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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

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Original poster

Do you/would you bf your toddler in public?

18 replies

Ceolas · 31/03/2008 19:49

I saw a mum feeding her - I'm guessing - 2 year old (because she asked for milk) at a concert at my DDs' school today.

I thought "good for you" and nobody else noticed or batted an eyelid.

I've never bf any of mine past 18 months and then only ever at home. Not sure I'd have the confidence tbh.

OP posts:

theUrbanDryad · 31/03/2008 19:58

mine's only 15 months but yep, i would and do.

never had a comment since he was a baby. maybe people think i must be such a freak they don't want to come near us

blueshoes · 31/03/2008 20:02

Ceolas, like you, I am getting shy about bf-ing in public now that ds is 18 months. He is biggish compared to dd whom I stopped bf-ing at 17 months (in public if necessary). He is a lot more acrobatic. I know he enjoys it (partly why I haven't weaned) but does he have to be so Demonstrative!

berolina · 31/03/2008 20:05

yes, of course, and I do (he is nearly three and very rarely asks for milk when we are out, but I probably wouldn't refuse him)

CantSleepWontSleep · 31/03/2008 20:08

I last fed 2.2 yo dd in public on Thursday last week, so I guess that makes me a yes!

cmotdibbler · 31/03/2008 20:14

Yes, if he needed it, but he only has a morning feed now, so doesn't come up.

LEMONADEGIRL · 31/03/2008 20:18

yes fed ds in front of a couple of nurses yesterday -ds is almost 18 mths - neither batted an eyelid which suprised me as almost expected a shocked expression

Walnutshell · 31/03/2008 20:19

Hmm, only if could be discreet enough to not have to bother with any unwanted comments... ds is 2.5.

Bit cowardly really.

Jacanne · 31/03/2008 20:23

I did until she was 2 (I could quote the WHO if anyone said anything) and then I would in some places after that but would try and put her off. Having said that, if she really needed it and the other option was a screaming, over-tired child then I would do it.

terramum · 31/03/2008 20:29

Yep had no qualms in feeding DS right up until he stopped feeding during the day when he was between 3 & 3.5yrs old...saw it as a kind of duty to try & normalise Bfing ....although increasingly towards the end he wanted to go & sit somewhere out of the way/quiet so didn't get to do it in front of many people.

robinrednomorenowemptybreasts · 31/03/2008 20:47

i would if dd was still bf.
good on you to those that do !!!!

aGalChangedHerName · 31/03/2008 20:52

I have done, i would do and wouldn't have any qualms about it.

I bf my ds2 when he was close to 3 years old when we were out and tbh it never crossed my mind that anyone would think anything of it. That was around 9 years ago.

aGalChangedHerName · 31/03/2008 20:54

Dd2 only really asks for it in the morning and after bath time and during the night usually so isue doesn't arise. If she did want or ask for it i would give her a bf no problem. She is 18 months now btw.

Sabire · 31/03/2008 20:59

I weaned ds in January because I was too unwell (and still am) to carry on bf (lost 14 lbs in three weeks and developed jaundice)

He'll be 3 in July and if I hadn't got so unwell I wouldn't have weaned him.

I bf him in public - not often but every few weeks or so it'd work out that way. Not sure if I got stared at because I don't tend to look to see how people are reacting. Wouldn't surprise me though if I got appalled glances as ds is massive for his age - he's as big as my 4 year old.

ib · 31/03/2008 21:01

I don't because I want ds to get used to only feeding in his room (he loves the breast rather too much and if I don't limit it somehow he asks for it constantly), but I did until recently.

crimplene · 01/04/2008 10:35

I remember seeing a woman bf her toddler, maybe just over 2 years in a park when my DS was about 4mo. It was one of the things (plus spending time with Asian Muslim women at mother and baby groups many of whom have chosen bf for about 2 years) that made me think seriously about carrying on past a year with DS. I agree with terramum about bf in public normalising it, esp with older DCs - but I don't really have the nerve - I usually refuse, or very occasionally go and hide if I really can't say 'no'- I used to find it pretty stressful even when DS was tiny. I wish I had a bit more backbone!

terramum · 01/04/2008 11:58

crimplene - don't beat yourself up about feeding an older child in public. That's one of the reasons I feel a duty to do it if I have the chance - because I know not everyone feels able to. It took time for me to become bolshy about it . I went through 6 weeks of hiding in toilets with a pump (DS wouldn't feed from me at first) then 3 months using shields which are soooo not discreet...but I gritted my teeth & put up with exposing myself everywhere as I was sooo fed up of hiding in the loo .....so when DS finally fed without any gadgets it didn't feel so bad feeding in public anymore

kiskideesameanoldmother · 01/04/2008 12:14

the last time dd was at least 2.6 yo.

LiegeAndLief · 01/04/2008 13:25

I don't think I'm as brave as you lot... ds only has one feed in the morning (at 19 months) so it hasn't really come up, but I don't think I would. The last time I fed him in "public" was in hospital at 14 months. I'd happily feed him if he had to go into hospital again and was distressed, but otherwise I'd feel too exposed and probably a bit of a freak, which I suppose is sad. Had no qualms feeding him in public as a baby though.

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