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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To wonder about 'boobing babies'

94 replies

Biber · 17/10/2019 16:14

There is a thread about SPaG, inappropriate Xs and (sincere, deeply felt shudder) the use of OF instead of HAVE in, for example, I should have asked on AIBU first.

A poster on there mentioned the phrase 'to boob one's baby'. It's about 50 years since I had an infant to my breast and I am not up to date with up to date terminology. This one, however, I had heard, and rather liked. The alliteration. The directness. Does it have the Mums Net seal of approval?

OP posts:
EugenesAxe · 17/10/2019 17:04

The literacy levels of my daughter's tutors a decade or so back were too low.

Wow... I’ve only been exposed to schools a little while so apologies for not realising it’s not new. But a tutor?! They should be setting a gold standard - although a lot of them are also teachers, so I guess it could happen.

PlatoAteMySnozcumber · 17/10/2019 17:05

heard it used in public it seems to be by mothers who go out of their way to make it clear they breastfeed.

How exactly, by having the audacity to feed their baby in public? Attention seeking tarts, they should just stay at home and feed in private. Or do you mean those women who walk around with t shirts saying ‘I breastfeed’ on then in big bold boastful letters?

LadyMonicaBaddingham · 17/10/2019 17:12

vomits copiously

PlasticPatty · 17/10/2019 17:14

I hate it.

'Boob' is the wrong word for breast. It's infantile and sexualised. It is/was used by people who want to see topless women. Boob/boobs - pathetic. Boobing - never.

Strangely, I prefer the term 'norks'. But I wouldn't use it for breastfeeding. Norking? No.

'Suckling' would be the correct term.

Aside - does 'gash' mean vagina? I would have thought it meant 'vulva', the design of which is more like a gash.

Stuckinanutshell · 17/10/2019 17:15

@Biber

Sorry.

‘Gash’ As in ‘that’s gash’ - a delightful local term to mean terrible/horrible but with imagery of a vagina.

Again - sorry.

Stuckinanutshell · 17/10/2019 17:16

@Biber
Not sure how it’s defensive - I’m currently breastfeeding.

Confused
Laiste · 17/10/2019 17:25

Boobing Mamas

Boobing Mamas ...

?

I have no words.

notso · 17/10/2019 17:27

I don't mind boob but loathe boobing. It's cringy, see also cloth bummed, 'change your bum', baby wearing, milky snuggles and any other tweeisms of that ilk.
EBF is also odd to me.

IsabelleSE19 · 17/10/2019 17:28

Not a fan. I'd put it in the same ballpark as 'changing bum' as in 'I need to change her bum' instead of change her nappy.

reetgood · 17/10/2019 17:36

Haha. I recklessly used to refer to ‘boob’ when son was tiny, little thinking I’d still be feeding when he was verbal. Thus one of his early words was boooooooob. Oops. And I say change your bum. And I’m not sorry!

PrtScn · 17/10/2019 17:40

I regularly say to my OH that I’m going to “boob the boy”. OH regularly asks “does boy need boobs?”. Never really thought anything of it.

Notodontidae · 17/10/2019 17:43

Stupid phrase, nothing wrong with breast-feeding a baby, if you want to use silly words like willy and boob when talking to your own children thats up to you. Putting silly words on a poster, is rather infantile, and shows a poor grasp of the english language.

NumberblockNo1 · 17/10/2019 17:47

I dont know when it became a think. I never heard anyone say they were "going to boob" their child. It sounds awful to me, but I guess if you're surrounded by people who do it seems normal

hairyturkey · 17/10/2019 17:48

This is my most hated phrase. It makes me want to cry.

TheFaerieQueene · 17/10/2019 17:50

If I heard it, it would tell me all I need to know about a person.

AnneLovesGilbert · 17/10/2019 17:50

I regularly say to my OH that I’m going to “boob the boy”

It sounds like you’re doing something to him.

Laiste · 17/10/2019 17:51

“does boy need boobs?”

i .... can't

LaurieMarlow · 17/10/2019 17:57

Putting silly words on a poster, is rather infantile, and shows a poor grasp of the english language.

When ppl say stuff like this, it always makes me think of James Joyce. Not that he was putting ‘silly’ words on posters. But his own infantile language was exactly the opposite of poor English.

I bet he would have loved ‘to boob’

lynzpynz · 17/10/2019 18:05

BF'ing mums get enough judgement without having to watch how they choose to refer to their own anatomy.

LaurieMarlow · 17/10/2019 18:09

^

Agree

ethelfleda · 17/10/2019 18:26

I actually like it too, OP.

ethelfleda · 17/10/2019 18:35

I think it depends on who you’re talking to as well!
To another adult - I breastfeed, or just ‘feed’ or sometimes ‘nurse’
To DS I used to say ‘do you want boobies?’ (He stopped at 21 months) I think saying to a toddler for you want a breastfeed’ would be really weird.

Don’t most parents come up with cutesy language when they speak to their babies? Some more than others, granted but most of us do it.

NumberblockNo1 · 17/10/2019 18:39

Its not when talking to toddler though, like above its saying to other adults "i just need to boob x" or "im going to boob the baby ".

Boob as a verb like that is just wrong.

tillytoodles1 · 17/10/2019 18:39

Surely if you give your baby bottle then you 'bottle the baby'. That sounds even worse.

RoseViolet101 · 17/10/2019 18:40

It makes me cringe so badly. I breastfed for 14 months and SIL does too and refers to it as boob. I set everyone straight that they are in no way to refer to me breastfeeding as boob. shudders Not a term id want thrown around in front of my brothers/ Dad!

I just said milk or feed!