Anyone ever SAID anything to you about breastfeeding in public?

[gail734]

I don't go out of my way to do this, but yesterday at lunchtime I BFd DD (9 mo) in TGI Fridays. The alternative was going to be some fussy crying. I promise you couldn't see a thing. The two mummies with me looked a bit surprised. The waiter looked horrified. Nobody said anything, though. A friend told me that another woman called her "disgusting" when she realised that she was feeding a new baby in a sling, while walking around a supermarket!

[ElphabaTheGreen]

Only comment I've had is a positive one off an older lady (70s-ish) who said how nice it was to see, since you hardly ever do, and that she'd fed all three of her children and loved it. She then launched into a rant about her granddaughter-in-law who refused to even try to BF because she thought it was nasty. Oops.

[Kiwiinkits]

Only ever positive things to me, too. And I've bf'ed EVERYWHERE, on busses, in parks, in restaurants, in the front seat of the car (not while driving, obvs), even in a meeting!
I would have been ready with a few comebacks, thanks to MN, if anyone ever DARED to say something negative.

[TheOldestCat]

Mostly positive things. A neighbour walked away when I was feeding DS at a party saying he didn't like to be around it. I was too bemused to say anything.

Loved the nice things over the years so concentrate on those.

[TroublesomeEx]

The only people who ever made a negative comment to me about breastfeeding in public were my dad and his wife.

People either looked and said nothing, or made positive comments about it.

A couple of men who spoke to me for whatever reason whilst I was doing it looked embarrassed and apologised (completely unnecessarily).

I BF out in public all the time, wherever and whenever it was required.

[Chottie]

No, I breast fed two DC for 9 months each, no negative comments.

[Softlysoftly]

Only once and that was in hospital with dd2 this week. She was hospitalised for 3 days and the only fluid she ended up taking was breastmilk.

The dr who came and checked her said "oh still feeding it'll become a comfort thing if you're not careful".

[thebody]

No never, breast fed all 4 and never had a negative comment.

[Norem]

Have fed 5 DCs for a total of approx 8 years breastfeeding in all, never a bad word said :)

[Thatsinteresting]

When I was bf my dd1 at a bus stop (she was 2 weeks old) my mil tried to cover her and me with a coat. Other than that I've only had positive comments made to me.

[exoticfruits]

I bfed 3, everywhere and anywhere and never even went into separate rooms-I never had a negative comment. I have never heard one made when I have seen mother's bfeeding these days-I am always ready to stand up for them, but it has never been needed.

[LydiasLunch]

Only my mother who accused me of flaunting myself when I latched on in a cafe.

[corlan]

DD1's father told me that I should go and feed DD1 in the pub toilet rather than sitting on a bench on the town green. I told him not to be silly so he stood up and walked away, his low slung jeans revealing his arsecrack to anyone who looked his way!

He's my ex now.

[TroublesomeEx]

nellyjelly I had that type of reaction from a couple of men too. I think that they just didn't really understand it wasn't an issue for me.

The plumber came round once and I was having a good old chat with him in the living room before he left over a cup of tea before he left - DD was about 6 weeks old so he'd made it too and I was just sitting on the sofa with her. He didn't realise what I was doing until I said he'd have to show himself out and he looked mortified and apologised profusely. I think other people sometimes assume you don't want to be seen and feel uncomfortable.

[WorraLiberty]

I thought all this 'horror' and mortification about public breastfeeding was just made up, to give people something to start a thread about

[Springforward]

Nope. I got some nice positive comments though, and a few sad comments from women who'd tried but not got it established.

My local Costa were fab and would even offer me table service if I wanted a second coffee, bless them.

I once got leered at by a middle aged bloke but his wife clocked it and gave him a royal telling off, very loudly, bless her!

I was also hugely impressed by the trio of boy racers sat opposite me in the MOT garage who didn't bat an eyelid. I suspect they were just glad DS had stopped crying.

[FannyFifer]

Never had a negative comment, only slight negative reaction was a man sitting across from me on train moved seats when I was feeding DS.

Loads of positive comments, my favourite was an old man who wandered over when I was feeding DS, stroked his head and said " that's great, baby getting if on draught, just as he should" and off he went.

[HandMini]

Only ever positive comments. What a heartening thread this is. I've had some very nice comments and some bloody lovely offers of help, like moving my buggy when it's in the way and I'm in the middle of a feed, or fetching a coffee or something.

I tend to smile/say something friendly if I see someone else feeding....is that annoying (note I usually have DD2 hanging off a boob at the time, so is supposed to be a solidarity thing)

[MmeThenardier]

Never.

A waiter once gazed in awe at my GG milkers.

[inneedofrain]

OK I BF through a summer of 50degre plus heat, so had very little on (opps) mostly a cottom vest and a cotton sarong, the only things I ever had said to me where things like

Do you want another drink, here i´ll get that for you (when reaching for baby bag etc) would you let me hold little one while you eat / drink. let me move you are in the sun, oh and when I very carelessly knocked my drink over covering me and the table in fruit juice everyone in the bar stopped, moved me, cleaned the table got me another drink etc. I have had little ones head patted whilst she was BF. and one lovely lady when little one was 1 or 2 weeks old and I was really struggling with BF/ sleep etc. sat with me and chatted away (she had had something like 7 kids) and I now realise that all the time she was repositioning DD for me to get a better latch, lifted my arm up and rested on her bag etc She made me feel so much better just by talking to me

This is all in the country that up untill 3 years ago you could not by tampons easily (ie in supermarkets) because of religion!

[ArabellaBeaumaris]

Nope, & I've fed all over the place.

[FranticBanana]

Just once, in a motorway service station cafe. We originally sat at a table in the middle, but DS (then 10 weeks) woke up, and as he was still a bit of a novice at latching we moved to a side table for a bit more privacy.
Cue (very young) waitress coming over. "I'm sorry, was there something wrong with your table?"
Me: "No, I just wanted to move so I could feed the baby."
Waitress: "You're going to feed him HERE?!!?!"
Me: "Actually, I'm feeding him right now..."

To her credit, once she had got over her shock she came back and helped me cut up my food when she saw me juggling with knife, fork and baby.

[ClutchingPearls]

Only one comment, ever, in over 3 years of feeding.

DD1 PFB had her 1st vaccination and I was waiting to go and feeding her for comfort.
Only person in the waiting room with more than 30 chairs.

Elderly lady walks in and sits directly opposite me in a narrow waiting room. Then tuts and sighs before telling me I shouldn't do 'that' here.

I simply ignored but decided to change DDs nappy. Unfortunately for her, in her hast to sit opposite me she failed to notice that she was in the baby area, with the change mat right next to her.

[ItsYoniMeMikeOxard]

Quite a few positive comments. I had a conversation with one woman about her being embarrassed by other people bfing in public, I wasn't feeding at the time though, and she recognised it was her issue.

[ArabellaBeaumaris]

Oh, several times other mums have thanked me for feeding in public. Which is odd but nice.