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Original poster

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

720 replies

memoo · 17/05/2009 14:59

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!!!!

OP posts:
OlympedeGouges · 17/05/2009 20:10

Blimey. Curse my sticky keys. Breast milk all over them, I do tend to dangle you know.

Flocci · 17/05/2009 20:10

I don't know if I would, TheCrackFox, but at the risk repeating myself, this was a classroom. I would definitely have complained about someone sunbathing topless, discreetly, in the classroom.

JustcallmeDog · 17/05/2009 20:10

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Thunderduck · 17/05/2009 20:12

Do you know why it embarrasses children, and adults? Because we hide it away, because we make others feel that it's equivalent to defecating in public, and because it isn't the norm.

And it will continue to embarrass until people stop being so bloody prudish and accept that breastfeeding is the norm, and that breastfeeding in public is absolutely fine, and such changes will never occur if we continue to hide it away as though it's something shameful.

JustcallmeDog · 17/05/2009 20:13

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WoTmania · 17/05/2009 20:13

Flocci _ would you be saying the same about bottle-feeding? And sunbathing isn't necessary, feeding your baby is.

Sassybeast · 17/05/2009 20:13

My proudest BF moment was when a waitress in a restaurant came over and whispered to me that a couple had complained about me BF DD - I was being very discreet, had a muslin draped over my shoulder, was sitting at a corner table and had my back to everyone else in the restaurant. The manager asked the man in question and his wife to leave

TheCrackFox · 17/05/2009 20:14

In Scotland it would have been illegal to have asked her to go somewhere more discreet to breastfeed.

piscesmoon · 17/05/2009 20:14

I think anyone would Flocci-and the school would have taken it seriously-it is hardly similar!

daftpunk · 17/05/2009 20:15

thunderduck;

b/f is normal, but you don't have to do it in a class of 30 children..she could have left the room.....i don't like seeing women b/f.

Flocci · 17/05/2009 20:15

Thanks Justcallmedog, but I think someone else mentioned the sunbathing thing and I just responded. If someone asks a silly question then I will answer it in a silly fashion.

Lots of things are part of normal life but they shouldn't take place in a school classroom.

Thunderduck · 17/05/2009 20:16

I mentioned this earlier, but if people find the sight of a small area of a breast offensive, then why isn't an artificial representation of the breast offensive.
When really bottle feeding could be considered the equivalent of pulling out a dildo in public, if you consider breasts to be such a private part that they should never be seen in public.

Flocci · 17/05/2009 20:16

Yes I would have said the same about bottle feeding, and I said the same about someone eating a sandwich earlier - why do it in the classroom?

piscesmoon · 17/05/2009 20:17

I don't know how old your DC is Flocci but I should have a look at the primary school curriculum. Your DC will get onto sex education-it will be a shame if your DC has to be taken out, because of your views, while the rest all have a film, talk from a school nurse etc.

Flocci · 17/05/2009 20:18

I don't think I or anyone has said that the sight of a breast is offensive, I have said that a classroom is not the place to feed a baby.

You have lost me on the bottle / dildo thing completely though.

JustcallmeDog · 17/05/2009 20:19

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TheCrackFox · 17/05/2009 20:19

Dummies are just fake tits. They, however, are not considered offensive.

GColdtimer · 17/05/2009 20:20

you know the more i think about it, the more I think attitudes like this contributed to my anxiety about breastfeeding (I stopped early than I would have liked for all sorts of reasons but stressing about feeding in public was certainly an issue).

What is so wrong about feeding a baby at the back of a classroom full of children and what is so wrong about children seeing it? And even if they do giggle, so what, its a good opportunity to explain to them about how babies are nourished. My DD is 3 sees so many people breastfeeding she rarely gives her dolls a bottle but "breastfeeds" them instead. I think its very cute.

Would people object to a baby being bottle fed in a class room?

I actually can't believe this debate is going on.

Flocci · 17/05/2009 20:20

piscesmoon when they get to sex ed I guess there will be a whole lesson on it but not a practical demonstration. You can explain something clearly without demonstrating. Or will they demonstrate discreetly in the corner

Thunderduck · 17/05/2009 20:21

Well avert your eyes then DP. The prudishness is your problem,not the person who is breastfeeding.

I had friends over not so long ago, for coffee and cake. One of my friends complained when another friend breastfed her 6 week old dd. She complained to both me and the breastfeeding mother.
Rarely have I been so proud of my normally very shy dp, as I was when he brought the complainer her coat and told her that he didn't want to make her feel uncomfortable by having a breastfeeding mother in her presence, so he'd help her leave.

GColdtimer · 17/05/2009 20:21

but what is so wrong about feeding your baby at the back of a classroom. I am so puzzled.

piscesmoon · 17/05/2009 20:21

'I have said that a classroom is not the place to feed a baby. '

There is very rarely a quiet place to take a baby in school-the staff room is often in use. Other than the staff toilet I can't think of alternatives- and making babies feed in toilets really is horrible.

FrannyandZooey · 17/05/2009 20:21

daftpunk why on earth should she leave the room because you have a problem with seeing bfing? surely you realise that is your problem and not hers or her baby's?
do you think all mothers with small babies should stay at home in case you see one of them being fed?

JustcallmeDog · 17/05/2009 20:22

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GColdtimer · 17/05/2009 20:22

thunderduck, one of your friends complained about another friend bf in your house . What is wrong with these people?

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