Little known chick-lit writer had anti-bf rant in local rag

[Udderly]

www.herald.ie/opinion/columnists/marisa-mackle/marisa-mackle-breast-is-best-when-its-not-in-public-2508344.html

In reaction to the Miranda kerr pic. What a small minded woman. Anyone actually heard of her?

Aw, writerofdreams sorry she has made you feel bad.

Have you had a look on MN local to see if there are any MNetters near you who could chum you to a cafe to help give you a bit of support?

As a peer supporter, I would be happy to meet a new mum for a coffee (except it would have to be tea, can't stand coffee ) to help boost her confidence about feeding out and about.

Thanks Reshape :) I keep trying to get myself to suss out some local groups but I feel a bit daunted by the prospect of meeting new people at the moment so I'm putting it off. My DS is a little angel, really easy going so I'm managing fine with looking after him, it's just the lack of contact that's getting to me a little bit. I am really angry that a stupid woman like her could make me feel so bad :( I really don't understand why some people are so anti-breastfeeding, it's just so unbelievably odd. The way she talks about it makes it seem like something horrible and dirty when in fact it's so lovely. I didn't expect to enjoy it as much as I do and I'm so glad it's going well for me. Any time I've ever seen others breastfeeding it's hardly registered with me. In fact something that made me confident that I could one day BF (before I had DS) was when a friend of mine came to a get together full of awkward gamer lads, whipped out the boob and fed her little one and the lads didn't even notice lol! I was in awe of her that day :)

Well done writerofdreams. I go out for coffeeon my own with DS as well and it makes me feel good to get out of the house and have a nice piece of cake

Nobody has ever commented negatively on my bfing in public - in fact I very much doubt anyone's noticed. Thankfully, people like this 'turd of a woman' [hee hee] are rare. Enjoy your coffees out, ignore these insane witterings, and if anyone says anything to you about feeding in public, tell them to piss off.

Congrats on your baby :)

One of her other vacuous piles of shite 'articles' mentions she's written 13 books.... I live in ireland and have never come across a single one of them

Thanks CountBapula (great name by the way!) I'm sure once I've done it a few more times I'll feel a little less awkward about it. Unfortunately this woman's attitudes are representative of a general ignorance and stupidity about BFing that exists in Ireland. I'm Irish and I'm so glad I'm living here in the UK as, while I know the attitude to BFing isn't as good as it is in other parts of Europe, it's a whole hell of a lot better than it is in Ireland.

What a load of bollocks. Am amazed that someone who is obviously in possesion of so few brain cells is capable of stringing a book together.

WriterofDreams enjoy the time with your baby and that includes cups of coffee and cakes in cafes - I am currently on maternity leave and would go stir crazy if I didn't get out and treat myself frequently.
I have never had any negative comments about breastfeeding in public - am now feeding dc4 - much more likely to get encouraging smiles or people stroking ds4's head and then being apologetic because they hadn't realised he was midfeed.

writerofdreams - please don't let one ignorant woman stop you from getting out of the house and enjoying your time with your new baby.

I was in a similar position to you when I had my ds 4 months ago. I don't have any family in the area and no friends who were off work during the day so I felt very isolated. What really helped me was going to my local bf support group and meeting other new mothers. I now have some new friends and was able to get used to bfing in front of other people without worrying about negative comments etc.

That's a good idea Danny - the local hospital has a BF support group, I might go to that tomorrow. I've been in the house all day today and I know it doesn't help my mood at all, I just had one of those couldn't be bothered days. I think I need to force myself to go out every day to stop me going stir crazy!

Arf at Tiktok

And as for Marissa Mackle

What will she do if her daughter whips out her norks in front of her in the future then??? Walk out???

so sad and angry to read this. my first baby is four weeks old and I fed in public for the first time on Sunday in a restaurant.

Baby was rooting, about to cry and according to this woman I should have done what? Anyway, I was a bit nervous but all that happened was an older lady looked over and smiled at me. I don't know what other peoples' reactions were - I was looking at my lovely son

will have no hesitation about doing the same again - why should my baby go hungry just because some odd people have twisted ideas about modesty and can only see breasts as sex objects?

Writer.... I've breastfed 3 baies in Ireland and never had a single negative remark, odd look or tut.

In fact i've had lots of people smile and say how lovely it is to see a baby having 'mama milk' (a phrase one lady used when i was feeding ds1 that dd liked so much we've never used any other term since!)

I've been at toddler groups where 9 out of 10 mothers were breastfeeding and many of us feeding older babies. I've lived in a tiny rural village where it's not the norm at all but those of us who do feed and had to do so at toddler group were treated kindly and had drinks fetched for us and help from other mothers with our older children while we were glued to seats with a feeding infant.

I've never had a negative experiance of breastfeeding in Ireland

That's great summer, I'm so glad to hear it. My impressions of BF in Ireland come from my family who consider it pretty normal to BF up to about 2 months or so but after that they see it as weird and over the top. I have a distinct memory of my poor aunt having to go upstairs to my gran's bedroom to feed when we were all visiting my gran which shows how uncomfortable everyone is with it. I'm glad to hear that it's not the same in other families and other parts of the country. I'm sure my mum would be horrified if she knew I breastfed in public.

excellent letter summer.

writer - i too have bf 3 kids and am not discreet! only poitive comments.

good luck x

lol... my mother went a bit pale and wan looking the first few times i fed in their coffee shop and once felt the need to stand in front of me to shield me from passing stares (or passers by from the view of my saggy tits, i never did figure out which) but as she's my mother and is completely barking in every other way I don't count her daftness

She gave up asking at less than 2 with both boys 'When are you going to stop' so has no idea i was feeding ds1 til 2.5 and will probably feed ds2 as long if not longer. Funnily enough my dad knows and is a huge BF supporter and thinks it's categorically the best thing anyone can do for their child. FIL gets nervous and walks out of the room apologising if he realises i'm feeding but most of the time he doesn't even notice!

I was actually more uncomfortable feeding at my cousin's wedding in England than I ever have been in Ireland as at the hotel there was the one time i did have people throwing me looks or pointedly ignoring me

Imagine if you went to lunch with your girlfriends and one of them whipped out a copy of Ms Markle's latest book . How embaressing .
I wouldn't know where to look and would probably avoid lunching with that person again.

You all seem to think the "friend" actually exists. I bet you any money she doesn't. Such imaginary friends are used as pegs to hang articles on.

Agree with the poster who said that a full inbox will give the editor ideas!

(I still think, though, that the ishoo of celeb yummy mummies posing for 'Look, I'm so perfect' pictures have much to answer for).

Mittler, your probs right she has made it up anyway - columnists do this all the time.

It also means she has made up the passers by doing a double take.

Pathetic, really.

Fancy sitting in front of your laptop imagining being offended - I think that's worse than it actually happening!

LOL at Dirty's pince-nez

MM'll be googling away like a good 'un. Here's some help: Marisa Mackle.

And some more.

Marisa Mackle.

I take DM's point about a withering silence being one approach - but how do you make a silence 'withering'?

I think scornful jeers are, on the whole, better :)

MM - it's a shame you didn't have the bf experience you wanted, but it just is not fair to demand 'hidden' breastfeeding from other people who are feeding their hungry children and doing nothing wrong at all.

Personally I am much more offended by ponchos than I am by tits - they are SOOO 2002! What a great thread and what intelligent responses to a pretty dumb article.

tiktok, they do. I have done it myself.