To start a breast feeding flashmob?

[DD2017]

Just read a thread about BF in a cafe being wrong...
There's already national breastfeeding week 1-7 Aug 2018 so who would be up for organising breastfeeding flash mobs on one of these days to raise awareness that it's OK and perfectly natural!?
I felt so awkward the first time I fed in public and faffed around with cover ups which DD found hot and bothery. They always fell off too and always end up showing something. 9 months later and it doesn't faze me at all; I'll feed her anywhere if she's hungry and don't notice if anyone's looking or not.
Let's help new mums feel the same and get some attention on this subject.
(It shouldn't matter how you choose to feed your baby - breast or bottle; as long as they're fed without shame or embarrassment!)

Let the FLASHMOB commence...

Thoughts please!!

I got given a right dirty look off another woman when I was breast feeding at Soft Play yesterday.

Where I live there is a Twitttee campaign called #ItsNormal where women are being asked to take selfies of themselves whilst they breast feed and upload them to the Twitter Page.

I felt so angry at that other mum at Soft Play that in hindsight I wished I’d asked her to take a photo of me doing it for the campaign

The question just has to be "why"?!?!??

All for bf but just get on with it. Why do some people seem to want to make a huge fuss? It's a normal natural activity not entertainment for a flash mob

They must hav too much time on their hands!!

No. There's no need for a 'flashmob'. How come the majority of women seem to be able to breastfeed in public without any problems but there are always a few who are convinced everyone is out to persecute them? Because they're shit stirring exhibitionists that's why, and not just when it comes to breastfeeding but in every other area in their lives too. There'll always be one drama queen who feels she has 'the right' to whip everything off and breastfeed topless in a cafe. Fortunately the majority of breastfeeding mothers are perfectly normal and able to feed without creating a scene.

I appreciate the sentiment and it would have helped give me confidence in the early days if I had encountered a feeding flashmob. But probably wouldn't join in as too shy and distractible baby will only feed in a quiet dark room 🙄

I saw a breastfeeding flash mob once.

It was pretty embarrassing. Kids not wanting to be fed having a boob forced in their mouths, which didnt really work because they were pulling away, the mum's were all shoutung asking what people were staring at them for then one of the berated a mum for bottle feeding.

I managed to breast feed 6 kids over the last 16 years anywhere and everywhere and never had anything but people who didn't care and the occasional helpful person asking if I wanted a drink.

I have known a couple of people who simply assume that others are staring or whatever though. I think it's more about them feeling self conscious than anything though.

@Katurah thanks your comment made me think more about what I'm trying to say...
It's all about the feeding and no way is right or wrong. However you choose is the right way.
For me personally I'd like to have felt comfortable in my choice from day one and not given it a second thought but took me a while to BF in public. I was told no one cares and felt embarrassed anyway. Now that I'm not hung up about it; I have comments like 'she's nearly a toddler get her off your boob'. I couldn't possibly find the time to express what she needs at a rate of 4oz per half hour.
On the flip side I have friends who wanted to BF and weren't able and were scoffed at in antenatal classes.
Yes BF has more benefits to bottle feeding but babies get all the nutrients they require from formula and grow up happy and healthy.
How do we help new mums feel secure in their choices from day one without having to get used to it first? (Of course a lot of people will be but for those who aren't)
Even being secure in myself and my choice I still felt awkward to begin with... or will this always be the case and just chalk it up to hormones or a big life change?

I think now I'm overtired and over thinking...

It was obviously a troll thread.

There have already been loads of breastfeeding flash-mobs, the 'big latch on' and the like.

I don't get it to be honest. If the point you're trying to make is that BF is perfectly normal and natural (which it is obviously) then doesn't turning it into a big theatrical event like a flashmob sort of undermine that point?

A flash mob would do the complete opposite of 'normalise breastfeeding'.

^^ this

I agree it does take confidence to bf in public but once you get used to it you realise it's quite possible to do discreetly and most passers-by don't even notice, let alone give a shit. The best way to normalise bf is for everyone to just do it, then it becomes normal. Flash mobs etc imply there is something strange or "persecuted minority" about it. There's not, just get on with it.

I think a flash mob will make people roll their eyes. I have breastfed for a few years now and my eldest is 15 Months and still feeds regularly, no one cares. Never had a comment or noticed a look.

Who made the toddler comment? Was it a stranger?

If you think this is actually a god idea OP, please read this again and again and again A flash mob would do the complete opposite of 'normalise breastfeeding'.

If you want to normalise breastfeeding, the best thing you can do is do it yourself and teach your kids about it. That’s it.

I combination and honestly feel more 'abnormal' feeding ds formula in public than I do breast feeding. I'm out.

Literally don’t give a shit how anyone feeds their baby and the more we keep banging on about our tits, our bottles and our formula the less ‘normal’ we make any kind of feeding.

Just get on with it and shut up about it.

@NerrSnerr it was a family member

@DiddimusStench think you've got a point here... teach them whatever they choose is right for them

I think it's a great idea, if I was still breast feeding I would do it. I was never shamed or harassed in my time but I know from threads on here and from friends of mine it happens. Anything that highlights the issue is a good thing.

The point is OP, if it’s not a big deal, don’t make a big deal about it, otherwise youre making it a big deal

It’s a well documented fact that we have higher success rates in breastfeeding when we have witness our own close family breastfeeding their children.

I breastfed (still feeding one!) my children, I don’t want to be made out to be a martyr for it. I just want to do it in peace thanks. People doing crap like flash mobs make it difficult.

I think the major majority of people care less than some might think. Trying to normalise it by creating hashtags and parading it by doing a flash mob or posting pics on social media with a hashtag isn't normalizing it, it's drawing more unneccesary attention to it. I get more looks getting a bottle out than I ever did breastfeeding!

So you might get the odd comment or dirty look? So what? People don't comment on any other aspect of parenting or anything for that matter in public then? If you want to breast feed do it, normalise it by just doing it without making a bloody song and dance about it, telling anyone that will listen and making out you're a special kind of individual for doing it.

Why don't people just feed their kids and stop thinking people care when they really don't?!

Cringe.