BF in public. What comments have you had, or heard when out and about feeding?

[susiecutiemincepies]

Fortunately, i've never had any negative comments made to me.

When posting and reading a thread here about bf in public, I was reminded of a really funny conversation I overheard when out with Dd when she was about 3 months and we were feeding in a costa lotta or, some such coffee shop.

I've seen young lads and girls snigger before at worst. However on one occasion one of the lads girlfriends thought she was out of ear shot when she was saying ( and not in a nasty way) how she'd never do that and definitely never in public.

Her Boyfriend said you woudln't be able to that woman has got much bigger tits than you... as my eyes widened in shock, another one of the girls piped up with " bloody hell Claire, you have more of your tits on show on a friday night than that lady and she's supposed to have hers out"
Needless to say, I nearly chocked twice on my coffee.

I think I was more tickled by the bit that mine were supposed to be out on show!

Just wondered what anyone else has heard, had said or encountered when NIP ( love the acronym! )

Snort!

I've never had any comments whatsoever. Not even when flashing my breasts in the front window of Starbucks (whilst feeding, not on a Friday night)

front window 'ey? you devil

I only had comments made (when they thought they were out of earshot) when I fed in a cricket pavillion at an MCC match - not on holy ground at Lords, but at a local venue. As they've only just allowed women into the pavillions, so I guess it was pushing my luck a bit.

Otherwise, I only had supportive comments.

Oh, and the lib dem candidate who came and asked for my vote one year, got it, by not batting an eyelid or pointing out that I had left my shirt unbuttoned, and was standing in my bra listening to him explain their policies!

Luckily I have only had positive comments when I NIP.

When I breastfed at my Great Grandma funeral reception at my MIL house. Every woman in the room we were nursing in, started talking to me, about if they breastfed or not and for how long and how happy/unhappy they were with FF and/or Breastfeeding their children.

Very interesting to see how emotional this subject is, especially as all these ladies were much older ladies and the 'children' they were talking about are grown with their own children now. Yet all these years on, they have still have all these feelings about nursing.

They all said it was lovely to see an older baby being nursed (14 months at the time)...bless them

For 2 weeks running I've had to BF in church. The first week an older man said "I won't shake your hand as you're a bit busy" and the second week another man said "that had the desired effect then" as DD had gone to sleep.

Did also notice when I turned round (I was on the front row because we were late) that the woman behind me was BF at the same time, and a woman behind her had just finished

Couldnt get back in here last night, anyone else have any probs?
Anyway,nice to see no nasty comments then.

I'd be interested to know what I would actually say if I did have any negative comments... I always think i'd be ready and waiting to respond, but I actually think i'd be too shocked to say anything!

I also had to bf in church, and was surprised too, at the number of ladies that spoke to me about it, and how they had fed their babies many of which 60 odd years ago, yet they remember it like yesterday. one of them was a really great help in the early days, with her advise.

My DH has been more worried that i'd get negative comments whilst out, and used to be very protective.

We've had similar threads in the past, and fortunately negative comments in public seem very rare (different thing with friends and relations, sadly, especially when feeding beyond 12 months.)

However, the best one liner I had prepared when someone commented was "Well it's better than giving her a donut or a can of coke, isn't it?"

I'e had a couple of comments, one from a girl very similar to Vicky Pollard who (in the middle of winter, snow on ground, baby in pushchair, no socks, let alone blanket, coat etc) was complaining loudly that I should 'put my bewbz away, so 'er fella didn't see 'em'
Not really the kind of person I'd take parenting advice from.
Also a comment on a bus, DS was screaming, the first bus we would have gotten on was full, so we had to wait an extra 30 minutes, by the time we got the bus he was starving, I tried to make him calmer with dummy etc, but in the end got him out and started feeding him, a couple of little old ladies smiled, and one eejit said 'eww do you have to do that here', I just replied 'yes, he's hungry, or would you prefer the screaming?'.
Never any other comments and I used to go for lunch with ym amtes in the pub and sit feedign for ages before they noticed and they knew I was breastfeeding him!

Oh, and xp's family were a bit weird with it, the males anyway, but his mum fed all four of hers, her DS was still having night feeds at 5, so all the women were totally cool with it, and rather than me feeling uncomfortable, sometimes one of the guys would come in the room were I was chatting to whoever, feeding baby and having a cuppa, and not realise I was feeding, then as soon as they did blush and make their excuses, it was seen that they had a problem with it and everyone else would just laugh, the xbil who fed until 5 was told to stop being silly, and asked 'what's up did you want some'

Not sure how my new dp's family will cope though when Dc needs feeding, it's all I can do to get dp's father to talk to me as it is!

I have had lots of very lovely comments and discussions while NIP. Many older women do certainly seem emotional about bf to this day. I have heard many say they wish they could have fed for longer and in public but it just wasn't done back then. It makes me very proud to be able to do it. I have only had one negative comment and it wasn't directly aimed at me. A miserable old codger in the surgery's waiting room complained to the receptionist that 'that woman over there's breastfeeding you know'. The receptionist smiled brightly and said 'I do know, isn't it lovely?'. Brillig.

Had a lecture from my GP this week to the effect that I caused my current mastitis by feeding past 6 months and he explained that there is no nutritional value in bm past 6 months (utter twaddle). I smiled benignly at him, unbuttoned my blouse and fed dd in front of him. Was the best form of attack in the circumstances.

In the short time I managed it I got a brilliant comment. One of Dh's 'pub mates' came over to congratulate us, not realising I was feeding dd2. He chatted away deliberately not looking and clearly trying to pretend he wasn't uncomfortable ( I just thought bless him - it wasn't disgust or anything just a bit emnbarrassed I think). He then bravely turned to face me and say well done and came out with "What a lucky baby . . . . oh er that you're looking after her so well . . . not 'cus she's attatched to your boobs . . . that sounded bad . . not that being attached is a bad thing, its great. . . er er. Bye" Me and dh were p***g ourselves. Poor sod!