lets fly the flag for bf in public!!! where have you bf? and what was the response?

[robinredbreast]

after all we the ones that "do it " lol

ill start the ball rolling
places:

local pub
v posh hall at a wedding
big mamas soul shack
about 7 different restaurants
a party
starbucks
boarders cafe inside waterstones bookshop
drs waiting room

every time ive had nothing but positive comments
such as
you both look so well,how lovely,how wonderful for both of you,how lucky you both are,whata gorgeous happy baby,doesnt she look well on it,you both look so happy and contented,
and lots of smiles and aproving nods

and therefore i dont thibk the views of the 2 bitter old hags where really represntative a real peoples views

bf in public rules !!!!!!!!
why should we be banished to the toilet
come on lets all "do it !"

ps my fav place to bf in public has to the coffee shops inside bookstores
big comfy armchair,good book ,hot chocolate and a cake ......and a very happy baby......what could be more wonderful

happy bf everyone

i BF everywhere - now on DC no 3 and have to say - if you ignore the stares, they can't hurt you. I am completely impervious now - as is my step fatrherm which is a big improvement on no 1

first public bf was in a cafe
response was suck slurp gulp

actually that's a lie, 1st public bf was in church, at a wedding, always forget that!

I've done it stood up pusing a trolley round the supermarket with my hip
DS1 (now13) was a high need baby
People were grateful when I fed him as it was the only thing that ever shut him up

So (btw this was in NZ at the time)
McDonalds
Public buses
Trains
Beaches
Cafes
movie theatres
Taxis
pubs
restaurant

The only comment I have ever had was in Mcdonalds when an older man (I was 23 so he may have only been 30) asked rather condescendingly would I be more comfy doing it in the toilets - he presumed I was embarrassed as he sat next to me - he preusmed wrong
I said no we don't eat in the toilets, but if you'd feel more comfy in there, you go right ahead...

I have bfed in public toilets.

But then I wised up and got a lot more confident and I have bfed:

in pubs
in restaurants
in coffee shops (agree re: cafes in bookshops)
in meetings
in front of my students
at the beach
on a public bench
at the homes of friends and family
on airplanes
in the airport
in a castle
in museums

etc...

A book or a magazine makes a good deflector for any unwanted attention, or just look down at your baby.

I bf-ed all the way through a very fancy church wedding service recently. Nobody said a thing (don't think many people noticed).

ummm

my first "public" one was in the (Birth) Registrar's Office
local library
doctor's waiting room(x3)
pub
platform 10A Birmingham New Street (that's my favorite)
train
Hand-Made Burger restaurant
local village's heritage centre
park

that's all (I can remember) so far - ds quit bfing in public when he hit 4.5m and we haven't managed to do it again since (but I will keep trying!)

and I can't say anyone's ever noticed. except at the pub. but that's a whole other story...

kudos to oregonian - in front of yr students!

In the Observatory at Keele University was the most unusual of places surrounded by academics tut tutting!

Oh all sorts of places...

Local cafes & pubs
Park bench
IOW Ferry
Train station waiting rooms
Sitting in the car in car parks

The first time I bf'ed in public it was an outing of our local bfing group... looking back it was far more obvious than someone bfing in a corner on their own but it was safety in numbers and it gave me the confidence to carry on bfing in public. I have never had any good, bad or ugly comments. I have never noticed any funny looks either, I tend to live in a little bubble completely oblivious to everyone around me!

Have never bfed in a toilet

Pubs (several different ones)
Outside tables at coffee shop RHS Wisley
Loads of starbucks, costa coffees, restaurants (although when I went to meet my colleagues at a posh City one they put us a table right in the back where we'd be 'more comfortable' but I think one of my colleagues had asked for that so I didn't kick up a fuss)
At a meeting with my boss
Drs waiting room loads of times
Benches on Hampstead Heath
Beach
Castle and various National Trust properties
Walking to the front door and talking to the delivery man

Never had any comments but the odd encouraging smile from an elderly lady

ooh yes phdlife - the registrar's office was my first public one too. I was really, really embarrassed at first because I wasn't sure I could do it without showing off a large portion of boob. Come to think of it, I should have practised being discreet before leaving the house. Ahh hindsight is a marvellous thing

