Locking breastfeeding women in a cupboard ?

[lightlypoached]

Saw this at Miami airport.

What do we think about locking breastfeeding women in cupboards ?

I think it's weird and a bit sad. You?

[Tennesseewhiskey]

No one is forcing anyone to use this or locking them in it

It will have a lock on the outside to stop people using it for other than it's intended use.

No one Is locked in it from the outside and the lock will operate from the inside too.

OP, why are you added a load of nonsense into this story?

[janetforpresident]

I am saying that I have no objection to the pod but by making it just for nursing mothers they are sending the message that it's acceptable to want nursing mothers to be segregated and to judge ( as a pp did) women who "flop their boobs out"

If women want to flop their boobs out to feed they should be able to. Just make it a baby feeding room. The vast majority of bottle feeders won't use it anyway.

Are you really that hard of thinking that you fail to see the difference between bf a baby and bottle feeding?
No love, I'm not

[Mumphineasandferbmadea]

To the person who said just feed in a cafe. I just couldn't do it. Just the thought makes me feel physically Ill. I have no problems with others doing it though. Funny I get the same reaction when I say that there is no way in hell I would get change in a communal changing room either so I dont just feel that way about bfing.

[NameChange30]

"Don’t forget in the USA lots of women go back to work earlier than we do and express milk for their babies, I’ll bet there are outlets for pumps and a sink in there too. Lots of pumping mums will really appreciate the pods, and not having to find somewhere suitable to pump."

Tbh I think this is the real reason that the pods exist. Paid maternity leave is shockingly short in the US, so there must be more mothers in the US who express milk.

The info a PP shared did mention pumping and it said that the spaces must include a power socket, flat surface and sink (all necessary for using an electric pump).

I'm not shy about breastfeeding in public but there's no way I would have expressed milk in public, so I would definitely have used a pod for pumping.

[Settlersofcatan]

I exclusively expressed (baby with cleft palate) and once used one of these in an airport. It was amazing. I would be happy to breastfeed in public but using my industrial hospital breast pump in front of people would have been non ideal

[Meralia]

I’d have loved this when I was feeding! I didn’t like to feed in public, I just wanted privacy to feed my baby, and that’s my right and choice not to do something I’m uncomfortable with.

Brilliant idea!

[Tinyteatime]

I don’t have a problem feeding in public now but I wouldn’t want to pump in public, more on display and it does feel like a more private act. There’s probably lots of mums travelling for work who need to pump in airports and also in the early days of feeding when I was less confident I probably would have used one of these. So I think they’re great if they make some women more comfortable but of course you shouldn’t have to use one.

[flumpybear]

@janetforpresident - still disagree, there probably aren't enough so that anyone feeding can use them, if there are lots available then that's a different scenario, but if they are few and far between then bf or expressing only - it's allowing choice not to expose one's body/facilities for expressing - there are many other choices out there for ff babies

[Ali1cedowntherabbithole]

Let’s all judge women who prefer to feed their Babies somewhere peaceful and private.

Said no feminist ever.

[pictish]

“The distracted baby thing is really a secondary issue. The main one is that a lot of women don't want to expose their breasts in public. Trying to force them to will just see declining breastfeeding rates.”

This with bells on. I didn’t want to get my tits out for all to see, thanks. I simply couldn’t do it discreetly. The shape of my boobs wouldn’t allow for a neat little ‘pop on’ whatsoever. It was like wrestling with an octopus. Not for public consumption.

[BlitheringIdiots]

Would have loved this for my bottle fed baby. He never took milk well in public places as was always looking around at everyone. Would have been perfect for that. Not sure it's exclusive to breast feeding mothers

[diddl]

I'd like to see the inside of it.

Seems a good idea to me-tbh.

It can be very cramped on airport chairs.

I always get hot at the airport, so probably would have wanted to strip off to bfeed!

[Aeroflotgirl]

As long as women aren't being forced to use them, and they have a choice. Some women in the early stages might want the privacy.

