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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think perhaps this wasn't the most appropriate way to bf baby in a public place?

464 replies

lollipopz · 27/02/2009 14:29

OK I am usually all for breast feeding have breast fed all 3 of my dcs and if they were hungry in restraunt on train etc I would cover and feed them, however this shocked me.
Was in supermarket last night with 2 dds aged 5 and 7. Dds had nipped off to pick up some juice when dd1 rushed up to me with a bright red face and ushered my to the next aisle. There was a woman standing with her shirt unbuttoned feeding a baby who was sat upright in a trolley so every one that walked by could see exactly what she was doing and also had a clear view of her other boob that was hanging out her bra . Not only that the baby must have been about 7 or 8 months and was straining to reach as she sort of crouched to it's level.
Surely this is not the best way and she could have left her trolley and went into the baby room she didn't have that much stuff in there any way.

OP posts:
TotalChaos · 27/02/2009 18:28

yabu - admirable multi-tasking. there's always the option of not looking......

2shoes · 27/02/2009 18:30

tc, imagine a teen walking by, he wouldn't be able to not look.

Horton · 27/02/2009 18:31

I'm quite in awe of her, tbh. I think she had guts and I think she was doing marvellously well to be able to feed like that. Maybe if more people didn't retreat to feeding rooms, we might all be a bit more accepting of people who just care about feeding their baby more than they care about what other people think.

Divineintervention · 27/02/2009 18:33

I wouldn't change a nappy in the middle of the food aisle.

MarlaSinger · 27/02/2009 18:35

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

hunkermunker · 27/02/2009 18:37

I am not militant about bf (yes, yes, laugh all you like, those of you who don't actually READ my posts!) - and I think being so scathing of something that hasn't really been described thoroughly enough is peculiar.

daftpunk · 27/02/2009 18:38

i'm all for womens rights aitch, but you have to have some respect for the people around you..not everyone likes seeing a women b/f.

claireybeemine · 27/02/2009 18:39

Hunker do you have any words of wisdom for me here?

notnowbernard · 27/02/2009 18:39

Daftpunk - are you serious?

If someone is offended by BF surely they can remove themselves from the situation?

hunkermunker · 27/02/2009 18:39

Are teens allergic to breasts or something?

I think not.

Nabster · 27/02/2009 18:40

Brave to feed her child like that?

claireybeemine · 27/02/2009 18:40

Or anyone else for that matter

SalBySea · 27/02/2009 18:42

"I think it's sad that your 7 yo would be embarrassed by a woman's breasts, frankly"

erm, dont all 7year olds react in a giggley or shocked way to all things boobie or bum or toilet related? - I remember me and my little friend making up songs about bums and boobies which we sang in secret away from our parents at that age

On topic, there is no need whatsoever to have the other boob out, in fact I figure its prob more difficult (clothes logistics wise) to have em both out at once, some people fish for a reaction IMO

electra · 27/02/2009 18:43

I wouldn't care at all if I saw this - and would do it myself. I agree - nobody should have to hide away while feeding and if someone doesn't like it that's their problem.

MarlaSinger · 27/02/2009 18:45

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

SalBySea · 27/02/2009 18:46

but electra, she wasn't feeding twins so only one boob was in use, I have no prob with boob that are actually being used to feed being a little exposed, its the other one hanging out that is unnecessary and unreasonable IMO

nomoreamover · 27/02/2009 18:48

Good for her I say - the fact you could see her breasts was irrelevant - she obviously needed to feed the baby and I say good for her for putting her baby's needs before anything else - including fellow shoppers sensitivities - why should her baby suffer just because we have some issues in society with breastfeeding in public!

ShowOfHands · 27/02/2009 18:48

I did this in the supermarket the other day.

My dd is 21 months old.

You wouldn't have known though. DH came round the corner and thought she was just cuddling/resting against me. Does that make it acceptable?

We were in the juice aisle too.

StealthPolarBear · 27/02/2009 18:49

maybe she was an MNer and was on a challenge to get a thread started about her? I wonder if it had to have a certain number of posts - will keep bumping

daftpunk · 27/02/2009 18:49

notnowbernard;...i b/f last dc until he was 3.5.....i would only do it infrount of my greenham common type mates.....if i needed to b/f while out i would use the baby rooms.....even when i was at my parents house visiting...i would go upstairs.

PuddingChops · 27/02/2009 18:49

SalBySea - agree totally.

SalBySea · 27/02/2009 18:50

nomoreamover, how would the baby have suffered if the other boob which it wasnt using was put away?

Horton · 27/02/2009 18:53

I wouldn't change a nappy in the middle of the food aisle either. Because a) that would be a bit insanitary as shit is not especially clean and b) it would get in the way of other shoppers. But as this woman was continuing to push her trolley and had not apparently impeded anyone else or put their health at risk, she appears to have been doing just fine. Apart from offending people who don't like seeing breasts used for their primary purpose.

We don't actually know if the entire other boob was on show, do we? Or did I read wrong? The OP said her other breast was hanging out of her bra. To me that reads like it could have been escaping a little in a non-intended fashion. But even if it was, god, it's just a breast. We've all seen one before and those who haven't might find it educational.

Horton · 27/02/2009 18:53

I think it's really sad that you felt you had to go upstairs at your parents' house, daftpunk.

nomoreamover · 27/02/2009 18:54

don't think it matters what the other boob was or was not doing - I'm with horton - its their primary function after all!