To breastfeed in front of my sisters niece?

[DinosaursArentMakeBelieve]

My sister brought her 5 year old niece (no blood relation to me) over to stay a few weeks ago and I explained that my LO was breastfed and that means that Auntie uses her boobies to make milk for the baby.

My sister was great and helped explain what I was doing and why I was doing it. Also explained that "that's why women have boobies" and that they were to feed baby

She seemed fine with it but when she got home she mentioned it to her dad and he hit the roof! Said it's not right and that i shouldn't be doing it in front of a child
And that we aren't related so it was wrong!

Now I don't want to open up a debate about breastfeeding in public - this isn't something I've done yet as I haven't built up the nerve (but I think those that do are amazing)

I was doing this in my own home, which in my head was fine and was able to explain fully... how would you /your OH feel if someone not related to you breastfeed in front of your child?

YANBU he is.

Just read the bottom thing.

This thread us a joke, right?

Are you sure it wasn't you calling them "boobies" that was the issue?

I don't think it's sensible or necessary to call them that.

Sorry just realised it was your DSIS'S niece not yours so that doesn't make sense.
He still needs his head seeing though

Ask him why he is sexualising his SIL's boobs.

HIBU not you

Bet he complains about women breastfeeding in public as well

He's an idiot.

Poor child having him and his issues as a father.

Mrs i didn't think of that. It seems it's the entire situation he feels uncomfortable with but you're right, I could have used a different word and I've probably not helped matters. Boobies is what she calls them so I was just using the language she uses but I take your point!

Cherie they are separated and this is what worries me, I feel like he's going to use this to cause trouble

Cherie - he is brother in laws, sisters daughter. Her and her partner are separated.
Sorry! Confusing!

But that's what they are for.

He understands that?

Wow he has a problem! Not you!

I breast fed in parks, soft play public transport etc in front of kids and no one batted an eyelid.

I have seen people walking down the road with their breast out feeding.

He has serious issues FFS!

It's for your sister to deal with this one. It's between her and her husband. You just keep doing what you're doing

Clearly, he's a dick and this is probably one thing in a long lists of things that he might be a dick about.

Thats a sad attitude he has. What could be more natural than a child learning about breastfeeding? That's what breasts are for after all. What difference does it make who is related to whom? It's a natural function that children should understand and accept, that way they might grow into adults who have healthy views.

... sorry EX husband

If he's that much of a dick then he'd find something else to cause trouble about. Please don't feel bad about it. You were doing something completely normal, he is weird for taking issue with it.

He is odd, I would have thought in your home was "socially acceptable" even by the weirdos who think you shouldn't feed your baby when it is hungry in public places.

He's an idiot.

My bestie had her child's christening hosted by her lovely but old school in laws. Her Mil set aside one of the reception rooms to be used by the large number of breastfeeding mothers there. Naturally by halfway through the day, the vast majority of the party was hanging out in the breastfeeding room; all the lactating mums and the Dads who see it as completely normal.

DH said he was chatting on perfectly happilly to bestie while she was feeding sprog and wondering why the Mil was giving him absolute evils. Some people are just weird about breastfeeding.

What does he think mum's with more than one child do? Banish the older children from the home? Hide in a locked room for hours ATM a time, while the baby cluster feeds, and lets the older child/ren fend for themselves?

I guess he wouldn't be too impressed if you pointed out that in many parts of the world it's not that unusual for a 5 year old to still be breastfeeding and it happens in the U.K. too 😜

So I'd go with the approach of...if it would be okay for a child to see a baby being fed with a bottle, then it's okay to see a baby being fed with a breast. Both are just ways of feeding a baby. One happens to be the way nature intended.

And I'd add that, unless HE has allowed his child access to inappropriate knowledge, then nothing else will enter a 5 year old's head. A young child has no concept of sex and so there can never, ever be a sexualised link to breasts in a 5 year old's mind....unless an adult puts it there.

And lots of my children's school age friends saw me breastfeed their younger sibling. They saw this at our home, at their homes, at school events. Sometimes a child would ask about it. Usually they wouldn't. The other parents didn't mind at all.

If this was in his house, and without the knowledge of her mother, I'd still think he was being ridiculous, but I suppose it would be reasonable to abide by his wishes.

But in your house, and with the approval of the child's mother? He's being beyond unreasonable!

The guy is a fool. You were in the right. Just forget about him.

Of course you're not, and of course it's important for kids to see it - most of us follow what we knew - the first reason for me breastfeeding was that I remembered my mum feeding my little sister - it's just what I grew up with and assumed I'd do the same.

it's not right and that i shouldn't be doing it in front of a child

Butbutbutbut...... how? I mean, you have to do it in front of a child... there has to be a child somewhere in the equation?

Or are we supposed to be blindfolding our babies when we feed them?

MrsOver why is it not sensible to call them boobies?! That's what lots of people call their breasts and certainly what a lot of children would call them. What an odd view.