To be so upset and angry because of complaint about my friend breastfeeding?

[memoo]

My friend and work colleague had a DD 6 months ago. We both work in a primary school.

Several weeks ago my friend visited her old reception class in school. The class topic has been 'Growing' ang the reception teacher thought it would be nice for my friend to bring her DD in during the lesson where they would be talking about babies.

I've just had a phone call from my friend and I'm really angry at what she told me.

Apparently at the end of the lesson in school my friend needed to feed her DD and so sat quietly in the reading corner away from the children while she BF.

Friend had a call from the head on Friday telling her that a parent has complained about her BF'ing in front of the children

This parent said that her DS had said he had seen Mrs "boobies" and had been a bit giggley about it.

The head is being lovely and only spoke to my friend about purely to let her know what has happen and as far as I know this parent has been put in her place.

I am just so shocked that this parent could do this. I know the parent in question and the more I think about it I#m getting more and more angry!!!!

oh fgs..that's different.

Interesting Moondog, but this isn't what happened here. The person was talking about gtowing and babies in general I think and then decided to BF in the corner - it wasn't part of the "lesson". Also, these weren't 10 - 11 year olds.

How is it different?

it's different because animals don't have the option of bottle-feeding.

Flocci my dear you need psychotherapy.

'I'm pretty cool with tits and udders equally, but would be equally upset if a calf sucked from its mum's udder in the corner of the classroom.'

I was replying to this-daftpunk.

How sad that we are concerned about 5 year olds seeing a baby being breastfed is something for concern.

Many farmers have bottled fed young animals whose mothers have died.

The fact remains that a positive message about breasfeeding could easily have been conveyed to the children without them needing to see anyone actually doing it.

There is nothing wrong with it but doing it in teh corner in the middle of a lesson is just an unnecessary distraction.

There is nothing wrong with cleaning one's teeth - another thing which is quite normal, to be encouraged and absolutely nothing to be ashamed of but again, it would be an unnecessary distraction to do it in teh middle of a lesson if you could go and do it elsewhere.

The rise of artificial feeding is irrevocably tied up with a great many health risks that also cost a groaning under the strain NHS millions of pounds.

In addition women are being swayed by powerful advertising and relentless pressure to relinquish one of the few things they can do for thier children that requires no money or special qualification or privilege.

In a civilsed society we all have an obligation to help turn the tide if we can.

This is all completely aside from point that the woman can do what she damn well pleases wherever she is.Noone would ask her to move away if she was bottlefeeding.

I was doing a big group session with lots of new babies and mothers today.Really lovely to see everyone breastfeeding without looking furtive or skulking or asking permission.And, as is generally the case, there was nothing much to see anyway.

Flocci - were you in that lesson ,you seem to know an awful lot about what the children were and weren't told about babies ?

My DS2 (4yrs) had a lesson about brushing his teeth. They had toothbrushes, toothpaste and water. Nobody had to go to the staffroom.

If you were teaching about teeth you would do teeth cleaning, if you are talking about babies you talk about feeding, and seeing it is a bonus. I am very sad that anyone could find it inappropriate. I will leave you all to it. I am pleased that the school weren't bothered by the complaint and didn't take it seriously.

i know that thecrackfox....i have taken my dc to farms where they have bottle fed animals.

i just wouldn't b/f in a classroom, it could embarrass the children....you can talk about something without actually doing it.

No katiestar, I walked out in disgust.

I am just going on what info I can gather from the OP. There is no mention that the merits of BFing were explained and then this lady said she would offer a practical demonstration to show how normal it was. Sounds like she was short on time so went off in the corner discreetly.

'The fact remains that a positive message about breasfeeding could easily have been conveyed to the children without them needing to see anyone actually doing it.'
Yes, and you can learn to drive without being in one too, did'nt you know?
You sound like Mary Whitehouse.

piscesmoon...i'm glad you're not planning my dc sex education lessons.

So piscesmoon what happens when they get to reproduction then? Also natural and normal after all.

didn't.

I don't think 4/5 yr olds are actually capable of being embarrassed.

BF should be seen as normal because it is. It is only in the western world that we have this obsession of pretending it isn't.

Would you take your DCs to somewhere where there is topless sunbathing?

I may or may not need psychotherapy OlympedeGouges but you most definitely need practical driving lessons.

Sex and feeding are Quite. Different. Things Flocci.

Blimet Flocci I didn't know you were quite so, er, dense.

I don't think you can compare sex with breastfeeding. There are no orgasms involved with BF.

I think that is year 5 Flocci-you will get a letter and they can opt out.
She wasn't short on time-the lesson had finished when she went to the book corner-I presume the DCs were doing something else.