Do you say anything before you start to bf if you are with other people?

[exhaustedandannoyed]

If for example at a friend's house with another couple, would you just start feeding or would you say something? I usually just do it without saying anything but sometimes feel a bit strange like maybe I should ask if they mind or something, especially if there is a man around.

I don't make an announcement. Even in front of elderly grandfather! Although in the early days I did kind of preface a feed with some comedy comment about getting my huge boobs out. I'm pretty sure I feed very discreetly now. I was nearly brave enough to feed on a bench in the middle of Bluewater last week but bottled it and went to John Lewis.

What I find odd (and it's been said on here before) is that people don't seem to mind you feeding a newborn, but as soon as they hit 4 months you're constantly dealing with comments like "are you STILL bfing?", "is he on solids yet?".
God knows it must get worse if you bf into toddlerhood.

I live overseas in a country where there are terribly low rates of breastfeeding (mostly through a complete lack of support or education about it) so when I am out and about I always feel that the more people who see me feeding the better.

And yes I fed my toddler until 18 months and did get some of that attitude about still bfing, though by that time she only fed a couple of times a day as I was working full time so other people weren't generally around.

I'll feed anywhere and everywhere,most recently in a packed commuter hour train to stop DD from having a meltdown! Although I do sometimes use the excuse of going into a different room to feed at the in laws to buy a bit of peace and quiet!

I think generally just getting on with it discreetly is better than making a song and dance about it, and as long as I wear a vest top under my main top I do the hoick up hoick down manoeuvre which means there is rarely anything on show and when dd decides to have a nosy round mid feed I can just pull a top down quickly to cover up.

Ms Miggins No idea if 20 mins is normal or not - allows for getting the bottle out, some stopping and looking around (although if drinking from the bottle they can kind of drink and look where they want anyway as don't need be face to boob), sitting up to burp and sitting still (ish) for 5 mins as DD is v refluxy so likely to puke within the first few mins after finishing and therefore I wouldn't rush her away immediately after downing a feed if I could help it.

My ds has started to get distracted if I speak while feeding so I have to explain that I can't talk whole feeding but people around us can carry on :)