Surestart sexism

[LeCroissant]

I just got this sent to me by email from Surestart (identifying details blocked out).

When I was at surestart with my kids, a few years ago now, most sessions were, of course, attended by women. Chairs were deliberately kept sparse in order to force mothers to stand up and play with their children. No hot drinks were allowed. No unhealthy food was allowed. At all times we were to demonstrate what good parents we were by never taking our eyes off the children, no matter how tired we were. I once had to go home from the local surestart centre because the two chairs that were available were taken I had nowhere to sit to feed my newborn.

And yet, for the men's session (run at the weekend of course, because we know that men work during the week and women don't) there's coffee, bacon sandwiches and fucking newspapers!!! AIBU to think this is fucking ridiculous?

Apart from giving birth and breastfeeding a man can 'supply' any real NEED for a child although without due care and sensitivity things might be awkward. Attending breastfeeding classes is inappropriate of course and obviously unnecessary for a man.

'Happy to help you both. If you can learn and improve from this, it might actually make this train wreck of a thread worthwhile'

Thank God you were here.

multi

As someone who’s breastfed for a total of 4.5 years, what I’m really looking for is some dude to mansplain tongue tie and peer support to me

I don't think a Surestart group is a women only space. We have fathers attend ours without any problems whatsoever.

God knows what the poor women at that group thought.

Twat.
What's he doing here?
I'm so embarrassed.
Those delivering the programme would have been thinking "Massive Red Flag".

Some breastfeeding classes are set up to involve men. The first half is a group discussion then everyone goes of to a private area for one to one. My husband came to one when I was pregnant because I needed to harvest colostrum and when our son was born and in SCBU, he was instrumental in helping me do so whilst I was recovering. This class helped all three of us massively and I was grateful for it.

newdaddie

Dont be rude

Quiet everyone! Listen to the man!

Sssshhhhh don't startle him..

AGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH

I might have startled him multi

Sorry (not sorry)

Oh @SunnySkiesSleepsintheMorning another one who needs to learn to read. We’ve already established that dd is a future leader. So your faux concern may have been hilarious if it wasn’t a tad late off the mark.

Hi Rufus.

I tried to behave but it’s the AIBU way. Anyway, I’m going to bed.

Still no bacon

You dont behave at all newdaddie

You don't deserve bacon

Future leader of what?

She might lead the men into breastfeeding groups....

Could be girl guide leader

Leader of the pack

Estate agent

Leader of the free world?

What would a leader of an unfree world look like....dictator?

sunny

Possibly

4.5 years! Wow that’s a mighty long time to take to learn to bf. Maybe if you spent less time jumping to conclusions and more time actually listening... not that you wanted my advice anyway but I really think you might need professional help at this stage.

Lol.
Is this meant to be insulting? My 4yo gives better burns.you really don’t like being told you’re not welcome in a women’s space do you?

‘Professional help’ - why is that always a man’s go-to card when he has nothing else left, the “you’re crazy” thing?

And why do you think I was ‘learning to BF’? I thought you were the font of all BF knowledge?

Come on ladies, don’t upset him, where else are we gonna go if we need to know about breastfeeding? I mean he googled knew the medical term for tongue tie and everything

I dont think im upsetting him

But he doesn't deserve bacon...fact

Unless it’s the bacon that goes really stringy and rubbery and soaks the bread with horrible fat. Maybe his DD will be a future leader at the production line at the Danepak factory and she will rid the world of horrible bacon forever? 🥓

Oh bloody hell women - you did go and startle him.

He'll be back tomorrow so make sure you learn how to read and how to listen overnight