To wish the boob police would just fuck off!

[KatnissMellark]

Breastfeeding my nine month old. Originally had a number of issues (latch problems and allergies) but these are sorted now and it's easy and convenient despite having had to give up a couple of foods. Just in the last few days have had the following comments:

'Why don't you wean him for Xmas, no need to be a martyr, then you can eat what you want'- err no, it would be a total faff to get him accepting formula for a matter of months then wean to an alternative milk after a year, then try to introduce cow's milk if he can tolerate it.

'Breastfeeding past 6 months is just for the mother'- oh really? Why don't you tell him that?!

'What really annoys me is women who don't try to breastfeed, it's just lazy'- you are an arse! Just because we both breastfeed does not mean I'm in your little formula hating gang, nobber.

Why can't people just mind their own business!!?

[helpmum2003]

People seem to think they have the right to comment on parenting issues and there's a very low level of knowledge about infant feeding in large parts of the population.

I agree either ignore or 'it suits us thanks' or 'did you mean to be so rude?'.

[KatnissMellark]

I know bambamber I think people just don't get it. You can't just 'wean for Christmas'...DS has already been through enough without forcing him to take a bottle which he hates with prescription milk which is by all accounts minging just so I can eat some bloody quality street and then have to wean him to an alternative/cow's milk in a few months anyway. Makes no sense at all!

[KatnissMellark]

Fairy, thanks- it probably is related. We are under paediatrician and dietician and I am taking relevant supplements to avoid just that scenario

[RacingRaccoons]

I BF my DS for 18 months and received a lot of comment, I found the easiest way to cope with it was to ignore or direct them to the WHO’s guidelines!
Well done on breastfeeding still though, especially with your little one’s allergies!

[Viviennemary]

I think that Fairyflaps makes a good point about osteoporosis. As that is grim. Make sure you are getting enough Calcium even if it means taking supplements.

[RhiannonOHara]

Smile and ignore. If they persist, a polite but frosty 'It's my business' to the 'wean him for Xmas' crowd and 'Oh, I'm not going to judge anyone's choices' for the 'lazy women who don't try to breastfeed' twats.

[KatnissMellark]

Vivienne I'm on supplements as agreed with dietician and paediatrician, thanks!

[BluePlasticBuddha]

It always amazes me when people think they can comment.

I found myself actually justifying why I ff to my 70 year old male neighbour who really got stuck into me once (over the garden fence ffs). TBF this neighbour always has a comment of some sort (why did I keep my DC1 in babygros until he was about12 months- because they were cute and snuggly; why am I living off my husband's money? (actually, i work from home) etc.

People comment. Sometimes they think they are trying to help and be supportive.Sometimes they are making conversation. Sometimes they are judging. Sometimes they are just utter twats.

I am 45 and have only recently decided that I am going to be confident in my own decisions and I am going to pull people up if they are rude. Wish I had done it years ago.

[DontCallMeJohnBoy]

OP, I sympathise. I had to give up onions when BFing as they gave DS terrible wind but people thought I was mad. That baby never had a bottle, he just wouldn't drink from one, even expressed milk, but people were incredulous that I kept feeding past 6 months. Oh, tell you what, I'll just leave him to dehydrate.

People will always have an opinion. Our latest one was the elderly neighbour who told DH in the street that we should have another child. This is a bloke in his 70s - just how do you have the right to offer opinions on these things? Our Ds is school aged - does he not think that either we don't want one or we tried and it ain't happened?

[ForgivenessIsDivine]

KatnissMellark, breastfeeding on a restricted diet is hard enough without people questioning what you are doing. I knew in my heart that it was right to carry on and not to risk trying various formula as DS was so uncomfortable most of the time. I couldn't bear to put him through any more pain.

Bouja bouja champagne truffles are much nicer than Quality street anyway and you can't share them as other people probably wouldn't like them as they are dairy free..
www.boojabooja.com/chocolate-truffles/collections/

[MsHarry]

Ignore them Op, I think what you're doing is fantastic.

[Trinity66]

I know trinity the one that pissed me off the most was the not trying to breastfeed=lazy comment as it was based on the assumption that I'd agree with the judgemental cow.