[CherryPavlova]

If it supports women who prefer privacy, are embarrassed but want to feed, who have an easily distracted baby or who just want peace for a few minutes, it has to be a good thing. It’s a choice. Women need to be given choice. Why should there only be one way of doing something to support a particular lobby? Of course it should be acceptable to feed wherever you want but not all women are ready to carry the banner publicly.

[janetforpresident]

BlitheringIdiots it does definitely imply breastfeeding but obviously you could bottle feed in there as no-one knows what you are doing. However I feel it should be marketed for bottle fed babies as well.

[Yabbers]

🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄

It will help some people, nobody is being forced to use it, branding women who choose to as weird or sad for using it is ridiculous.

I was entirely happy to BF in public and did so often. But, in a few places there were breastfeeding rooms which had large comfy sofas, a separate baby change station, biscuits and tea and coffee. Sure, it had a door, but I’m supposed to sit on a comfy chair somewhere outside just so I’m not “hiding in a cupboard”?

Grow up. These pods are perfectly fine,

[MakeItAmazing]

I suspect the lock is for the person to lock themselves in so no one walks in while they are feeding .

[NerrSnerr]

I breastfeed anywhere but think it's great that there is somewhere for women who want or need privacy to feed. It's nice to have the choice.

[cushioncuddle]

This is great.

It gives women somewhere to go if they wish to feed in private.

It may make it an option for more women to choose to breastfeed if privacy is an issue for them. So could increase the amount who breastfeed.

It's giving women more facilities.

It's promoting breastfeeding due to what is printed on the outside of it.

The public will see it being used which will normalise breastfeeding. Rather than it being an out there option.

These pods should be in lots of public places.

[StinkyCandle]

I wish we had these pods in this country!

I don't like to put my boobs out in public. Some women don't even show their hair, we are entitled to be comfortable. Why do people think they have the right to impose how we should act and feel? Frankly, fuck off.

A place with a door that close so you can relax with your baby whilst your toddler is playing nicely without escaping would be great. Some of us had other young children whilst breastfeeding so a private room is much needed.

[Littledidsheknow]

Yes women should be able to “flop their boobs out” wherever and whenever they want to to feed their babies without embarrassment or having to endure others’ stares or comments.

However some of us, like me, preferred not to publicly flop them out and would appreciate the privacy of this pod. I BF 5 children, and hated having to do it in cafes, etc. No problem with anyone else doing it, but I didn’t feel comfortable.

[Mummyoflittledragon]

janet
Well you are still not getting it, love. It isn’t about just about not flashing boobs. For example older children pull on boobs while getting distracted, which is often painful. In general it takes longer to breast then bottle feed. Older children can feed themselves this becoming a non issue albeit some refuse. Pulling on a rubber teet. Non issue. Younger babies both have to be fed. But still a scarce resource should be reserved for those most in need.

We can argue it should be a larger area and accommodate both. Perhaps two separate rooms. One for expressing / breast feeding and another for bottle. But that’s different from expecting the resource curgently being provided to be shared and mixed sex. So I do not agree this one should be at all.

I read articles about these pods when they were first introduced. Americans have to go back to work far earlier than in the U.K. Women are regularly using them to express for their baby whilst waiting for flights. Their privacy cannot not be invaded by those shouting sexism and inclusion. Women are being encroached on every which way as is.

[PineapplePower]

Just make it a baby feeding room

the medium-sized US airport I often transit through has both breastfeeding pods and baby rooms. So there is a range of choices. They both are comfy and provide water coolers which are obviously a good thing for BF mums to have, baby room just has more facilities, usually kiddie toilets and baby change area. Annoying thing about the baby room is that you have to call on a hotline to use it! Locks remotely

[janetforpresident]

Fed up now. My point is not that women should all flop their breasts out it's that by making a pod exclusively for nursing mothers you risk (possibly inadvertently though I am not convinced) sending the message that breastfeeding anywhere else is frowned upon.

[janetforpresident]

But you've said I am hard of thinking now so clearly you've won that argument -excellent debating point.