why do i never see anybody else bf in public?

[hazeldog]

Where are people hiding to do it? Or is it really unusual to bf on demand and not express. I have oversupply so don't pump. Most days I find myself feeding in the car at garages or car parks or even more out in the open . Ds is 3mo and I have not seen a single other person doing it. Is there a network of secret hidey holes or something?

I see lots of women bf'ing in public. I've seen at least 5 this week. I rarely see anyone bottle feeding.

Maybe they are and you just don't notice? When you're BFing a little one you can imagine that everyone can tell immediately but it's not really the case. I know I've sometimes had a nice look at a baby being snuggled by its mummy only to realise that I'm basically just gawping at someone BFing...I wonder if that's why people sometimes feel they get strange looks.

i don't know. i have seen a fair few over the years.
a lot of the time i think you just don't notice it though because it just looks like someone holding their baby?

Actually I see lots of women bf in public now I know what to look for. They all look very discreet, with the baby cuddling in that very bf angle. I don't think people would notice unless they know what bf looks like.

I'd like to be able to say people couldn't tell when I was doing it, as I'm so self conscious.

I've never seen anyone breastfeeding in public.

The only place I witnesses bf was at a breastfeeding clinic..

Do you live in the UK MsLydia? I certainly see many more mothers bottle feeding than breastfeeding where I am.

I've only ever noticed one woman in my home town, but she was very indiscreet.
I've done what BrianButterfield said in other places.
I didn't have the confidence to feed in public until DC3 though.

Yes I live in the uk and often go to surestart centres and toddler groups where I honestly haven't seen anyone bottle feeding.

Often you dont notice someone is breast feeding at first. So you probably do come across bf'ing mothers but don't notice them.

I agree, I've seen lots of mothers breastfeeding, it's just not always very obvious!

"I know I've sometimes had a nice look at a baby being snuggled by its mummy only to realise that I'm basically just gawping at someone BFing...I wonder if that's why people sometimes feel they get strange looks. "

Yes I have done this too

You pobably don't notice. Do you really examine everyone sitting in a cafe, on a bench or pushing the trolley inthe supermarket? Have your peered into every sling you have ever seen? I bet plenty of times you have walked past a baby feeding and never known.

Plus of course not everyone is out all the time and some babies only feed frequently while very small.

I feed anywhere and everywhere yet most of the time don't feed ds2 when out, simply because I dont have the time to go out between school and nursery runs! And now he only feeds every 3-4 hours so I could easily spend the morning in town shopping and not have to feed him.

Since I've been feeding DD2 I've noticed lots of other mums bf too. I think I've only noticed because I use similar discreet techniques.

This reminds me, we were on holiday in Egypt and went on one of those deep glass bottomed boats, DS was only 13 weeks at the time and he started fussing for a feed so I popped him on and continued oohing and aahhing at the fish we were seeing, when the employee charged with coming round and filming us all to then sell back to the group at the end stuck his video camera right in DS's face cooing over him etc. For everyone who bought that DVD they'll have got a good ten minutes footage of my bfing DS thanks to the cameraman who was totally oblivious!

I'm off to a cafe in a bit. Lots of my friends will be there feeding. Yet if I go to another cafe I don't notice it......

I agree, most breastfeeding mums are fairly discreet about it. It's often not obvious at first.

I've seen a number of mums breastfeeding in public - some at baby / toddler groups, others in cafes or sitting on benches, and a few times breastfeeding a baby in a sling while walking shops.

I do it a lot!
in church, at WI, in my shop, at an old people's home, at playgroup...

I'm not discreet either, so...

joyfulpuddlejumper I'm on the south coast of england, so maybe that's why I see them everywhere!

I've seen lots bottle feeding and I have been looking for other people holding baby in a feeding position. Maybe its just that I'm out and about more than most soend up doing it in public more than most. Honestly I haven't seen anyone. If I really just haven't noticed then i hope I look that subtle when I'm doing it. I've got big boobs so I find it hard to be very discrete. Maybe nobody notices me either. I was thinking maybe most people express or go in the toilet to feed.

I think it does depend on where you are. It's something I never noticed before having a baby though, probably because I was minding my own business!
Sometimes I see other women BF in costa in town but not often really, and I have never seen anyone other than myself breastfeeding in Burger King. I definitely see more bottle feeding in public, and about half and half at the baby massage group in the sure start centre.

I was thinking this the other day. It seems really strange to me that I saw loads of women BF while I was pregnant and now don't seem to see any other than myself.

I do have to say though that I don't look as much now at other babies as I have mine to look at

I think the internet made me think everybody was a militant lactivist. It could be the area we live in. I was shocked in the hospital how many women weren't even trying bf. In my half of the ward I was in i was the only one doing it.

Hi hazeldog!

I think it can vary a lot from area to area. I see a few BF in my village but not so many in the city up the road. I still BF both mine in public and I think people don't notice. I tend to wear layers so I don't get cold norks so it just looks like I'm cuddling them.

I've seen loads out and about this summer - at the park, at the beach, in the cafe especially Ikeas' , in chapel, at a restaurant, at my daughters summer scheme. I don't breastfeed but my 18 month likes to nosy at other babies so I'm usually following her.