To have been vocal on breastfeeding?

[QueenOfIce]

Sat with 3 male colleagues and one mentions his daughter is expecting again which is lovely news and another asks me how my friend is doing as she had her baby 7 weeks ago. No idea how the topic came up but 3rd colleague says how surprised he is that new mothers don't always breastfeed that for the first 6 months they should breastfeed exclusively. I asked 'what if a mother can't breastfeed' he replied then they should express.

I got a bit arsey and said that not all women are able to breastfeed, that it can be painful or the baby won't latch or many other reasons and it's judgemental opinions like his that contribute to some women feeling as though they are failing as a parent. It really pissed me off he then claimed to be offended.

He's also the colleague who said that women with cervical cancer should have another baby as that would cure them. I can't deal with stupid and I'm sick of his ridiculous opinions. So WIBU?

I would have felt the same OP and probably would have said something similar. You can't argue with stupid though. Just be grateful you're not his poor wife.

There is no cure for the terminally ignorant.

I'd have gone much much further OP. He needs telling.

I almost killed my baby - he reacted badly to meds I was on which were considered bf safe (they are proven to be safe, my ds was just an exception) so COULDN'T carry on bf. I'd have ripped him a new one.

As someone who did not produce a single drop of milk, I'd have told him where to go. The guilt that my body didn't do the main thing it should have done for my baby is enough, without him making comments like that!

I couldn't breastfeed my DD because she was too premature, plus I had a very poor milk supply which dried up very quickly despite expressing. He sounds like a complete tool!

I wouldn't have engaged. You can't reason with people like that.

Reminds me of when Jamie Oliver told everyone breastfeeding was easy.

women with cervical cancer should have another baby as that would cure them.

eh ?

My DS1 had to be taken to hospital via ambulance at 3 days old because of how ‘easy’ breastfeeding was. I then tried to express and look after a newborn which drove me to PND after 6 weeks. Good for you calling them out on it.

I bf for 9.5 months and I would've had to restrain myself from calling him an arse.

Good on you for standing up to him.

YANBU op. Men with their big opinions on breastfeeding can shove them up their arse frankly. They haven’t got a clue.

I’d love to see their reaction if women started laying down the law on something that only males could do. It’s not like they’d countenance that for one single second.

As a PP said, I wouldn't have engaged. Men who think they can tell women what to do with parts of their body are not the type of people you can reason with.

You can't cure stupid, but that kind of idiocy you does need to be challenged appropriately.

My friend is due in a month and her husband is telling her she "needs" to breastfeed. I've told her that whilst he is entitled to an opinion, what she "needs" to do is what's best for her and the baby.

Some women can. Some women can't. Some women choose not to. It's the choice of the individual woman. Simple.

Yeah it's easy to demand everyone else breastfeeds, expresses and carries babies when there is ZERO chance that you will ever have to do any of this things yourself.

Spare a thought for his poor partner.

No norks no opinion.

"I heard of men being able to - why don't you volunteer?" (not sure that's true - hey - when did that stop the media trump etc!)

Don't you just love it when a man comes along to explain aspects of womanhood to us.

I'd have been laughing tbh 'oh Dave what are you like with your radical ideas- I remember your cure for cervical cancer bollocks'

The problem is that MEN usually know feck all re matters like that where do they learn things like this from?.

Answer that one.

Well him to donate some milk. Eejit

I had to speak to my now ex about this when mine were BF.

I was fortunate to not have many problems so his impression was that it was all quite simple.

I would have spoken up (and more)

Reminds me of when Jamie Oliver told everyone breastfeeding was easy

In fairness, it probably was very easy. For him.

I would have gone for it and told him exactly what he can do with his opinions.
Some women can't breastfeeding, some don't want to. Personally i never wanted to try breastfeeding or expressing, so I didn't at all. I don't regret my decision and I will not be trying it if I have another baby in the future. It's my choice.

When he said his wife needed a hysterectomy I felt like saying why doesn't he shake some beads, invoke the gods or insist she has another baby that'll cure her. His cancer comment came after a colleagues wife was diagnosed. He really is stupid but now he's offended because I challenged him.

Can't breastfeed so express? Eh?? What does he think "can't breastfeed" means? Usually, Dave, it means you don't make any milk. Why don't YOU express. Now DFOD