Has anybody ever said anything negative to you when you've breastfed in public?

[flubdub]

Just wondering really, as everyone gets worked up about bf-ing in public, so are people rude about it?

No, I've never been to northhampton though. Is it the worst place for feeding?? Must be, every thread about this topic mentions it!

Our Boots in Hastings closed it's feeding & changing room. It used to be open all the time, then you had to ask for the key. Now they've closed it totally. I'm looking forward to getting this LO out and seeing what they'll provided if I try and BF there!

11 months in and nothing negative. The odd "would you like to go upstairs?" from family but nothing warranting a confrontation (somewhat disappointingly ... )

Of course, here in Scotland it's illegal, quite rightly, to ask me to stop BFing so they'd have both my tongue and the law to contend with

My fave come back was on that channel 5 'extreme breastfeeding' prog a while back, some chav commented to a woman bfing in public, 'my son was formula fed and he's strong as an ox' She responded 'my daughter is breast fed and as intelligent as a human'. He didn't get it. Made me smile. (not suggesting that ff made him thick, just that he clearly thought that bf was not good enough)

nope only positive

Someone starts one of these threads every so often (not dissing OP; I'm the first to click on them to see what everyone has to say!) and I always find it quite encouraging that most posters have had few or no problems from strangers. Close friends and family can be another story though-- perhaps it is just the general British reserve that keeps strangers from saying what they really think.

(Off-topic, but how is so-called 'follow-on milk' getting around the ban on formula advertising? The one promoting its immune-boosting ingredients on TV just now is making me .)

never

have breastfed 3 children past 12 months out and about all over the place.

No, never.

My FIL has done the same gag about how BM is ideal because it's 'perfectly balanced, always at the right temperature & comes in SUCH attractive containers ' with each of my 3 dc.

I find it quite endearing.

No, not with dd, who I fed for 10 months, and so far not with ds, 3 weeks. In fact last week I was feeding him on a bench and an old woman came up and said well done for feeding when my ds is hungry and not being embarassed! She told me about how she used to feed on trains after the war Ime, people are too timid to actually say anything negative, but I have definately had looks and many people craning their necks trying to get a better view I fed ds as we were walking in the shops today and after seeing it in the mirror I really don't think anyone could tell I was even feeding at all, it just looked like I was giving him a cuddle.

Not from strangers. My mum used to cover me up with large umbrellas etc. with my first child, in case I 'offended' anyone. LOl. she doesn't do that anymore..

I'm not sure people actually notice most of the time.

WICKED WITCH - Im in Garstang, so you must be near me then.

Why do some old ladies tut? Surely they were bf, and bf their children? (if they have any)

only had postive comments

i wish everyone bf in public how great that would be.

the more normalised bf becomes the better.

as you can tell by my mn nickname im quite pro bf.

I haven't had any negative comments but once I noticed somebody moved to another table farther away from me. maybe it was just paranoid me and he moved to be closer to the window. otherwise I do get approving smiles.

Never had any comments, positive or negative. Had plenty of smiles, several times people commented on the fact that the baby was getting a cuddle or napping in my arms (!), and occasional curious looks.

I suspect that my attitude has something to do with it: when I have noticed anyone looking I smile happily at them. Difficult to criticise or be judgey about someone when they include you in a pleasant way.

No

I got told off for discreetly feeding my 4 week old son under my coat in our local Christian cafe (I started a thread about it here). The woman in question said that I should have put a nappy over my son's head in case any male customers worked out what I was doing and got offended.

I am planning to write to the manager to point out that this is a ridiculous and old fashioned attitude but haven't got round to it yet!

Chatname, it will be 'helpful' to point out in your letter that you couldn't help but wonder if this woman knew how baby Jesus was fed.