Also smoking is revolting but I'd have no right to tell someone else to not smoke in their own house, that's just ridiculous and would be rude no matter how much I would love to.

Nice one😂

Let me just tell you something...your mother probably wants to see your face but that doesn’t mean the rest of the world does! Your ugly mush might put people off their dinner but I wonder how many have actually told you to cover your face up? The same as you might tell a woman to cover up when breastfeeding

Wtf

Why are we debating wether it’s right to bf in public over lets face it, the views of a minority & quite frankly some simply insane people?

I don’t particularly like seeing women breastfeeding in public, and I say that as a woman! I wouldn’t ever make comments about it or ask them to move and most women are very discreet. Some do just whip them out though and I feel like some women make more of a fuss about doing it just because ‘they have the right to’ etc.

It’s not breast feeding per say that I find offensive but I think just feel a bit ‘yuk’ seeing a floppy boob out full stop. Male or female. I don’t like topless men in the summer anymore than seeing loads of boob when someone is breast feeding.
The reason is purely because that’s the way I’ve been socialised. Like many people in UK society. Unless i have an intimate relationship with someone I just don’t want to see too much flesh.
That doesn’t mean I’d stare, comment or make someone feel uncomfortable though, I’d just look away.

I really did not have much opinion either way on breast feeding until recently. I do not feel comfortable when I see a woman bfing in a public place. They can not be as discreet as the think if I can see them. I wonder why any woman would show so much in a public place, the last place being the central concourse of a large shopping mall.
What has put me off more is the DEMAND that women can breast feed anywhere no matter how uncomfortable it makes others feel. It is enforcing their views over the views and opinions of the general public. I would hate to sit on a train facing a feeding mother. I would not feel comfortable. I want to see shops if I go to a mall not openly displayed boobs. It is a bit of showmanship really - I can do this whether you like it or not and you cant say a word.
Not conducive to good public conduct

What has put me off more is the DEMAND that women can breast feed anywhere no matter how uncomfortable it makes others feel. It is enforcing their views over the views and opinions of the general public

These women aren't breastfeeding for shits a giggles you know. They're breastfeeding because their babies are hungry. They're not prioritising their 'views and opinions', their prioritising their child's needs.

Your attitude gives me the rage. What do you want women to do? Ignore their child's hunger cues? Never leave the house?

By all means women can chose breast or bottle feeding. What I would like is a bit more descretion. The main concourse of a shopping centre is not the right place. There are mother and baby rooms which they could use but full view is the choice made. Dont you think bottle fed babies ever get hungry? I make baby and me confortable before bottle feeding. I would not walk along a shopping mall holding a bottle to baby's face. I would not expose any part of my body which could not usually be seen in normal clothing in a very public place.

This thread is 5 YEARS OLD.

What I would like is a bit more descretion.

I'd like people to be able to spell. You don't always get what you want.

the main concourse of a shopping centre is not the right place. There are mother and baby rooms which they could use but full view is the choice made.

Mother and baby rooms might be already occupied. They might be miles away. When the baby is tiny it might be immensely stressful for the mother to let them cry even for a few minutes.

do you think bottle fed babies ever get hungry?

Most bf babies are bf on demand. They tend to be much less regular and predictable than bottle babies. Having said that, I've seen bottle fed babies fed in the main concourse of a shopping centre, in the fruit&veg aisle of Sainsbury's, walking down the street. How cares? Baby needs fed, baby gets fed.

I would not expose any part of my body which could not usually be seen in normal clothing in a very public place.

You do what you want. I meet the needs of my baby as soon as humanly possible.

I'm sick of people who have no idea what breastfeeding is actually like having big opinions on how breastfeeding mothers should go about it. Just look away and get on with your business.