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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Woman stopped from breastfeeding her child in a (men’s) clothes shop!!

168 replies

clary · 19/09/2005 11:00

what do you reckon to this? breastfeeding story

OP posts:
lockets · 19/09/2005 12:06

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motherinferior · 19/09/2005 12:08

Lockets, I'm sorry if I sounded as if I was getting at you, I wasn't; I apologise.

Dino, I'll have you know I am a Respectable Suburban Matron these days.

lockets · 19/09/2005 12:09

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RachD · 19/09/2005 12:19

Isn't it funny/interesting how we all associate different things.

Unlike lockets, who doesn't sunbathe topless, I can't wait to whip my top off on the beach.

Yet, unlike MI, I am pro 'discreet breastfeeding - I would have breastfeed anywhere - on the bus, in a posh clothes shop, but with a bit of discretion - I don't think its right to shove your nipples in the faces of joe public.

lockets · 19/09/2005 12:21

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dinosaur · 19/09/2005 12:21

LOL! But you're not! The only place you're shoving them is in the baby's mouth!

spidermama · 19/09/2005 12:22

I'll feed my babies when and where I and they want, just in the same way I'd cuddle them as and when required. If people don't like it, they don't have to look.

It's so easy, when a baby cries, to stick it on the breast. It means I can go out without any paraphenalia, just me and the baby in a sling. Lord knows things are hard enough for those of us with young children, we have no need to make them harder.

Also, I don't want to haul a screaming baby to a cafe, wait in the queue while it screams, spend money then faff about carrying tea to the table before he/she can get milk.

I don't think I'd feed in the shop though, as I'd feel tense that I was causing an obstruction or getting in the way of customers. I'd go outside into the public bit and sit on a bench.

In all my seven plus years breastfeeding all over the place I've only been challeneged twice. Once when I was sitting at the side of the swimming pool feeding a woman attendant asked me to leave and I told her where to go.

The other time was in the doctor's waiting room feeding my 4 week old. The receptionist said, 'Would you like to go to another room to do that?' with just enough of a sneer for me to realise she wasn't saying it for my benefit. I smiled and said, 'No thanks. That's very kind of you but we're quite happy here'.

hunkermunker · 19/09/2005 12:22

I don't understand why people can't express milk and take it out with them in big nork-shaped cups.

But then, my baby's not human either.

Sorry - feeling whimsical and have to go and cook lunch. Will read article and rant suitably later

dinosaur · 19/09/2005 12:23

Oooh hunker don't. My aching pelvic floor muscles!

Tommy · 19/09/2005 12:24

it never bothered me where or when. I was quite surprised the other day at out (very small) parent and toddler group, a woman asked if we minded her feeding her baby - I suppose so much just depends on how you feel about it. Maybe we have to accept that some people have problems with it but it is our duty to educate them - LOL at the cleaner in McDs

welshmum · 19/09/2005 13:02

I was shopping in Covent Garden last week and had to feed ds. Remembered there was a quiet caf with big soafs in the Royal Opera House so headed off there. Finally made it with ds squalling his head off only to find the Maria Callas Appreciation Society coffee morning taking up half the cafe. Had to feed ds so sat down and got on with it. I have never in all my life had more disapproving looks from elderly matrons - I was getting really embarassed. Then in the middle of the chairman's speech I knocked over my bottle of water and it began to roll loudly across the table and was about to smash to the floor. 'Sorry, sorry' I said, blushing. Everyone turned a looked aghast as the chairman stopped his speech and sprinted as fast as a 70 year old can across the caf to catch my bottle in mid air, refill my glass and give me a charming wink.
Still not going back there - was excrutiating.

Caligula · 19/09/2005 13:12

I wouldn't go in the changing room. Would be scared of being suspected of shoplifting. There were times when DS would take about 50 minutes to feed - I can't see your average shop assistant being particularly happy to see you take up that space for that amount of time, especially if there's a queue to try on clothes.

I wouldn't argue with anyone's wish to go and find a cafe or a bf room if they want - I just wouldn't appreciate being expected to do that myself.

btw, i saw a really good bf room sign in M&S in Bluewater the other day - it actually had a picture of a breast, not a bottle! I was amazed!

tamum · 19/09/2005 13:15

I think you'll find it was a picture of a nork-shaped cup actually Caligula (that is impressive, actually).

spidermama · 19/09/2005 13:17

Fantastic story Welshmum.

tissy · 19/09/2005 13:17

I wishI could find the American website that sells big, squashy nork-shaped bottles....

Caligula · 19/09/2005 13:18

ooh maybe it was a nork-shaped cup - I didn't study it closely enough - next time I go I'll stare intently at it in a mad way, and get asked by a shop assistant if I need any help.

welshmum · 19/09/2005 13:19

Thanks spidermama - I could feel myself getting all hot just thinking about it....but when a boy needs feeding...

tamum · 19/09/2005 13:19

Perhaps you could drool whilst staring? That always goes down well.

tissy · 19/09/2005 13:20

HERE!

milward · 19/09/2005 13:20

Couldn't get the link - but just from the thread title - what a bad way to treat a bf mum & baby. In scotland there is a law that allows mums to bf where they want & also for parents to bottlefeed where they want.
I have bf everywhere - and would tell anyone who complained to get lost. Never had a problem though. Would never bf in a changing room - bad enough as it is trying clothes on with 3 (soon to be 4 kids)!!!! to fit into small space.

spidermama · 19/09/2005 13:22

Yes Milward I LOVED that law when I was on a visit to Glasgow. I think people can be heavily fined if they prevent a woman from bf.
Well done Scottish Parliament.

tamum · 19/09/2005 13:22

Thanks for that tissy: "It's not mom, but the next breast thingTM". Nice.

Eaney · 19/09/2005 13:23

My Mum wentwith my DP to IKEA. She doesn't approve of breastfeeding at home never mind out and about. Anyway there was this woman BFing her baby in the cafe. Well, my Mother started, 'Look Look she feeding the child in here' . My Mother has a naturally loud voice.

Now my DP was trying to be polite (if I was there I would have told her to hush) and tried to ignore her so thinking he hadn't heard she got louder and started pointing. He was mortified. He has never been out with her on his own again.

hunkermunker · 19/09/2005 13:25

JT, imagine the kick-off furore if I said I didn't like to see babies being bottlefed when out and about...

spidermama · 19/09/2005 13:26

'Doesn't approve of breastfeeding'??? Wow!

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