"Stop rolling your eyes, & close your mouth, you look like a guppy!" - a mumsnetter revolts!!!

[tinkerbellhadpiles]

Today we went to the child health clinic. Due to a clash in the surgery the waiting room was stuffed to bursting with both mums and old ladies (apparently there was also an independent living clinic on). The room is set up so people sit round the outside in a square with a desk at one end and the loos at the other.
Anyway, went in, checked in sat down in a free seat opposite some old ladies. Waited thirty minutes. DD woke up, looked at me and opened her mouth to scream for food. Knowing her signs I quickly patted her, very discretely lay her on my lap and started feeding her.
I became aware of three old women opposite nudging each other and saying things like 'would you look at that' and tutting. I would have ignored them but I'd had a bad day so I smiled at them and asked if there was a problem.
"Do you really think that's appropriate dear", said the bravest of the lot.
"Um yes" I replied "she'll be very loud and unhappy if I don't feed her".
"Well the toilets are just over there". She replies, as if this is a solution to my embarassment.
"Thank you." I reply (taking strains not to sound sarcastic) "but if you remember, toilets are for defecating and urinating and we need to do neither. Besides we'd be in there for around 30 minutes and I don't know, would your bladder last that long?"
She starts to look very cross: "That's none of your business".
"No, you are right, and this is none of yours" I reply levelly indicating my DD who is ignoring all this and merrily suckling and farting.
They both start looking at each other aghast and then at the receptionist (who is trying to blend into the wallpaper in order not to be asked to adjudicate).
I really didn't mean to say it, I didn't...but it just slipped out....
"and if you don't mind, could you PLEASE stop rolling your eyes and close your mouths, you look like a trio of guppies!"
Cue rest of waiting room dissolving into fits of giggles.
One mum had to run to the loo (think her pelvic floor may not have been ready for this outburst).
Luckily we were next in so we didn't have to sit watching them studying their exceptionally swollen feet for much longer.

tinkerbell - you go girl

Wow, much respect to you tinkerbell!! I would LOVE to haev been there to see their faces.

I have only managed the odd one-liner, like "Mind your own beeswax" or "Would you like a photograph"

I disagree with DaisyMoo entirely. They were rude and confrontational, and their attitude isn't acceptable. I think women who have the balls to challenge nonsense like this do us all a service.

It is sad that some women don't STAND UP for other women. If they all did we wouldn't have to fight to do bf in public.

If anyone ever made a comment to me or another woman, I would stick up for her in public. I wouldn't hesitate to protect her and her baby.

I don't think tinkerbell was rude to the women, they weren't afraid to state their points of view, if she had sworn at them that would have been a different matter....
Anyway! I have two positive responses from old people! When DD2 was breastfeeding I was in the doctor's waiting room and an old woman called to me across the (quite large!) room and congratulated me on feeding and made many positive comments. Yesterday I was hurrying with my 3 children from school to the car, parked outside sheltered housing. An old man called from his top window and said something positive (can't remember what, I was harrassed! and isn't that typical we only remember the negative comments!) and when I replied that I was in a tiz he told me that I was doing a good job!
The fact is, old people are just like anyone else, just older!! Nasty people can be young or old and people can simply get stuck in their ways and ideas.

yr, there is some info in Sheila Kitzingers "rediscovering Birth" Book...wonder if there is something about it on her website...hm...

Fantastic tinkerbell. I used to yearn for some one to be rude to me, so I could be rude to them It never happened, in all the years that bf in public. So I suppose that is a good thing?

yr...wikipedia on Formula

Oh, and I agree, if more of our grans and then mums etc...would ahve bf'ed there wouldn't be the bf probs now.

Thanks 3and...interesting !

My mother successfully bf her first 3 children in the 50s. When I was born, in the early 60s, she switched pretty early on to formula. When as an adult I found this out and asked what was the advantage of bottle feeding she said "Oh, you could do it anywhere!"

Well, I've survived and am pretty healthy now. But I think I would have been healthier as a child if she had bf me for months rather than weeks.

I think the well being of children is far, far more important than the prudish preferences of the ignorant, whatever their ages.

Just found this thread via an active one tonight, and thought it was definitely worth reviving. (was feeling glum and now ROFL) thankyou tinkerbell.

another very funny OP. was looking for these 2 threads to brighten up a mate's day.

Love the op! good on you!

My Mum used to work in an English Heritage place and whilst she was doing her rounds one day, she came across a mum BFing her baby, discreetly, sitting on the floor.
My ma said "would you like to do that somewhere more comfortable?"
The Bfing mum glared at her and said all the usual stuff about "would you eat your lunch in a toilet" etc etc.
Ma pointed out that they had a dedicated mother and baby room with comfy chairs which she was welcome to use and retired gracefully from the scene!!
Sadly we've all got too accustomed to negative comments that it is too easy to be on the defensive!
Having said that....good on ya Tink!

oh...it was Eltham Palace by the way!

Good for you!

Tinkerbell, you have made my day!!!

LOL - why oh why can i never think of anything to say when people tut at me???? Will have to write that down to remember if i have dc#3!!

Fantastic

I was in the Halifax today having a customer review, and ds decided he was hungry. The lady doing the review said, "Oh just feed him here! My sister is bfing my nephew, I think it is lovely and natural". So I did, and she kept going "Ahh that's so lovely"
She said she can't wait to have kids of her own and she definitely wants to bf. Was very pleased to hear this as there is a very low incidence of bfing in my town.

Tink - good for you! Really made me smile. We talk about kids being old enough to have manners, so what excuse have these old trouts got??