I didn't breast feed and I got a bit of that from nurses but not outside of the hospital thankfully! I don't know why people think it's any of their business

[RhiannonOHara]

why did I keep my DC1 in babygros until he was about12 months- because they were cute and snuggly; why am I living off my husband's money? (actually, i work from home) etc.

I hope you didn't reply with the answers you give here, but with a resounding 'Fuck off and mind your own business'!

[poooooooop]

Gosh, wait until you're still doing it when dc is 3-4! Loads of comments! I have a fuck off face

[poooooooop]

trinity my best friend would feel really embarrassed when getting a bottle out for her newborn in a cafe, as she thought people would think she's lazy for not bf. We lived in a very 'hippy/eco warrior' area.
I felt sad for her. I think there are negative comments given equally to formula feeding and breast feeding mums. It's pathetic that people can't keep their ouths shut.

[hackmum]

I love the way that "Why don't you wean him for Xmas, no need to be a martyr" and "Breastfeeding past 6 months is just for the mother" completely contradict each other.

People like that are profoundly irritating. On point 1, even allowing for your restricted diet, it's actually much easier to breastfeed a six month old baby than it is a newborn. They don't feed as much, so they're not permanently latched to your sore boob, but when they're hungry/cross/tired, putting them on the breast is a quick and easy solution.

And what does "Breastfeeding past six months is just for the mother" even mean? So what if it is? If you're getting the benefit of an easier life, why should anyone else object to it or even care?

[Allthetuppences]

My child is nearly 2. And honestly I have reached a bit of a stage where I am finding it not great for me anymore as he hangs off my clothes and likes to stick his head in my cleavage loads.
But even here where I am considering my options and maybe making the choice to stop bf the telling me what I "should" do brigade can still do one.

[IamPickleRick]

I'd love to wean for Christmas. I've not had an alcoholic drink since 2015! (Pregnant or breastfeeding) Baby doesn't seem so keen on weaning though so here we are!

Point 3 is annoying as well. IBF but I've mix fed as well so I'm not in any "gang" as such. Bit of both, it's fine. It really is fuck all to do with anyone else.

[Allthetuppences]

And beforr i get jumped on. I'm talking rippd clothes and deep scratches to my chest weekly. It's upsetting.

[Trinity66]

poooooooop

Yeah jeez, you can't win, she was embarrassed to get the bottle out and at the same time you have people complaining about how women who breast feed in cafes are exhibitionists etc f/

[BluePlasticBuddha]

Rhiannon no,I have always been the 'be polite and defend myself nicely' self justification Queen!

Not any more. The turning point came when a friend of my mother's called me 'disgusting' for not taking the DCs away for overseas holidays several times a year.(There is a long, boring story, but that is the essenceof the conversation). I defended myself and then stopped mid-way and thought; 'Ah.Just fuck off'. I did not say it.But from that point on I decided that I was not going to justify myself to anyone ever again.

[sinceyouask]

Its's annoying as fuck.
I fed ds1 to 2, ds2 to 2.5 and have just force weaned ds3 at 3. You'd think I'd done it purely to upset some people, going by their weird overreaction to it.

[Judashascomeintosomemoney]

Breastfeeding past 6 months is just for the mother
Wow, people really say this? I breastfed both my DDs, in reducing frequency, for about 12 mths, and I honestly never had anyone comment at all ever, even when I was breastfeeding in restaurants etc in public. BUT that was 12-13 years ago. Have people just got far more bloody nosy in the last few years?

[TriJo]

Whoever says breastfeeding older babies is just for the mother has clearly never fed a baby over 6 months. Biting, grabbing, scratching, fingers reaching for nose and mouth... that certainly isn't for my benefit!

[FizzyWaterAndElderflower]

There seems to be a section of people who can't fathom that different people (and babies) are different.

Hence recent conversations I've had with MIL over why anyone would want more than one bathroom in a house, or with my Dad over why I would buy an automatic car when I have a manual license, and 100 other things with 100 other people.

Whoever says breastfeeding older babies is just for the mother has clearly never fed a baby over 6 months

And definitely this - the day when they decide to get cheeky and give you a nip, and the habit that my oldest still has at 7, of if he's very tired or upset, the hand sneaks up and just does down/up my shirt to rest between my cleavage for comfort.