Breastfeeding in public?

[mumtotwoboys]

Unless you're a hermit who sits in all day, you're going to need to feed your baby while out, especially in the summer.
I've found that usually there are enough other people to stick up for you when negative people are around.
For example, when travelling long distance on public transport I've had to feed my son. One girl said 'as if you do that on a bus' but her friends were quite vocal about them seeing nothing wrong with it.
Then another time I was in M+S during a long day's shopping, I sat down on a bench and fed baby, one store worker came and said 'oh do you want somewhere to go?, I was like 'no i'm fine thanks' but she was like 'let's find you somewhere more comfortable' so she took me to an office 'behind the scenes' where I could do my thing in privacy.
I was quite happy feeding him in the store, but she felt I should be hidden away.
That's the more polite negativity I've had.

I've wanted to feed baby in cafes and things, while we're sitting down, it would make sense to obviously, but I'm ot always confident enough, especially if there's old people around. It causes problems when I don't feel comfortable feeding him, he'll have to cry for a while and I'll have to finish what I'm doing and go home early.
I wish I could just feed him anywhere anytime.

How do you feel about breastfeeding while out?

Just remembered something my dad said on the subject of feeding in public.
He was in the children's library with me when I was little, and he said some woman lifted her top (and obviously had her boob dangling out). My dad thought 'bloody hell there's a lunatic in here' and went to usher me away, but then on second glance realised she had a small child with her she was about to feed.
I thoughtthat was funny.

I fed/feed both mine everywhere when needed. including on the playground in Feb with an icy windchill...

Very of those of you with 13 months plus children who are bf in public. I have no issue with it & as others have said almost feel a duty to promote bf past 6 months. Sadly although dd2 at 14 months is still a milk monster, feeding in public doesn't work as she is just so nosey at everything going on around her. I can literally now feed her in familiar (to her) surroundings only. I fed dd1 & 2 anywhere & everywhere, both to over 12 months in public & never had a bad comment (I must look too scary!)

I feed 6mo DS anywhere whenever needed. Best one so far - feeding while standing in a queuu for lunch at the zoo and holding onto 3yo DD with the other hand. Had a couple of smiles and the odd funny look but no comments.

I so wish we could breastfeed in public. My DS has been a nightmare to feed anywhere other than an extremely quiet, low key environment since he was about 5 months. He is now 10 months and it is so limiting and a little bit lonely. Thank goodness summer is here so I can find quiet spots in parks .

as my daughter has got older I have become more and more relaxed about feeding wherever I am. I have only ever had positive comments and they have been from older ladies/couples who have come over to tell me what a wonderful thing I am doing.

My little one is very curious so now (she is just about 7 months) I try to find somewhere quieter to feed her, but if she is realyl hungry she will feed anywhere.

I am nothing if not repetitive
The best thing I have ever read on the subject is on this amazing blog

In my opinion, it's only if you are lucky enough to have a baby who only feeds every 3 hours that you can afford to get stressed out about where to feed and if anyone is looking.

My baby fed constantly for the first 6 months of her life. Other than staying indoors, I had no choice but to feed her whenever and wherever!

I'm happy to do it in public - I'm proud in fact! Only once had a funny look - older couple whispering and staring at me in a restaurant - just eyeballed them till they looked away.

I have to say that I'm in the public and proud camp too...with one year old DS...

I always fed wherever I needed too - cafes and restaurants definitely (they are the easiest places), also park benches, in church, play places - oh I don't know, just wherever I needed to really. I always made sure I was dressed appropriately (two tops - one to pull down and one to pull up so nothing exposed and had a scarf or pashmina with me for extra coverage if necessary - i really think that is the key. I have 3 children. I don't know if I am just lucky but I never ever received a single negative comment from anyone - not even a nasty look. In cafes / restaurants waiters would usually make an oblique comment with a smile (such as 'what a happy content baby').

My worst experience was when I was with a friend who was bottle feeding her baby and someone started going on and on at me about how lovely it was to see someone breastfeeding whilst giving my friend evil looks leaving her (who had wanted to bf but had to give up) feeling absolutely terrible and upset.

So I'd say be confident, smile at anyone who comes near you before they can say or do anything, ignore any bad comments, dress appropriately.

