Did anyone see the piece on BF in public on the Wright Stuff this morning?

[missbumpy]

Was it just me or was there a lot of talk about "taste" and "decency" and how BFing is great but only up until 6mo and only if the mother doesn't insist on making a spectacle of herself and making other people feel uncomfortable . I noticed no one on the panel had actually breast fed. I was too busy BFing to bother calling in and having my say

Its ridiculous the fuss people make. I choose not to bf in public because im not totally comfortable with it. I resort to feeding in the car and in smelly old toilets. I have total admiration for mothers who feel comfortable enough to bf in public and should be encouraged to do so. We shouldnt have to hide away!!

I've said it before and I'll say it again.

The breastfeeding mother should only consider her level of comfort. Anyone else's dicomfort at seeing a baby being breastfed is their problem, and if they are uncomfortable it is up to them to look away or remove themselves. There is no bloody way that someone's prudish attitude should ever supercede the needs of a child!

woodward - have you tried using a shawl? Have you watched yourself breastfeeding in a mirror? If you wear a top that you can push up, and a cardigan, you'll be surprised at how discreetly you can breastfeed.

I consider myself to be very indiscreet at breastfeeding - boobs seem to be out all over the place , mainly due to having a v large chest (40L, thank you very much), still being pretty much a two handed breast feeder and an inquisitive 10 month old (with 6 teeth, which don't make a bit of difference - on the few occasions he has bit it was just a sore with no teeth, than with teeth!!) but when I did a feed in front of a mirror the other day I was v surprised to see that you could see very little at all. You'd have to be v inappropriately close to see anything that resembled a boob.

Completely agree with Bouncingturtle (and lots of others) - it's the comfort of the mother and the baby that should be paramount.

Can't believe someone compared BFing to defecating Cryptoprocta !! That's outrageous. I hope it hasn't put you off BFing.

It's funny because even though I'd defend any woman's right to BF anywhere, I often feel quite shy about it and even when I'm with family I prefer to go into another room (TBH, it's often quite nice to have an excuse to get a minute's peace and quiet!). I'm happiest when BFing with my DP or with other BFing women

My best retort to the comparison to urination or defecation is that they obviously don't know the difference between one end of a baby and the other!!

I like the nursing vests from H&M, they're very cheap and mean that i can hide my flabby belly, which i'm much more worried about exposing than a bit of boob!

Matthew Wright is a massive cock, btw.

Cyro - I thought I would want to feed 'in private' too (am quite shy) but I actually can't be bothered! Comfy chair is more important. And you really can't see much! We had a big family dinner the other day and was jolly well not going to miss the fun so I fed as I ate - cousin didn't even realise I was doing it. If we have people round or i am somewhere else I just say 'I'm going to feed DD now' and sometimes 'is that ok.' (no ? note!) whilst settling into a chair. That gives them the option to move if they have problem. Father and fil both seem to have got bored with leaving and now hardly bat an eyelid anymore. Hope it goes well for you!

Is the M W show one with an audience? I just had a vision of lots of women running up to him and squirting him with their boobs. It would be wastefully, probably counter-productive but rather fun.

Not at all wasteful, it would be if it was formula! As our bodies make to order it would be made especially for him

Did anyone see the bit where he and his two male guests (Biggins was one) drank some BM?

Have to agree with you all that it is simply ridiculous the reaction to feeding a baby in public - pandering to the idiocy of small minded people. When I went to take my wee one for his jabs and needed to give him a bit of a comfort feed the other day I was ushered into a back room at the doctor by an older female nurse. She may have been well meaning but her complete shock when I said I was fine in the pretty empty waiting room where his bag etc were was a sight to behold, think the comment that "it's only a breast" was the clincher.

What I really wanted to say though, was that even if you don't feel comfortable enough to bf in public, it seems that the ever ready health and safety excuse is making life even more difficult if you want help warming a bottle on public transport.

I just felt I had to put my name to this petition that a friend of a friend of mine has going. The train company wouldn't let her have any hot water for fear of her scalding herself and suing them, extending this to not letting her have a cup of tea because they thought she might use that to warm the bottle. Simply ridiculous!

petitions.pm.gov.uk/babyfoodtrains/

Spread the word if you can and best of luck however you choose to feed your little ones!

P.S. Matthew Wright and his excuse of a television programme has always been (and dare say always will be) the true mouthpiece of "ignorant Britain". I tend to give it a wide berth as a result, especially since on the odd occasion my partner sees it he tends to become slightly enraged by the sight of Mr Wright's smug face!

Matthew and his twin, Jeremy...

someone stroked DD's head whilst I was BFing her on the train last week. I'm fairly sure they just didn't realise she was feeding rather than perving. Everytime I feed in public I like to think I might be helping someone by normalising it a morsel more.

I'm afraid Ofsted didn't uphold my complaint about the MW BF-putdown last month. But they did look into it and called the drinking breastmilk & grimacing episode "puerile".

I think you're right Starlight. It seems to be the same stories doing the rounds. Seems like Ms Onions has been on quite a few shows (This Morning, GMTV?) and there have been a few bits about her in the press. It's good that it's getting a bit of media coverage.

Turtle- totally agree with you 100%

Zippie - what complaint was it you made? (sounds interesting)

I am going to some big public work events in the next few weeks and will have to take my DC's - will deffo feed my baby in public- we have to get the message across that a mother feeding her baby is normal

Hi Guys,
New to this board - so please be gentle with me - lol.
I tend to agree with the adage that there is no such thing as bad publicity. I also think that everytime someone puts their head above the parapet and stretches other people's perceptions of what is considered 'normal', that the elastic never quite goes back to where it was.
The public breastfeeding thing is perennial - isn't it? May I tentively suggest that if someone does compare breastfeeding with urinating (or worse) in public, just remind them that the baby/child is eating - something nowadays, most people do in public. Most people don't urinate or defacate in public, but people can be seen sitting at sidewalk cafe's, eating a takeaway on benches or even just while walking along. Your baby/child is doing no different. If they would prefer your baby to eat in the toilet, you will quite happily go there - they can sit and eat their sandwich in the next cubicle and you both can have a jolly good 'ol chat! My children will happily eat sat on the toilet - the same evening it becomes en vogue to have candle lit dinners in the restroom!
Just my 2p
TM

I think the people who are against breastfeeding in public are just ignorant ime. Ds is nearly 2 weeks old now and I'm damned if I am going to hide away at home because he is breastfed. So far he has been fed on the bus, in the park, walking down the high street and in the M & S cafe! The interesting thing was that the staff in the cafe were brilliant-really made sure I was comfortable and were very positive about me feeding him, but the other customers did put me off a bit. It seems that the very people who are against bf in public are the people who literally strain their necks trying to get an eyeful I am by no means small in the nork department but when I am feeding there really is nothing to see, but I cannot believe the amount of people who make no effort to disguise the fact that they are staring at me. It doesn't bother me, but I can see why so many women feel that they cannot feed in public Having said that, I am old enough to remember my mum bf my little brother and sister, and I think it does make a difference if bf is not totally alien to you in the first place.