Have mentioned this loads, but I breastfed a large toddler in the Albert Hall

have breastfed even larger toddler while reading a story at my group I run

can't think of any more weird places - just anywhere, really

The most scary place was when I went into work to see everyone with DD at about 6weeks. Was in the meeting room chatting to my Mat cover having a coffee and DD started so popped her on. There was then a knock at the door and boss walks in to say hi, chatted to me for about 10mins then said - " oh she is feeding, sorry shall I leave!" Obviously I said no, it does not worry me. But then others heard I was in and started arriving to join the mass "admire the baby session" So I ended up BFing in front of 8 people

I am an HR manager so perhaps they liked seeing the "Human" side of me!

scarybee- in very early days I answered the door to the postman with DD attached (not that I am usually so relaxed just sort of didn't think it through). He just said, "my goodness I think that's the first time I've seen such a tiny baby". I think he may not have even realised I was feeding her.

Just about everywhere. No comments at all. I just fed the baby and nobody bothered. Outside school. In the street. In a shopping centre. Front pew at church (baby's baptism). At home.
Visiting friends, relatives, neighbours, answering the door,wherever......the list is endless. If my baby needed feeding s/he was fed. I have never had a negative comment.

My friend (she posts on here so sorry for nicking your story!) was in a cafe in town, facing away, a few tables away from anyone else, breastfeeding discreetly. A woman came over and peered over her shoulder to see what she was doing and then complained to a waiter. He then came over and told my friend that a woman had complained and the woman piped up that she was offended by my friend feeding her baby. My friend did a very good job of telling the woman to sling her hook and made a point of carrying on for another 5 minutes

Sorry, bit waffly but I was soooo shocked that anyone could be bothered to go to that effort to be offended.

I've fed in;

Various cafes & restuarants, including some rather posh places,
Debenhams changing room,
Marks & Spencers,
At a posh wedding reception,
In an airport departure lounge,
On a steam train,
In the front row of a music festival,
In my car (not whilst driving obviously),
In a safari park,
At a very crowded outdoor cafe,
In the middle of several parties,
.. and my favourite... in chapel during mass !
In front of absolutely anyone including while talking to a minister.
(I usually make my intention clear before I start and if anyone is uncomfortable it gives them the opportunity to move),

I once got a funny look froma man in a flash restaurant, and once had a disapproving look from someone who was clearly telling her friend that it was disgraceful that I was feeding in Morrison's cafe, and that was all the trouble I've had in nearly 8 months of public feeding. However, I do have the luxury of living in Scotland where the law has protected public bfing for sometime.

i've fed ds all over the place, including a new one last weekend, which was at the Catholic cathedral! (my friend's little boy's christening) but my favourite one has to be on a beach on Cornwall, where i'd legged it off a surfboard and onto the beach, stripped my wetsuit to my waist (was wearing a swim vest underneath) and fed ds with the ocean round my ankles. was a beautiful moment! (and no-one batted an eyelid!)

East Croydon station
Too many pubs/restaurants/museums/stately homes to name, but sadly none of the babies ever wanted to feed at the cafe rumoured to give away free cake to bfers
Safeway
The winos' bench outside what's now Kwik Fit
The library

Absolutely no negative comments, ever. (Unless you count "I've never seen a white woman doing that before", said approvingly.)Various people came over and admired the baby without appearing to notice - before you make the obvious comment, there wasn't anything to see - I had a good range of floppy T-shirts.

Most unusual place I've bf'd was in the tomb at Newgrange. Mind you its quite dark in there so noone really noticed anyway.

Have also fed in lots of pubs, park benches etc and at the Albert Hall too.

I fed dd in front of the baboons at flamingo land zoo. The mummy baboons were doing it too.

Absolutely everywhere- town centres, restaurants, boats, aeroplanes, buses, cafes, churches, wedding services. My friend even fed my one year old once at our mutual friend's wedding, because I had foolishly worn a stupid frock. I was always desperate for someone to come and challenge, so I could have a massive go at them, but nobody ever did...