to think it's okay to breastfeed in front of my colleagues...

[Gamorah5]

...or is my colleague correct in saying that it's completely inappropriate?

Never though of it being inappropriate until someone mentioned it to me today...

Thoughts?

@Rebecca36 some people see their colleagues outside of work. I wouldn't take my baby to work.

@QuoadUltra I couldn't take my baby to work even if I wanted to

My husband used to bring my eldest in for a feed when we did whatever shared parental leave was called six years ago. I remember one very senior guy having a reasonably conversation with me before he realised I was breastfeeding. Then he got all nostalgic about his own son :)

I have and I will. But to be honest, with a bit more discretion than maybe I do elsewhere.

I wouldn’t want to see most of my colleagues in bikinis and speedos either. Absolutely nothing wrong with them, but I compartmentalise and colleagues always have their clothes on, even in the shower. Lalalalaaaaa. Can’t heaar you...

Well really it depends where you are and the context. If you pop into the office with baby to show him/her to colleagues then it would seem appropriate to feed before you go or go to the non-work area like a break/kitchen area away from the actual coal face of Work and feed there. Then whoever wants to chat with you can join you.
If however you are talking about breast feeding in the middle of a busy office where people are uncomfortable with that and can't 'escape' because they need to be there for work then yabu and smacks of making a statement.
If you are talking about once you have actually returned to work and have arranged for someone to bring baby in then your employer should arrange for you to have somewhere quiet in which to do it. Not because of anything other than a baby in the workplace is not appropriate- unless you work in a crèche.

You have a right to breast feed. You also have a responsibility not to distract people in their work. Babies are distracting regardless of breast feeding or not.

A colleague attended a KIT day with her baby and fed him in the office. She had one of these which she peered into m.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mum-Breastfeeding-Nursing-Cover-Up-Baby-Infant-Poncho-Shawl-Udder-Cotton-Blanket-/163036139849

Why do people think they are obliged to sit and stare at the woman’s breasts whilst she is breastfeeding? . For starters, you can’t actually see much breast because there’s a big baby in the way. Secondly, do you generally perv on women’s tits instead of looking at their face when talking to them or is it because she’s being really sexual feeding her child? .

Argh I wish I put the context in the original thread. I'm talking about social situations where my colleagues are present!

I don't want to watch babies breastfeeding either. So I don't look at women's boobs when they're feeding. I look at their face instead....

@TrippingTheVelvet

Gamora5

Well we both know that's not what I said.

But if someone sat down next to me or opposite me and started doing it, I'd really not know where to look.

In the same way, if let's say I'd finished the day at work and wanted to change into a different top, I'd not do it in front of people, I'd go somewhere else where I was alone so I didn't feel embarrassed or make anyone else feel uncomfortable.

I think it's a bit odd to take your baby to a work Christmas do, even so, if you're only popping in for an hour can you not just feed the baby before you go? Or leave it with its dad? Other than that it's fine to feed your baby whenever and wherever you need to really except in public swimming pools.

X post. If you aren't at work then crack on. If they don't like it you THEY can move if they feel uncomfortable. Sorry thought you were talking about IN the office during work. !

araiwa

@userofthiswebsite
Do you feel the same about bottles..? If a baby needs feeding, especially a very young one, then they can't wait.

Absolutely fine.
And I love it when people bring their newborns into work. I always try to steal them for as long as I can!

And I'm a lesbian and everything Gamorah!

Yes it is ok to feed your baby anywhere.

For gods sake people breastfeeding is not the same as being naked/dressed in speedos/changing your top!
If you truly don’t know where to look userofthiswebsite may I suggest not at the woman’s boobs? Breastfeeding is feeding a baby. No way should anyone be made to feel uncomfortable for doing it, feel they need to cover or need to move into a private area.

userofthiswebsite if you don't want to watch it don't stare at a woman's breasts when she is feeding- problem sorted

Gamorah5 of course it's fine, your colleague is sexist and ignorant. As a general rule of thumb if it's ok to bottle feed then its OK to breastfeed. If it was me In would be looking forward to a situation when I could thoroughly embarrass him by breastfeeding when out with him.

@Itsatravesty baby will be 6 weeks old and thought just before Christmas would be a nice time to introduce. It's a lunchtime thing on a Sunday so seemed a nice idea!

In a social situation you can do whatever you want. At work, the issue would be being there with the baby, and whether bringing your child to work is acceptable or not.
Breastfeeding a baby who is permitted in the space is fine.

I breastfed in front of my male boss (though I was discrete) in his office (which is all glass!) when I went in to discuss returning to work. He didn’t give a shit! I also changed my DS’s dirty bum on his conference table as there are no baby change facilities where I work. Again, he didn’t care but then he has a kid himself and isn’t a twat! Love my boss!

@userofthiswebsite I just wouldn't look at their boobs? It's not really the same as changing in front of someone...

Well obviously not, we all drink from bottles of different sorts every day.

People might not like my opinion but I doubt I'm the only person who thinks the same.

I can't imagine choosing to do it in front of people when I had the option of going in another room.