The LEAST discreet place you've breastfed!

[confusedfirsttimemum]

Following on from the Lorraine Kelly thread and her GMTV discussion (where she seems to think breastfeeding is only ok if it is 'discreet'), I wondered if people might be up for a discussion of the least discreet place they've fed their children.

I'll kick off: In an O2 store whilst DH signed up for an i-phone.

In fairness to the sales assistant, he did not bat an eyelid.

[PinkyMinxy]

I'm another who breastfeeds anywhere. I was breastfeeding DD2 whilst encouraging DS to the finish line at his first school sports day the other week.

[1stMrsF]

In the corridor of the hospital - had to go back for DT1 the day after we'd been discharged, and DT2 decided she was starving just as we were leaving. I had to wait for a wheelchair (had had a CS and couldn't walk as far as the exit) so had to just feed here there and then. Loads of people going past kept stopping to admire the lovely twins!

Picnicing in the grounds of Hever Castle yesterday.

Used to breastfeed DT2 in the hospital whilst walking around if DT1 was sleeping - my only chance to go and get things from locker etc. About a week after we got home they were too heavy though - can't imagine doing it now.

[tadjennyp]

In a temporary stand at an England v Sri Lanka cricket match at the Riverside. Noone even noticed!

[Kateaw]

The first time in public was sitting outside a cafe when DS was a week old. Not mastered discrete at all and a young American lad had his eyes out on stalks and a huge grin on his face.

The weirdest time was in front of a ninety year old Catholic canon. It was at my parents house on Boxing Day and he is a friend of my father. He was totally unfazed and said a prayer about family and motherhood. Sweet really.

At a reception after a carol service at the university chapel. I retreated to the far end of the room to sit, and too late realised I was sitting right by a red hot radiator. The lovely chaplin who married us came over to chat, realised what I was doing and went away again. Only to reappear with a glass of water for me

Planes, restaurants, parks, trains, hotels. Everywhere we went I breast fed.

[ChairmumMiaow]

I forgot the funniest one. In butlins(he likes a lot of milk on holiday!) while waiting to be called up for karaoke. They called me and I'm waving "I'm here" while trying to stuff myself back into my bra and top (I'd had to do an up and over job - had tried to cover myself with a blanket but DS kept grabbing it and throwing it across the room but thankfully he covered some of me with his arm a lot of the time!) Anyway, a few people must have got an eyeful there

And I ended up doing my second song with DS on my hip because he got upset when I went up without him

[daisyj]

On the comfy seats at the entrance to the men's fitting room at M&S today (where I was helping my brother to buy a suit), which kind of amused me, for some reason. I thought I might get funny looks, but to credit of all male staff and customers, no one batted an eyelid. Nice to think it might at last be considered an unextraordinary thing to do .

LOL at becktay bfing a cuddly toy.

[4andnotout]

Sitting on the pavement at a festival on saturday night.

[smellen]

Going through passport control.
Pavement cafes.
Answering the front door.
In parks, pubs, restaurants, picnic sites...

In short, wherever and whenever a feed was/is required.

[chandellina]

i always looked for discreet places, for my own sake just because it made me more comfortable, but had two memorable incidents where i picked places with scores of people taking a look: one, at the main exit from Windsor Castle. DH and I finished having a look around and came out what we thought was a back exit to a quiet bench - until about 200 tourists started pouring out the door and seeing us sat there in their unavoidable line of vision with a wiggling baby.

second was on the main path by the cafe in St James' Park, where my friend tried to give me instruction on a better latch. in both cases, DS still had a terrible latch, and i had to clutch him in this painful cross cradle position, with all sorts of uncomfortable props under him, and people looking to see the screaming baby.

and so many others ... DS needed feeding every 2 hours for about 6 months so it was pretty much everywhere.

i have to say i am really happy i only feed him at home now (morning and night feeds are all that's left).

[ChairmumMiaow]

Discreet should be for the mother, not the people around you. I prefer to have my boob covered as much as possible but DS doesn't like fabric in his face so he has something to say about that quite often (he likes to push my top up) and if someone else finds that uncomfortable, tough.

My point is that, as I will still (DS is 18mo) BF whenever and wherever I need to, many of my BFing experiences have been technically indiscreet!

Some of the more interesting ones are:

• at a conference dinner
  
• in the audience while DH was giving a talk at an expo,
  
• while DS was having various tests and things like cannulas fitted in hospital
  
• Also at the O2 shop while signing up for an iphone -
  
• While having my hair cut,
  
• on buses and trains
  
• in shows(and everywhere else) at Butlins.
  
  DS normally saves his acrobatics for home, but we were waiting for some people at butlins a couple of weeks ago and DS wanted a feed so we sat on a bench and he wriggled off my lap and decided to feed standing up (he's a clever lad, he can perform the manoeuvre without letting go!) and a lady was sitting next to us and said "now that's what we like to see" which was lovely to hear
  
  Everywhere we've been, we've fed

[LibraryLil]

At bus-stops, on buses, in the dentist's waiting room, sitting next to in the back seat of the car while someone else was driving and baby was in her car seat and I'm seatbelted up, in other people's houses, in cafes ...

