to breastfeed in public even though DH is uncomfortable with it and thinks I should find somewhere private?

[Sequine]

DS is 7weeks. He often struggles to latch and slips off repeatedly during a feed, so I dislike feeding under a shawl and find it hard to be discreet, as I need to keep reattaching him. I wear wrap dresses so I can just pull dress and bra down at one side. I don't really care if anyone sees my breast and don't feel the need to hide away in a corner or find a baby changing room for privacy. I've BF in the middle of Costa, in restaurants, in clothes shops and in a furniture shop, also in GP waiting room and in the back of a taxi as DS was crying and hungry. However, DH thinks BF should be a private thing and thinks I should either feed under a shawl or take a bottle of expressed milk. He said not to be surprised if shop manager asks me to feed elsewhere. My BF support group all say they feed anywhere and are against shawls as they think it makes BF out to be something obscene.
What do others think? Would you be offended by someone BF a small baby without a shawl? Are there places where its inappropriate to BF?

Well I fed my 22 month old in public today. Discretely, not a flipple in sight.

Don't care who noticed or who felt offended, it was better than listening to him scream.

Why is www.google.co.uk/search?q=wonderbra+advert&client=tablet-android-lenovo&site=webhp&prmd=isvn&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAWoVChMI-dnmmenoyAIVirYUCh3Gwg_0#imgrc=19Yt6t4OuyieGM%3A this OK on a billboard, but the meerest hint of a milky nipple in public is seen as offensive?

ok then.

I think its private.

Its a show stopper, if you think it isnt then I really dont know where you live

Feed your baby anywhere you fucking like! Just cover up your boobs. That way, everyone is happy.

I was talking to my dad the other day about breastfeeding

I said that id never seen a womans tits out while breastfeeding (maybe a glimpse, never nipple) he said that he had

Now i love my daddy...but he was talking bollocks (IYSWIM)

I've seen many, many more breastfeeding mums than he has...and I've never seen a fully exposed tit

Its private!

WHY is it private though? You can't just bang on about how you think breastfeeding is private and expect everyone to be like "okay then, that's your opinion that you're entitled to hun" that's not how it works on MN. If you want to give your ridiculous views any sort of credibility on a thread like this then you need to elaborate then maybe, just maybe not likely people will then take you and your views more seriously.

I call some people "breast pushing" when its really not necessary.

To feed a 22 month old in public is frankly weird.

Flowers - why should people cover up if they're not doing anything indecent?

You cover up if you don't want to show your breast when you feed your baby.

Let other people do things in whatever way suits them.

If you don't like it, don't look.

But I'm not happy flowers. As I explained upthread, breastfeeding women feeling obliged to cover offends me. Your offence doesn't outweigh mine. I don't want to have to see an unhappily covered woman. If you can't be expected to avert your gaze when you see something you don't like, why should I?

Why is it weird to feed a 22 month old in public?

People across the world do this and have done it since we first crawled out of the swamps.

What is it about contemporary life in the UK that makes breastfeeding a 22 month old in public indecent now?

I think you are fine, and BF where you like. I BF my DD and was surprised actually how accepted in public I felt. I BF in a VERY busy pub at 9pm on a sat night for the Lincoln Christmas market and I think that was my most public. No one even looked!

Shameless praising of business alert - I was out in Stamford with my DB when DD was around 7 months. He nipped off to get something and I was desperate to feed. I nipped into a pub (very trendy place but with wing back chairs and fires) called the London Inn. Not only were they nice enough to help me through the doors, move all my clobber and bring me a drink on the house, they insisted I sit in one of the lovely chairs by the fireplace, lit the fire for me ('twas January i think.) and fetched me cushions so I would be comfy. I've never forgotten their kindness. It made a difficult outing pleasurable.

Its not about dont look.

Its about doing things where others arent going to feel awkward.

Why on earth breast feeding mothers seem to think they can do this regardless is beyond me. Its being self entitled and ridiculous.

Pinot But the WHO recommends it! You know, the organization that receives funding to push their agenda, which just so happens to mention breastfeeding until your child is at least two if you live in a third world country and you either breastfeed your 6 year old child or watch it starve to death

Just cover up your boobs

Then how is a baby meant to feed?

Alternatively people could just act like civilised members of society and do what most normal people do when they see something they don't like in public and turn their head and carry on with their day as normal. What harm is a breastfeeding mum causing to anyone, really?

But I feel awkward about breastfeeding mothers feeling obliged to cover up when they don't want to. Again, why are your feelings more important than mine?

Also, breastfeeding mothers think they can do this because, you know, they can. Because of the law. Which makes them genuinely entitled.

So.... thought experiment. Maybe pinot and Flowers would like to take part?

Let's imagine that a breastfed baby is hungry and crying. It's impossible for the mother to go and hide in another room or feed discreetly. Perhaps on a bus, or in a waiting room where the only alternative place would be outside in cold, torrential rain?

Would you rather:

A) mother doesn't breastfeed the hungry baby because she can't do it discreetly, and you have to listen to a screaming baby get increasingly distressed and noisy for however long, but hey! No-one has to worry about seeing the mother's breasts!

Or,

B) mother indiscreetly breastfeeds the hungry screaming baby, so baby is now quiet and happy, but you might see a bit, or even a lot, of breast if you forget to avert your eyes.

(Personally, I'd go for B every time. But then I don't find breastfeeding embarrassing)

Of course Lies.

Im saying it should also be done with respect to others. Breast feeding mothers who choose to do that in public also need to be discreet about it.

Breastfeeding mothers are protected by law, they think they can 'do this' (by that I assume you mean to bf in public) because the law says they are entitled to do so. What is ridiculous is to assume that you have a right to veto an act that is legally protected.

Tough luck if you don't like it. Don't go out in public if you don't want to see babies being breastfed.

It is private because we have been brain washed to think that it is offensive, but naked women advertising everything is normal! We are the uncivilised ones, so far removed from our basic humanity to think that breastfeeding is rude, offensive and dirty.

IMO it is far more civilised, mature and emotionally developed to be comfortable with women using their breasts for their primary purpose. It seems more backward to me to want to hide breasts whilst breastfeeding, but display them everywhere for the purpose of titillation.

There can be a million scenarios Bond, but surely a mother who is breast feeding knows when her child is going to be hungry or not. There are a million places that the mother can be at if she explains the situation.

22 months equals one and a half, surely the mother doesnt need to get her breast out in public. so im not sure why you are saying that.

I do however take offence by you calling me stupid and a wanker piper.

Its not about dont look.

Yes it is. You can do it, you know you can

Its about doing things where others arent going to feel awkward.

I feel awkward with people gawping at breastfeeding mothers, so by your logic, you should leave them to it. And most people don't actually care.

Why on earth breast feeding mothers seem to think they can do this regardless is beyond me. Its being self entitled and ridiculous.

Yes, selfish bitches wanting to feed their children food! The nerve of it!

Let me spell it out to you as nothing is getting into your skull - breastfeeding mothers think they can do it because the law tells them they can. It's called progress and equality. Would you object as someone mentioned up thread to a gay couple holding hands, based on your principles about breastfeeding mothers?

The whole 'discreet' thing is a red herring. One persons version of discreet may be completely different to the next person. Short of staying locked away at home until their babies are no longer breastfed, It's simply impossible for a breastfeeding mother to please everyone. There will always be someone who will have something negative to say about it so fuck it, breastfeeding mums can and are allowed to feed in what ever way they feel most comfortable, whether they choose to use a cover or not.

I take offence at you calling womankind selfish and entitled. I take offence at your ridiculous sexist views.