Who thinks breast feeding in public is disgusting?

[MrsDoolittle]

And another thing while I am at it (thinking that is). Did anyone listen to Jeremy Vine discussing breast feeding last week? I was absolutely flabbergasted at the number of people that phoned in and said bf in public is disgusting. I think discussion was in response to talk of the Scottish Parliament banning restaurantuers from asking bfing mums to leave - please correct me if I am wrong.
This is not a breast feeding versus bottle feeding thread but I can't believe any man would feel like this in this day and age, let alone a woman!

Nope, at home (as if I'd MN from work ) xxx

ha! me neither
am having the longest day ever - both up at 5am, been to park/playground/out for lunch and home via shops by 12.30! ARGH!! Trying to get ds down for nap now...

Wow! How are you all now? Has the lurgy vanished from the Dinny house? Hope you breastfed in public while you were out

dd still a bit below par. ds's bum looking bit better, think he'll need op though

did bf, yes, and flashed my boobs/sprayed milk round the cafe as ds keeps pulling head away to oogle at something.

Oh poor MiniDinnies

I really don't see what is so wrong with providing areas for women to breastfeed their babies. To breastfeed you need (or at least I need!) to sit down. If you sit down in a cafe you have to buy something, if you sit down in the middle of a shop you feel harrassed and jostled (or at least, I do!) and to sit down on a park bench you need good weather and an absence of winos. A breastfeeding area can be a godsent to the shy, the skint, and the rained-upon. Or those of us who just want somewhere quiet to sit, to chat with other mums doing the same thing while your small baby takes forever to have his lunch. I am certain that John Lewis stores provide this as a service to the very same women who go there to buy baby stuff etc and I have always been impressed by the staff's courtesy to pg and breastfeeding women. You can breastfeed anywhere in JL, but for all the reasons I have put above, the breastfeeding areas can be fantastic. I will breastfeed anywhere but without these areas I suspect some women would use formula instead.

I agree, the JL BF rooms were great, and there's nothing wrong with having a space set aside for it. I'd object to anyone telling me that that was the only space I could use though!

Regarding whether it's disgusting or not, lots of things are disgusting (tattoos on flabby white bellies hanging over low cut jeans for example) - I shudder when I see them. But I wouldn't dream of suggesting the men / women who are the owners of the tattooed bellies should be forced to cover them up. I just try to avert my gaze - it's my problem, not theirs.

Caligula and Aloha....very pertinent points. I'm rethinking the b/feeding rooms now, esp. with regard to having to buy stuff.
Hunker, re mem with beards. You make me laugh,girl!!!

Aloha - I think your point is aimed at my comments but I'm afraid you are not understanding me. Musn't be explaining myself very well

LOL @ Jimjams Was always much more conscious of showing post-baby, milk bottle white flabby belly than breast because its true that in general there is more belly than breast on view.

If I feed ds3 when ds2 is around he shouts "is ds3 having booby mummy- he likes booby mummy" at the top of his voice - so no chance of a discreet feed. perhaps the talk of boobs draws attention away from my stomach though (really it is hideous).

Maybe we are talking at cross purposes MrsDoolittle - or maybe we've just been in different breastfeeding areas! The ones I've been in in JL have Dutalier rocking chairs. I agree breastfeeding rooms that stink of urine are hideous. But I don't think the curtains are there because the designer of the room thinks breastfeeding is revolting, but because some women are genuinely shy and want privacy.

... and with regard to that, aloha (and bathmummy) I do think it's a shame that women feel embarassed to be seen b/feeding... shyness I can completely understand, I'm not insisting on a universal baps-out policy, but it would be nice if one could be proud to be seen b/feeding instead!

places i have breastfed.
1 on the floor in russell and bromley in bluewater. put my back against the wall, and fed baby whilst my sister was trying on shoes. had encouraging smiles from people.
2 on the bench on the balcony type thing in bluewater. if anywone stared, i didnt notice.
3 on a bench in ds1's playground, whilst the other kids got on with football.
4 on the train.
5 on a plane
6 in an airport lounge, whilst getting stressed coz two year old had gone awol and screaming for six year old to run and get him.
7 on a wall whilst ds1 was on merry go orund type ride in disney land .
8 numerous restauraunts, etc
only once have i fed in a breastfeeding type place in selfridges.

Bathmummy, I wasn't confident to start with, in fact with dd my reluctance to feed in front of people was one of the reasons I never got the hang of breastfeeding her (not the only reason, she was always keener on the bottle despite the help of various midwives). I felt very sad about it as I felt I'd missed out on the experience, although dd was thriving.

When I had ds I was determined to breastfeed him despite struggling to get the hang of it. The crunch came when we were sitting at an open air cafe and he woke up and started fussing for a feed. I suddenly realised that I was going to have to feed him then and there and if I couldn't get used to it then I may as well put him on the bottle. I felt really self- conscious (I've never even been topless on the beach)but to my surprise no-one noticed! Did wonders for my confidence and after that I fed him anywhere and didn't worry at all!

I was a bit concerned that people would stare, then a bit annoyed when they didn't Let nobody say I'm contrary...although they may well be right!

OMG. There are so many disgusting things in the world that we could really be getting disgusted at but breast feeding cannot possibly be one of them! I spend a lot of time taking the piss out of the Scottish parliament (as a Scot, I should add ) but I am so chuffed about their stance on some things - ie hunting and breastfeeding (never thought I'd type those two words in the same sentence.... )

haven't read all of this
can someone just tell me - is anyone on here offended?

Thanks for the interesting links JimJams.

Message withdrawn

Revolting. Mind you, don't get me started on so-called changing rooms. The ELC in Chatham has got one without running water!

Puzzled by this, I asked how on earth you're supposed to change a baby's nappy without water. Apparantly you're supposed to use those chemical wipes - something I have just never used (except once, when my DS had an enormous reaction to them - his bottom swelled up and went red from the chemicals in them - put me off them for good).

But even if you do use wipes, aren't you supposed to wash your hands before and after changing a nappy? I was just so disgusted by how unhygienic the set up was, and it pissed me off that they were marketing it as an extra benefit, when in fact it's the minimum they can get away with - a space with no facilities!

I'm sorry but I cannot (and do not) use these BF rooms. Would you have a drink in the toilets? No. Then why should a baby? I did have trouble with 1st child. I felt embarassed but fortunately DH always gave me confidence. Wherever we went at weekends, I fed DS and glared at anyone who challenged us. I also had local support in a group of BF mums, and we went to local cafe every Friday who were only too pleased to take our money & were very accomodating. My parents were a tad embarrassed to begin with but 4 grandchildren on, they now take it as the baby's right and infact I believe they would stand up against anyone being funny....except church...they dont think I should feed in church even though the ministers wife is a trained BF councellor!! Guess sometimes you cant teach an old dog new tricks!!

also....places I have bf....
Peugot garage waiting for car to be serviced!
Pubs (plenty)
Church (well in the sunday school area)
Car/boat/plane
Works BBQ in front of my manager

be proud
put sarong or towel over baby's head if THEY are too descrete!!