to breastfeed 15mo in public?

[Schwanengesang]

In the past week, I've been on holiday with DS at an overcrowded, too-popular tourist holiday destination, and in my own town (University oritentation week, full of students).

In that time while feeding DS out and about (nothing on display, any exposed boob completely covered by DS' head, but also not wearing a breastfeeding shawl) I have had:

(1) a grandfather tell me I should cover up when breastfeeding in front of his grandkids

(2) a grandmother say I shouldn't be breastfeeding when they can walk and talk

(3) a woman of grandmotherly age tell me I'll rot DS' teeth and he should be drinking real milk out of a bottle (I presume "real milk" comes from cows...)

(4) a child laugh and point, then try to push our pram into the lake, while adoring parents looked on and laughed as the child tipped the pram over down the bank

(5) another child decide to come up and try to push DS out of the way, as in batting at his head and climbing on my lap, in order to feed, while parents laughed and took photos and then told me their child had more right to be breastfeeding than mine because mine was too old

(6) a man come up and film me while his wife stood there giggling with her hand over her mouth

(7) a pair of young women walk by saying "OMG that's disgusting. It's like 5 years old" "God, why would anyone do that?" ("It" being DS)

(8) a group of young men say "oh shit that's so gross" "OMG she's going to have the saggiest tits ever" and pretend to vomit, while their friend made melon-holding hand gestures emphasizing the apparently saggy tits

Until the past week I'd been fairly good at ignoring any unwanted attention, giving a baleful eye to anyone who dared look affronted. But I didn't reckon with tourist season/ uni students and DS being a pretty big 15 months.

Is breastfeeding a toddler in public really that unusual?

This seems weird because ... how many times were you out breastfeeding in public in that time? A 15 month old isn't a cluster-feeding newborn. Typically, two of your feeds will be first thing in the morning and last thing at night, and this age of child shouldn't be taking more than about 20 oz/3-4 feeds per day. Most 1-year-olds are having a feed before their midday nap, and for many, that combined with the wakeup and nighttime feeds are all they need, which means it's unusual for them to ever need a feed in public.

Either your 15 month old is using your breasts as a pacifier and nursing all the time, which is honestly a little disconcerting and troubling, or you're saying that you fed in public twice a day for 4 days and that you also had one of these incidents happen at each feed. It's kind of surprising, too, that you wouldn't do any feeds whatsoever in your own space during the daytime. You're not obligated to, sure, but it's unusual, and part of why this seems pretty fishy.

Exactly what positive vibes said. If your DC is hungry or thirsty while out what is wrong with some food or water? Probably satisfy his hunger more than just liquid. My DSis still breast fed till her DD was 3 but for bedtime comfort. When she was hungry she ate food!

Positivevibes because breastfeeding is about more than food - often older babies are feeding for comfort, pain relief, if they are tired etc. So trying to offer 'real food' instead doesn't cut it and you'll have an angry toddler on your hands.

I'm from Australia, live in a tourist-centric area, and have breastfed all four of my children. I have never had a single negative look, much less a negative comment. I've been to Queenstown many, many times and have never experienced any negative comments either.

I have to agree with others that it seems highly unlikely that all of these comments came your way.

So sorry you experienced this OP. What a bunch of idiots you bumped into.
To offer an Arcadian contrast, of how things should be: we went on holiday to Berlin from London, and it turned out to be marathon weekend. After a morning sightseeing my 2.5 year old was exhausted in the summer heat. We sat down to watch the marathon next to the Brandenburg Gate. She breastfed for about 15-20 minutes, (boob out) on and off, then fell asleep on my lap. There were hundreds of people around. I only received smiles and not a single dirty look or wanky comment. From neither young nor old, hipster nor conservative, rich nor poor. Thank you darling Berlin.
I am sorry that your experience was so horridly different.

I also find it really sad that people think it’s fine for your child to have a nipple replacement (dummy) in its mouth for hours on end, but woe betide feeding it beyond six weeks. This is such a widespread opinion and it takes away your choice and that of your child.

Ignore the peasants. You know what your child needed and made her happy fulfilled her genuine needs. As another poster mentioned, breastfeeding is not only about liquid intake. 15 months is still a perfectly reasonable time to breastfeed. WHO guidelines recommend at least two years, regardless of country, water supply or nationality.
Please carry on strong and ignore the harpies. You will not regret it later on and your child will be stronger against such comments when it is older , knowing that you breastfed for as long as needed, and were able to withstand mob peer pressure.

I am on my second breastfed baby and will feed anywhere. I'm finding this unbelievable, in my experience most people don't even realise you're feeding.

I plan on BF my currently 10 month old until he's ready to stop.

Just not in public though. For reasons such as this.

Clarification : harpies and peasants being the meanies who upset you whilst you were out. No offense to any rational people on here i have often had veiled comments like that, so I do believe you.

And when I say reasons such as this, I'm including these comments. Sometimes if my LO is teething, a quick BF sorts it out.
I can imagine that could still happen in five months time. And could be considered by some as 'disconcerting and troubling'.

*I plan on BF my currently 10 month old until he's ready to stop.

Just not in public though. For reasons such as this*.

This makes me sad! You're say 15 month old may take a tumble whilst out (as they do!) they'll be distressed and will want a breastfeed. It's their comfort thing, it's what they want to calm down. You can't wait until you get home.

Please don't feel that you'll be judged, I honestly doubt you will!

I find all this in a lifetime of feeding six children hard to believe but in one week of feeding a 15 month old.... nah!

Wow. You really were unlucky.

Btw I don't have six children I breastfed, my post sounds like I did! It as hypothetical!!!

I agree radio, don't let this put you off as it didn't happen. I breastfed my eldest until she was 2, she didn't need feeding much when out and about as she got older but if she needed we just did it. I had no comments from anyone.

Thank you Jojobjob. I absolutely know how comforting BF is to my LO, but I must admit, I have been getting more uncomfortable as he gets older. I think it's because I stupidly read things like this and whilst I try to rationalise that not everyone is like it, I do feel nervous when I BF in public. This feeling started after six months. No idea why.

Thank you Dipping and NerrSnerr. I really shouldn't look at BF threads.

Thank you Jojobjob. I absolutely know how comforting BF is to my LO, but I must admit, I have been getting more uncomfortable as he gets older. I think it's because I stupidly read things like this and whilst I try to rationalise that not everyone is like it, I do feel nervous when I BF in public. This feeling started after six months. No idea why

Please try to avoid these threads, please carry on as long as you and LO want too! I swear 99.9% don't judge. They won't even bat an eyelid! Carry on, you're doing a fantastic job.

No, the best one is surely the child pointing and laughing then trying to push her pram into a lake while the parents laughed.

Whether or not the OP is real, some of the negative attitudes on here are really sad.

Bf is about way more than food.

Feed your toddler whichever way you wish, but don't do it for attention seeking purposes which, by the sher number of 'incidents' you have been doing.