I was really sad to see this

[stroppyknickers]

Today we went to a paediatric appointment (so lots of families in waiting room) and the woman next to me was wearing a weird black shroud type thing. Then, she plucked a baby from under it - it was to cover up the fact she was breastfeeding.

i also think they're quite bizarre, and often draw attention to the fact you're doing something.
BUT
I also think, that if that woman would otherwise not feed at all, then of course this is the better choice.
some people do feel very self-concsious about feeding in public. this gives them a way to do it and feel ok about themselves.
which I think is a good thing

maybe her baby is easily distracted and using a cover up helps him/her to concentrate.
or maybe she really doesn't want anyone to see her breasts. they are her breasts, she can cover up if she wants.
why does it make you feel sad?

Maybe mum is a little self-conscious?

Why on earth should that make you feel sad?

Shouldnt make you feel sad to see someone doing things their own way rather than your way!
You dont know her reasons for wearing it.

I doubt it was to cover up the fat she was breastfeeding more to cover her breasts!

She wasn't covering up the fact that she was breastfeeding, she was covering up her breasts, which is every woman's right. Why should she have to get her tits out just because the baby is hungry?

i presume the op felt a bit sad that the mum didn't feel confident enough to breastfeed in public, or perhaps thought that she "should" cover up.
which is a bit sad.

but as I say, she is doing what she wants, how she feels comfortable doing it. which is great.

and I think there are easier ways of covering your boobs than that! lol

But she was bf'ing in public.

Maybe she was covering up for religious reasons?

you know what I mean though, breastfeeding publicly in public.

yes, it could have been religious. none of us know her reasons for using it.

I've been known to put a muslin over my baby when he's feeding. Mainly because I don't want my single and funky friends to see my brown nipples and shocking breast stretch marks!

But as time goes on (DS is nearly 6 weeks) I'm becoming more and more shameless...

I have perfected the art of discreet feeding by layering vests and wearing a cardigan. it seems to work quite well, even when ds is faffing around all over the place lol

pmsl turnip!!!!

when i was bfing DS2 it was the summertime so i used to carry a silk scarfy thing in my bag incase i felt the need to cover up when feeding him.
not for religious reasons
not because i was ashamed to breastfeed
just so i felt more relaxed, so that complete strangers couldn't look at my breasts, or be offended themselves. And i'm not a prude. I would cover up less at home obviously. but there's some situations, like a public waiting room, where i would feel it necessary to cover up.

Each to their own is what I say.

OK it made me sad because I felt that of all places, no-one should feel uncomfortable breastfeeding with kids and families around. It makes me feel that in Britain we don't like to see boobs used for feeding (hence the availability and decision to use one of these). I then flagrantly flaunted my boobs and forced ds to feed.

Well true, but it is her choice, did she seem particularly self-conscious?
Dragonbutter [ahem]

But you have assumed that she was uncomfortable. She may have been more than comfortable. Sounds like you have the issue, not her.

I must admit to have using one of these myself, yes I loved breastfeeding and was not ashamed to be feeding, I fed ds for 16 months, however I'm the most cackhanded person on earth and never sussed how to do discret feeding in all that time! Wouldn't have wanted the world seeing my huge fully exposed boobs!

OFGS! What issue do I have? That I am saddened that someone has to buy special equipment to cover up the fact of breastfeeding a tiny baby? That's more of an opinion. And no, I don't think we all need to show off, but cardigans/muslins etc are surely sufficient?

I always use DD's blanket over my shoulder when I feed, not because I am embarresed about feeding in public but because I don't want to expose my self!

I find these sorts of threads really disturbing. It's not enough for you that the woman was breastfeeding - she still gets criticised for doing it in a way that she is presumably comfortable with.

We are not all the same - we have our own comfort zones, it's none of your goddam business if she chooses to cover her breasts.

And she didn't have to buy special equipment, she chose to.