Very true ELCSadvice!
Today I walked round breastfeeding....not glam whilst at toddler group, but with a 2 year old too, what choice do you get!

I breastfeed my DD (12 weeks) wherever I need to, the only time I was a bit nervous was in the local pub at my dad's, but I just took myself off to a quiet corner and no-one noticed - not as much as if I'd left her screaming in the middle of the golf they were trying to watch anyway .

I'm another fan of wearing two tops so I can keep covered up (more for my own comfort than anyone elses), and I've bought a mamascarf for the summer so I don't have to wear extra layers and overheat!

I've fed all 3 of mine in public, all over the place and never experienced anyone ever commenting about it despite reading many OPs on MN that claim that people regularly make a point of going over to abuse BFing mothers

I felt self consious when I had my first for the first month or so but once we were both confident we knew what we were doing I just fed him wherever I was (cafe's, restaurants, on a bench at the seaside !!) and by the time I had my fourth I wasnt bothered from the begining.

I agree with Frazzle Rock though, a few times I expressed and took a bottle out with me when I had my first and people actually looked more, as if to say 'that beby is so tiny and she's not even breastfeeding !!'

I wish they would bring it in as law in this country that you have a right to breastfeed in public. My attitude was my baby is hungry and needs feeding and I'm not starving my child for anyone !!

I also have fed everywhere - trains, planes, automobiles, Anne Frank's house, under the EuroFighter at the RAF museum, pubs, clubs and bars, beaches and churches, London Underground and, on a rare occasion, my living room in front of Countdown. Never had one negative comment. In fact, sometimes I wished people would be a bit more embarrassed - I've had all sorts of funny yet supportive comments and jocular references to the baby BF - including a Sicilian male friend of friend who, when we were introduced, insisted on kissing the baby while he was still on my boob.

The way I look at it, you're a brand ambassador, and the more people who see it in public, the more it is normalised.

Which country are you in Clarbylou?

I'm planning on doing my 1st out and about feed on my own tommorow. I've normally had DH, DM, friend with me, but tommorow I'm going into town on my own with DS!

Glad this I've read this thread, to boost my confidence!

Out of interest, does anyone know of a website that tells you of breastfeeding friendly places?

Fed everywhere, never really thought about whether I should or not. I don't feed ds (2.4) in public any more because he tends to whip his head off very quick and so I end up flashing but also because there are more interesting things to do/eat/drink!
I have fed him in Church, out shopping, in cafes, in McDonald's , on the Cairngorm cable car, on the beach in El Campello (Spain), outside Buck Palace, Alton Towers. I have politely declined the use of a feeding room as I don't feel for me it was necessary.
I do feel it is important to feed in public to try to normalise breastfeeding, but you need to be in your own comfort zone, some people don't feel comfortable feeding in public.
Easiest thing to do is perhaps to go out with other bfing mum's, safety in numbers

I've fed my 12 week old DD in public loads of times - in Costa, Starbucks etc. on a bench in Sainsbury's, in several different restaurants, in the park and in Pensthorpe nature reserve cafe! On not one occasion has anyone said anything. To be honest I don't think many people even notice.

I may get a flaming for saying this but sometimes I think that people almost go looking for confrontation when bfing in public. Either that or because they feel uncomfortable they sort of project that onto others and say they are being made to feel uncomfortable IYSWIM.

To me it isn't a big deal, its just normal and so far the non reactions I've had would seem to me to indicte that I'm far from alone.

i feed all over the place but do you know i have never seen anyone else do it?! you're all obviously very discreet (ha! did you read logrrl's link)! tbh though DS is a distractable little thing and can faff about. i put something next to my ear to look at and that keeps him still .

I'm in Spain and here it's accepted that nursing can take place anywhere and everywhere. In fact my Spanish pals are nonplussed that anyone could possibly be offended by it and are always amazed when I tell them there are still a few sniffy attitudes to be found in the UK at times (although I'm encouraged to hear so many of you haven't experienced any problems - hopefully people in general are getting more chilled out about nursing in public).

Here I get total strangers in the street enquiring as to whether I'm breastfeeding my baby (assuming I'm not in the process of doing so when they speak to me..!)

Today I fed DD in the main branch of Lloyds bank in Madrid and nobody batted an eyelid.