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.

I breastfed to age four. I probably stopped feeding in public at around 3, as she was only feeding at night by then. I feel everywhere from day 1. If my baby needed feeding, she was fed. At first I couldn't be very discreet either as I was using nipple shields until about 14 weeks, but I never ever had one negative comment, tut, side-eye or anything.

Only my MAIL had to make disparaging remarks - not directly about me, but about bfing in public in general. It was perfect passive-agressiveness but I just ignored.

MIL, not Mail!

@LaurieMarlow

Chill. Have a gin or something. Or a glass of breastmilk. Just something to calm you down.

not if your child gets the necessary nutrients he needs in a "rich" country

Who gives a shit? Who needs any justification to feed their child the milk that was designed for them specifically?

Chill. Have a gin or something. Or a glass of breastmilk. Just something to calm you down.

Wow. Your wit just bowls me over.

Currently sat bf my 16 month old. Had lots of positive comments when he was younger, a few glares and snide comments as well, plus one older man having a complete tantrum in a coffee shop when I started feeding my son at 6 months old oh and quite a few less than supportive comments from HCPs from 2 day of my sons life. Worst was PIL continuously asking when I was going to stop bf and telling me he doesn't need boob any more.

It is beyond me that anyone can be so 'repulsed' by a woman's breast being exposed to breastfeed in a coffee shop while eating their self indulgent cake or doing a week shop, or otherwise yet no one seems to give a shit about the amount of women's bodies exposed on TV and in magazines. How is a boob any different to an elbow in reality??

We continue to push adult based reasoning onto toddlers 'they can wait' 'they don't need it now' 'they can have a cuddle instead'. A toddlers brain is barely developed beyond the primal need for basic survive, they are not equipped with the skills to understand adult reasoning - which btw the brain isn't fully developed until the mid 20's so somewhat older than a toddler!

It's no bloody wonder that bf rates in this country are so depressingly low.

@Chienloup 🏆

I think weaning at 6-9 months is about right. By that point you have imparted all the health benefits

I think it's too early. The antibodies in breast milk are still useful for the baby as long as they breast feed. The benefits to the mother also continue. (More sleep, save money, weight loss, lower risk of breast cancer, time saving on faffing with bottles).

For me that is. Other people will weigh things up and make their own decisions.

while eating their self indulgent cake

Cakes can be selfish? Well, you learn something new every day on these weird threads!

It's no bloody wonder that bf rates in this country are so depressingly low.

Gawd that old chestnut again. Hate to break it to you but lots of other women are doing it as well.

Like I said, toddlers dont need it.

Why are we holding toddlers to bizarre standards based on strict ‘need’?

I could make a long, long list of all the things adults eat or drink on public they they don’t strictly ‘need’. Yet absolutely no one cares. They want it, so that’s fine.

I have absolutely no idea why you’d hold toddlers to stricter standards. It’s insane.

Bf babies are also terrible sleepers.

Wolfgirl, a balanced diet for toddlers does include milk, most definitely. A toddler certainly needs closeness and milk. Sometimes that is provided by a breastfeed and sometimes by a cup/bottle and a cuddle. Please do get your facts/advice right before posting. People would be more inclined to listen properly to your opinions if you didn't keep posting inaccurate information.

@LaurieMarlow well 8 year olds dont have adult emotional standards but you wouldn't bf an 8 year old would you?

Actually.. 😂😂

Low cut tops arent whole boobs out though are they?

You see a lot more in a low cut top than most women bfing.

Seriously, if the very occasional glimpse of nipple bothers you that much, I suggest you see a therapist.

but you wouldn't bf an 8 year old would you?

No, because bfing is impossible once adult teeth are cut. Seems pretty sensible of Mother Nature to me.

[quote Wolfgirrl]@Chienloup 🏆[/quote]
Thank you. I'll take that, since with my two older children I was too unwell with PND to breastfeed at all.

Bf babies are also terrible sleepers.

I hate to break it to you, but DS1 slept through the night from 10 weeks. 9 hours.

I think you need a therapist, you're raging!

No, I’m just countering your dumb ass points. I’m not scared of a glimpse of nipple, that’s you.

Breast milk continues to adapt to the changing needs of your infant/child as they grow.
Mother and child learn how to manage teeth coming in. A cold teething ring or very clean damp cold facecloth before feeding helps a lot. BF can be very soothing for a teething baby.
If you have a good feeding set-up going on between you and your baby, try to hold on to it, adapt it where you need to as time goes on. Your baby/child IS getting specific and unique nutrients made for her and that cannot be replicated. And the cuddles are great 🙂

@Chienloup bit of a drip feed but I'm sorry for your PND

@LaurieMarlow

You're on all these threads ranting and raving and getting so worked up 😂 just because people in public might not want to see your boobs

[quote Wolfgirrl]@Chienloup bit of a drip feed but I'm sorry for your PND[/quote]
Thank you.

@FleurDaxeny my son joined nursery at 1. He was ff until we told them to switch to cows milk and yet they’d do it on a bottle til he started to like drinking from glasses which was around 18m. I’d assume most of his nursery friends are similar as there is normally bottles around when picking him up. So not all kids as soon as they blow their candles stop bottle feeding.
My nephew who is 14m afaik is still bottle fed as well. Needed or not that’s how many are carry on and I really don’t care as long as they’re happy.