For someone who was terribly embarrased at comments about my boobs years ago and kept them well hidden under jumpers and cardigans, I'm now surprising happy to whip 'em out anywhere that she needs them - but I do try to be discreet to save others being embarrassed.

The worst times are when my Dad or brother have come to visit and I have to do it in front of them!

[becktay]

i get mine out anywhere for the sake of a hungry baby but my first time with ds1 was on a crowded bus in central london, the only free seat was the one that faces all the other passengers and ds was dressed in a 'comedy' dinosaur pram suit bought by SIL. looked like i was bf a cuddly toy.

[Theosgrandma]

I have always fed my children, (all four of them) in public. On the front step of our house, in the park, in a cafe in Woolworth, on a Saturday sat outside on a bench in the middle of the town centre.

I have had no objections ever but have had embarrassed parents pull their children away for looking and asking questions. (If the children had been brought up properly and told that all babies are not fed with bottles they wouldn't need to ask questions)

By the way my oldest is 32 and my youngest 22.

[HeftyMutha]

on a three-legged stool in the back room of a butcher's shop, with the meat fridge whirring away in the background.

Possibly the least comfortable breastfeed ever, but DS was hungry and my car was being serviced, and it was the only discreet, warm place around!

[umf]

Salesroom of Car Giant in north London was one of least discreet and most awkward. I was having enough trouble getting the salesmen to take me seriously as a car buyer anyway.

The 189 bus from Brent Cross with a 3 week old not much fun either. V bouncy, milk and breasts everywhere, and most of the other women seemed to be in burqas.

[VeryHungryKatypillar]

In 'on the street' seating at a Cafe in Solva - I was feeding DD and my dad fed me my welsh rarebit! Have a picture of that moment of which I am very fond.

[grinningbee]

I never thought I'd be brave enough to bf while out, but so far I've managed while at a picnic on a bank holiday, surrounded by oodles of other families. The nice thing was that another mother in a group next to us started to feed her baby too.

In B&Q car park while waiting for DH to dash in and out of the shop... and probably the most public was in Sainsbury's car park before going shopping. DD only tolerates the supermarket if she is full to the brim! I had her in the driving seat with me but she kept pulling the blanket off and presenting my exposed bits to the world

Funniest so far was in a pub car park. She was seriously unhappy, took her for a bf in the car which was in a discreet corner, and in front of an abandoned (so I thought) picnic table... cue chef on a fag break mooching over to perch on the table while having a fag - directly facing me! We stared at each other, then he realised what I was doing and promptly left I was so frazzled I didn't care!

[SesHasFinallyBecomeAMum]

DS is 9 weeks old tomorrow and so far I have BF in Costa, Church, bench in shopping centre, outside seating of a cafe and probably other places I can't remember!

I always thought I'd feel really awkward feeding in public but as others have alluded to, I find I'm more self conscious with a crying baby. TBH, I feel more self conscious feeding at home in front of some friends & family (not that anyone's said anything).

[AlexandraPeppernose]

Whilst having my armpits waxed. it was interesting to say the least.

Generally i feed anywhere though. have never had any comments

[Kerhie]

On the townhall steps in Leeds. At a funeral. Numerous restaurants. Bench at Filey Seafront, Numerous Parks and Gardens. Pretty much everywhere, I find that people are more concerned about a screaming baby than a breastfed one.

[MrsFiddleback]

I breast fed all my own children - and never had a negative comment. Even though....

I have breast fed in church - spraying milk all over a woman's hat in front of me - and then, leaving the pew, to be more discreet, neglected to note that my boob was hanging out for all to see.

I fed my second daughter - lying over her car seat in the back of the car - on a winding lane lasting about half an hour. The lorry driver stuck behind our car did look a bit appalled!

I have fed all of them whilst pushing a trolley round a supermarket.

.... however when I fed my sister's child on a crowded train (Sister was at the buffet, and I used to fed her child as well as my own - her baby was about 4 weeks, mine, ten months. It was easier than bottles and I child minded when she was at work) - the business man at my table, did leave, when she got back and took over!

[PinkyRed]

Another one in church - front pew, with the children from the sunday school, last Sunday

Also once in our local parish council chamber, during a meeting with volunteers and local councillors to talk about setting up some facilities for young people

[Heiideee]

In the middle of Ikea - couldn't find my way back to the 'family room' so sat down at one of the tables in the dining room display area, then again to check out a comfy chair that was so good we bought it!

On a crowded train in rush hour. A v. nice man gave me his seat, but my son would only feed off my left boob, and kept kicking the lady to my right, so I ended up hanging off the seat into the aisle staring at a whole carriage full of people!

Also used to bf in church but had to stop as my let down was so strong that I'd reach several rows in front!

[geordieminx]

Walking long the Royal Mile in Edinburgh during the festival. Had an easy access dress on so just walked and fed. In fairness ds was only 2 months at the time so not very heavy

[makeadecision4me]

At the races with big group of friends when dd was about 6 months old. Quiet male friend (no children) pulled off muslin and said, "What are you doing hiding under there?" So funny, he had no idea and was very red faced. We remind him from time to time!
BF in lots of public places with all 3 children, always tried to be discreet but not easy with noisy or easily distracted or just not wanting to be concealed! Agree most bf rooms/cubicles are quite hideous.