Breastfeeding in public

[Forgivenandsetfree]

Inspired by a comment I have seen on Facebook.
I breastfed until 22 months, towards the end I didn't feed in public because of course she was eating by then but when she was small I did. Luckily I never had an issue and was treated well in my local Macdonalds and Costa, but the comment said most people have issues with Bf in public, aibu to think this isn't true?
YABU- I faced issues/I don't like it.
YNBU- I don't/ didn't have a problem.

most people will try to cover up (not that they should have to). do they? There's not that many mothers who cover the baby under something. You don't have to cover yourself in a bedsheet to be subtle.

@wolfgirl how do you feel about low cut tops? When I was on holidays there were lots of women around the pool sunbathing topless or in very skimpy swimsuits - does that bother you?

past the age of 1, a toddler only needs a balanced diet and water for nutrients. So they would have juice, water, whatever.

Entirely inaccurate. You don't stop bottle feeding or breastfeeding at one. I've worked with many, many families and I can't think of one single family who chucked out the breast or bottle on the baby's first birthday and announced "it's meat pie and water every night from now on, mate".

At least find a decent point to argue, please.

@FudgeBrownie2019 those bloody guidelines again 😂😂 mainly for developing countries as no clean facilities for formula

I'm quite sure the WHO guidelines for breastfeeding suggest it's optimal til two years and beyond.

not if your child gets the necessary nutrients he needs in a "rich" country... The one thing kids are not missing in this country is food and healthy food!

@Hollywhiskey well I don't 'like' it, but I can't see the whole boob so 🤷‍♀️

@FleurDaxeny the bfing extremists go on about nutrition but dont seem to ever mention healthy solids 😂

You don't stop bottle feeding or breastfeeding at one
YOU might not, many do. Ask nurseries...

Actually the WHO guidelines suggest that for EVERY child. Might want to research that if you're going around correcting folk.

@FleurDaxeny I honestly wasn't doing it for attention, quite the opposite! I was more worried about her lying on the floor (or indeed sitting in the trolley) screaming or running around taking things off shelves. Yes of course she should be quiet and compliant or not go shopping but honestly I'm not that good at parenting and I really needed to buy food. Feeding is at least quiet and I naively assumed that most people would find a tantrum more annoying.

FudgeBrownie2019
maybe do your own research instead of confusing your opinion for facts?

@FudgeBrownie2019 oooh. Do go ahead and tell me about the life changing properties of breast milk when the baby is beyond 3 months old?

@Hollywhiskey but if you wean at an appropriate time you wouldn't have the meltdowns. It is because you've let it go on too long

YOU might not, many do. Ask nurseries

I'll say it again for the cheap seats. I've worked with many, many families. Not one of them has stopped bottle or breast at one and I think you're here solely for the shits, so I'm going to bow out.

My daughter is 1 next month and has gone from 5 bottles a day to 2 over the last couple of months. Looking likely she wont need them past 13, 14 months.

@Wolfgirrl that's interesting I didn't know that. When should you wean? My friend weaned at around a month and her toddler still has meltdowns, do you think that was too early? Actually thinking about it most of the toddlers in my NCT group have meltdowns from time to time and I'm the only one that breastfed past one, I don't think wanting a feed is the only reason? Sometimes with mine it's that she's overtired (well today it was because the bin man wouldn't come for a walk with us 😂) and sometimes breastfeeding is a good emotional support to get her through. Fortunately her dummy worked today so the bin man wasn't upset by my boobs.

ShebaShimmyShakegreat. So next time I want to have a wee I won't find a loo as that's a faff, I will just pee in a bottle or something.

Has anyone got the breastfeeding thread bingo card? We've got the "it's like having a piss in public" one, from yet another person who apparently doesn't know the difference between milk and urine (like I said earlier, don't go to these people's dinner parties).

Does it make you feel better if I explain that a baby drinking milk from a breast - an organ that doesn't excrete or get anywhere near any noxious substance - is really not like having a public piss in a bottle?

Why do people make these ridiculous and ignorant comparisons?

@Wolfgirrl you could just not look. That would basically solve your issues. Literally just turn around.

But does nobody think that if you were, say, having coffee and cake in a cafe, a woman with a full boob out with a toddler pinging on and off would put you off? I would feel awkward and a bit 🤢

Probably if a woman was literally sitting there with a boob out whilst a child of walking age was wandering up for a suck now and again, I would think that was a bit strange. (Although I would definitely not be put off my cake). However I don't believe that ever actually happens.

If you are that sensitive, it's probably best not to go out for coffee, as people do much stranger things than breast feed babies!

@Hollywhiskey take it you mean 1 year lol.

I think weaning at 6-9 months is about right. By that point you have imparted all the health benefits, and baby has the memory of a goldfish so after a few weeks they totally forget about the boob. Plus they usually dont have many teeth. For most women it is also a few months before nursery so it isnt a huge shock to the bubba to lose the boob and mummy at the same time.

It's just my opinion, but having read a few of these threads (complete with the public meltdown stories) I think I got it right.

My daughter is 1 next month and has gone from 5 bottles a day to 2 over the last couple of months. Looking likely she wont need them past 13, 14 months.

There is nothing wrong with bottle feeding, so don't feel you need to be defensive. Plenty of people do continue to bottle or breastfeed well past one though (that's why there are so many toddler milks available in the shops). In fact lots of people stop breastfeeding at around one and then give the baby formula after that. Milk of either sort contains lots of nutrients is good (although not essential) for toddlers.

@SnackSizeRaisin not defensive at all. Replying about bottle fed babies weaning ages

I dont want to see someone else's boob while having a coffee, and I shouldn't have to really.

You see women in low cuts tops all the time and I bet you don’t bat an eyelid.

And no, your desire to perpetuate patriarchal norms should not trump a small child’s right to nourishment and comfort, how absurd and self centred to think so.

Look away if you can’t deal with boobs being used for their original purpose instead of sexual titillation. It’s really easy.

I think weaning at 6-9 months is about right.

For you, sure.

What right do you have to dictate to others? Clue, legally, absolutely zero.

@lauriemarlow

Low cut tops arent whole boobs out though are they?

Like I said, toddlers dont need it.