Mum asked to stop breastfeeding a TWO YEAR OLD in shoe shop.

[GinaDavva]

Mixed feelings with this one. Shaming a mother publicly breastfeeding a small baby is never acceptable but breastfeeding a two year old child in a shop? Surely at that age a bottle is more convenient in the middle of a shop? My first thought was that this was more about attention than the actual principle of the matter. After breastfeeding 3 of my own I can honestly say there has never been a time where it felt necessary to start breastfeeding any of mine in the middle of a shop at two years old. Frankly at that age they wouldn’t find much in mine anyway!

www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cj3z31jn7v1o

The thing is, if people weren’t weird about breastfeeding, it wouldn’t need to be performative because there would be no point to be made. Everyone could just get on their lives and nobody would care.

(No way would I give a two year old a twix lol!)

How often was it “needed” in the middle of shopping at the age of TWO?

In 2025, it's still not appropriate to feed your children in a shoe shop, whatever you feed them with. There are many places completely inappropriate like that, especially in 2025 when we are supposed to be a tiny bit civilised.

Do you know if the mother in the article breastfeeds every time her child is distressed?

I breastfed 3 children and never once felt the need to do it in public.Mothers that do it are attention seekers.

Bravo x 100

Surely people aren’t thick enough to think that breastfeeding is just about food?! Why on earth wouldn’t you offer the most naturally comforting thing in the world to a distressed child?! Have we become that disassociated from the fact that we are mammals and that’s what we do? Is someone else’s prudish discomfort worth a small child crying, disrupting the shop and being distressed when it can quickly and easily be soothed? So weird.

It's pretty cold outside at the moment. Reduces options.

Did you not read the article because you don't understand what you're reading? The point is relevant because you drew an equivalence between snacks when it was fuck all to do with snacks. Hope that helps.

But that is because you are a civilised person.

Breasts are for feeding babies and small children. The shop broke the law and YABVU. You shouldn't try to judge another's situation anyway - the child might've been feeling unwell and feeding is their comfort. It may well have stopped them from having a massive meltdown. Or would you rather be on here complaining about that?

This is exactly what breasts were made for!! Why on earth is it still considered wrong to do so in public. Makes me so angry. Who thinks they have a right to comment on whether a mum wants to breastfeed her child and at what age.
Just mind your own business and look away if you're so offended by a breast.

How offensive to compare two completely different things like that.

I still disagree and I formula fed, it’s just breast milk not like mum got a 3 course meal out for her child. I don’t understand why this bothers you so much,

They wouldn’t be universally slaughtered. As a mother of kids between 7-19 and a therapist I find it utterly tragic that being “civilised” entails ignoring distress from a tiny child in case other people are offended or find it performative. It is a good thing as evidenced by all psychological literature available which is really what we should be measuring it against- rather than pearl clutching mumsnetters.

You mean, different people comfort different children in different ways? But you personally want to dictate what is and isn't an ok way to comfort a child anyway?

Surely at that age a bottle is more convenient in the middle of a shop?

What do you suggest should be in the bottle?

But why do you think they shouldn’t feed for comfort? Why do you think another way is better? Breast milk is good for children, the evidence is very clear.

why is another way “healthier”? Why is the non-BF mum who doesn’t comfort with milk and instead gives a cuddle “healthier”? Is it not just “different”?

Do you have any evidence to support your opinions which you are putting across as fact?

I believe you are linking binge eating and perhaps obesity to extended breastfeeding which is a huge leap

Tbh OP, I still bf my 3yo (although not during the day) and there is no way this woman did this 'for attention'. When you're breastfeeding, it just becomes so normal that you don't think twice about it, it's such a non-issue. It's only other people who have an issue, and they shouldn't.

This is the absolute top dog 'I'm brainwashed by western marketing' comment of the day. Congrats.

How weird to think feeding a child is the same as shitting

Breastfeeding is uncivilized, is it?

My dc (teenage) was invited to a friend's house at the week-end, lunch, etc. In the middle of lunching, his friend's mother whipped out her breast and started feeding a 3-year old at the time, as if it were normal. 'They are bloody crazy as a family' was my teen's verdict. I totally agreed.

Genuinely interested to know how you managed this. What did you do when you were out and about for more than an hour? You said no public spaces so no cafes, shops, toddler groups, parks? Literally only inside private houses? What did you do if you were out and baby was crying and hungry?