Positive Breastfeeding in Public Stories

[heresthething]

The good old DM has just run another story about a lady being asked to turn to the wall while BF in a library (yawn). Very irritating as while this sort of thing is rare enough to make the news, because these stories come out women think that BFing women are hassled frequently in public.

This just isn't true. That's not to say it doesn't happen, but, in my experience I get loads of positive feedback and to date nothing negative.

Can we share positive stories to encourage other women to feel comfortable about public breastfeeding? I would like to be able to use these in an NCT magazine article if that's ok - if not just say so :)

I've bf three babies and never once had any problems anywhere at all

Was sitting in a pub beer garden and two elderly gents walked past. One turned round and gave me a huge smile and the thumbs up :)

Sitting in a shopping centre. A lady walked past and said, "aaahh, lovely, he's having his lunch - that's wonderful".

Loads of smiles and huge, obvious grins from people.

I've breastfed 3 children as well, been bf'ing for 6 years and counting. I have fed everywhere and anywhere in that time and have never had so much as one negative comment.

I tend not to breastfeed absolutely anywhere, but I've fed quite happily in numerous cafes and outside spaces. I wouldn't personally breastfeed in a library, for example, although I would never object to someone else doing so.

I usually try to find a discrete corner, but am frequently forced to feed in full view in the centre of a busy cafe. Just today I was feeding in M&S and the staff couldn't have been more helpful. Then an elderly lady came up to me as she was leaving - I thought she'd been looking over at me - and said how lovely it was to see a baby so contented.

I fed dd in cafes and restaurants all over town. The only comments I ever had were nice ones. A nice old lady told me that she'd fed all her children that way and it was lovely to see someone feeding in public. I've also scored a free coffee in one cafe!

Was bfing in the children's department of Next (nice comfy padded seats) the other month when a lady walked past, smiled broadly at me, and said "It's so lovely to see someone feeding in public, you don't see it very often these days". Turned out she was pregnant with her 4th and similarly sold on breastfeeding. Actually I have many stories of people being or saying kind things when I was feeding in public.

The only negative thing that's ever happened was a gaggle of pram-pushing teens who screamed in disgust when they saw me walk down the street feeding my then 2 mo in her sling. I do not consider their ill-informed opinions worthy of further concern though. All three of those girls were obese- frankly they could have done with breastfeeding their babies.

I bf DD1 until she was 15months and am feeding DD2 (11 months) and have never once had a negative comment. I feed everywhere - shops, cafes, library, beach, parks, bus stop, at DD1's activities, cinema. We are always out and about and I personally think that feeding a baby is less obtrusive than a hungry baby crying whilst I get her to a feeding room. Usually people don't seem to notice but occasionally someone will smile or say something positive.

10 years since I did my last breastfeeding, but I was out and about a lot with my two and never seemed to get any negative reactions. Lots of smiles though.

Good thread idea

I've never once been challenges/hassled despite still nursing DD and sometimes DS2 in public.
I have though had people say how nice it is that I can do that in public now and praise me for BFing.

Myself and a friend were breastfeeing in a pub on and off for 3 hours in the afternoon (were out for a walk but it rained and the babies were hungry) and the staff were lovely and provided us with a waitress service for drinks as they could see we had our hands full! (Normally no table service). I feed everywhere, my breasts no longer feel private or even like mine - not sure if that is good or bad!!!

I breastfed outside the elephant enclosure at Whipsnade Zoo at the weekend

Like others, I have BF anywhere and everywhere with no.2 and have never had a bad comment - library, cafes, park benches, restaurants... just the odd smile, and occasionally a nod of recognition from a fellow mum doing the same thing!

I think the secret is to be calm and comfortable about it... if you are faffing about with scarves/muslins and constantly looking around to check noone's looking you will draw more attention to yourself and the baby will pick up on the fact you're not comfortable.

I fed DS in Ikea at the weekend. It was brilliant actually as there were so many sofas to choose from

I am quite new to bf, couldn't feed DD, and DS is not quite 6weeks old yet, and although i keep expecting comments there has been nothing, just old ladies looking at scrummy DS

I've been feeding DD for nearly 2 years now and I still feed her in public, although she asks less these days. I've never had a single negative comment or look but I've had a lot of smiles and one woman gave me the thumbs up once.

I bf all over the place, and not discreetly either as I just couldn't seem to manage discreet somehow, and never had any problems or comments.

I've BF loads of places, most recently this summer at the Festival of Speed, on beaches on the south coast and in France (well, they are all running about practically naked anyway there!), cafes, park benches... Never had a comment good or bad about it at all.

Oh yes I've done the living room area of IKEA too. V comfy!

I breastfed all over - bus stops, cafes, libraries, on a seat at the supermarket, this was 15 years ago. Nobody ever said anything or looked at me askance - just several old ladies nodding and smiling at me, which made me feel great.

Sometimes think I have stepped into teh twilight zone when i read on here or in the paper about people complaining about breasfeeding. It never happened to me, and I don't know anyone who has ever had someone complain to them.

Agree - never had any comments about bfing in public and I have breastfed everywhere from the top of Arthurs Seat (admittedly not very busy as it was raining) and the 22 bus (very busy)! Never had anything negative said apart from by my MIL!

I am breastfeeding number 3 and have never had any negative comments whatsoever. My favourite breastfeeding in public moment was when I was in Pizza Hut feeding my first. The waitress brought me my pizza and clocked me feeding, gave me a big smile and cut up my pizza for me!!

We walked into a pub we go to regularly on Saturday with a crying daughter and the barmaid called out the she "needs a good bit of boob". No problems with feeding there!

I was desperate for negative comments so I could fight back - but never a single one. Not one.

I was breastfeeding in a church yard at a wedding, sitting on the ground when an elderly lady accross the other side of the road shouted 'needs must' and smiled. Then a man in a shop accross from the church yard offered me a chair! It really made me smile!

I had lots of positive comments as well - I sat in a Dentist surgery and there was an old man that i thought may have felt uncomfortable but there was an old lady in there she must have been getting on for 90 and had her daughter with her. She told me that she raised all of her 9 children on a barge and bf every single one of them and well done to me - I dont think the old man would have dared to say a word she was quite feisty!

I was once made to feel very uncomfortbale when feeding at a Hospital - waiting for an appointment and sat down to feed baby when man kept staring at me and came over and sat next to me and kept looking - it was completely inappropriate. I think he was just wierd.

I fed DD in a sling at a few days old - had one woman come up to me to say well done :)I've also never really had anything said to me for bf in public by strangers.
Pleasingly I've also had good reactions from HCPs - last time I mentioned bf DS he was 2y4m, and everyone has always been very matter of fact.